The Bridge

The Bridge was originally scored for a scene from the French film ‘Girl on The Bridge’. The music was later extended into a four movement suite. The film depicts a desperate girl who is about to commit suicide, but then a passing knife thrower offers her a chance as his human target. The pair travel around, performing many successful shows, but their volatile personalities ultimately lead to a troubled relationship.

The first movement, On The Go, is upbeat and joyful, as the main protagonists drive to a show. The music has a strong sense of rhythm, with a spirited melody played by the violins throughout. The harmony occasionally broadens out in a style similar to that of early Hollywood films. This fits well with the black and white, old fashioned nature of the images. The next movement, Preparations, is set as the pair are on stage together for the first time. The music is simple, with quiet chords and a pizzicato viola accompaniment pattern. As the knife thrower prepares to throw his first knife, tremolo strings build up the suspense. The rest of the orchestra enters as he slowly swings his arm, with the timpani signifying the impact of the knife on the wooden board that girl is strapped to.

The Performance is written for strings only, and it portrays the intimate and tense atmosphere as the audience silently watches the knife throwing act. The music is largely played staccato, and has frequently repeated phrases that give a feeling of edginess. At the end of the performance, there are sombre chords as the girl is slightly injured by one of the knives. The fourth movement, Reminiscence, reuses the theme from the first movement, as the main characters look back positively on their time together. There is a reflective piano solo, followed by a lightly orchestrated extension of the theme. A solo horn, and later a solo flute play the theme in a lyrical way, before the piano returns for a peaceful final phrase.

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