Battleship Potemkin (album)
Encyclopedia
Battleship Potemkin is a 2005 album of electronic and orchestral music written by Neil Tennant
and Chris Lowe
from Pet Shop Boys
. The music on the album is performed by Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker. It was written to accompany the 1925 silent film
The Battleship Potemkin
by Sergei Eisenstein
.
The Dresdner Sinfoniker is conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer and orchestrations are by Torsten Rasch
. It was released under the name Tennant/Lowe as Neil Tennant
and Chris Lowe
are the composers, but it is essentially a Pet Shop Boys release. The album is produced by the Pet Shop Boys and the German producer Sven Helbig
.
, director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts
in London
, approached Neil Tennant
and Chris Lowe
and suggested that they might write a new score for the film and perform it as a free concert in Trafalgar Square
as part of a series of events organised by the Mayor of London
, Ken Livingstone
.
They wrote the music in the order it would be heard, using a DVD
of the film as a guide. From the beginning they resolved to combine electronic music and strings; the lyrics of the three vocal pieces within it were largely inspired by the film's original subtitles, though one – “After All (The Odessa Staircase) ” – was also prompted by the role in London
of Trafalgar Square
as a home of political dissent.
Tennant and Lowe decided to ask Torsten Rasch
to orchestrate the work after hearing his song cycle Mein Herz brennt, a record based on the music of the rock group Rammstein
which has sold over two million copies worldwide. Torsten Rasch
's orchestrations were recorded by the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer, in Berlin
during July 2004.
Guest musicians
was one of the season's top events, and drew a crowd of approximately 25,000. In September 2005, Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker took the concerts to Germany
and performed in Frankfurt
(September 2), Bonn
(September 3), Berlin
(September 4) and Hamburg
(September 5) to promote the release of the album.
Another British performance took place on May 1, 2006 at the Swan Hunter’s Shipyard in North Tyneside
.
A 7-inch version of the song "No Time For Tears" was officially released as a b-side on the DVD format of the PSB single, *"Minimal
". An online exclusive orchestral mix can be heard on the Official website.
Pet Shop Boys performed the score with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Barbican, London, on January 11, 2008.
Further concerts are planned, with Pet Shop Boys hoping to take it to Moscow
, following their successful Live 8
concert in the Russian capital in 2005. In an interview for the BBC
in September 2005, Neil Tennant
also mentioned that they had approached the governments of Iran
and China
about performing the film live, but both countries declined the proposal.
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
from Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. The music on the album is performed by Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker. It was written to accompany the 1925 silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
The Battleship Potemkin
The Battleship Potemkin
The Battleship Potemkin , sometimes rendered as The Battleship Potyomkin, is a 1925 silent film directed by Sergei Eisenstein and produced by Mosfilm...
by Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein , né Eizenshtein, was a pioneering Soviet Russian film director and film theorist, often considered to be the "Father of Montage"...
.
The Dresdner Sinfoniker is conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer and orchestrations are by Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch is a German composer of contemporary classical music. He is best known for his 2002 song cycle for baritone and orchestra, Mein Herz brennt, based upon the music of Rammstein; among his other works is the opera Rotter, based on a work by Thomas Brasch and premiered by Oper Köln in...
. It was released under the name Tennant/Lowe as Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
are the composers, but it is essentially a Pet Shop Boys release. The album is produced by the Pet Shop Boys and the German producer Sven Helbig
Sven Helbig
Sven Helbig is a German composer, director and music producer.- Bio :In 1996, Sven Helbig and hornist Markus Rindt founded the Dresden Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra is specialized in new, symphonic music in unusual productions and was the first European symphony orchestra to exclusively...
.
About the project
In April 2003, Philip DoddPhilip Dodd
Philip Dodd is a British broadcaster, writer and editor. He is chairman of the creative industries company Made in China.-Early career:...
, director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, approached Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and suggested that they might write a new score for the film and perform it as a free concert in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
as part of a series of events organised by the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
.
They wrote the music in the order it would be heard, using a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of the film as a guide. From the beginning they resolved to combine electronic music and strings; the lyrics of the three vocal pieces within it were largely inspired by the film's original subtitles, though one – “After All (The Odessa Staircase) ” – was also prompted by the role in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
of Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
as a home of political dissent.
Tennant and Lowe decided to ask Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch is a German composer of contemporary classical music. He is best known for his 2002 song cycle for baritone and orchestra, Mein Herz brennt, based upon the music of Rammstein; among his other works is the opera Rotter, based on a work by Thomas Brasch and premiered by Oper Köln in...
to orchestrate the work after hearing his song cycle Mein Herz brennt, a record based on the music of the rock group Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
which has sold over two million copies worldwide. Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch
Torsten Rasch is a German composer of contemporary classical music. He is best known for his 2002 song cycle for baritone and orchestra, Mein Herz brennt, based upon the music of Rammstein; among his other works is the opera Rotter, based on a work by Thomas Brasch and premiered by Oper Köln in...
's orchestrations were recorded by the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
during July 2004.
Track listing
- "'Comrades!'" – 3:52
- "Men and maggots" – 4:57
- "Our daily bread" – 0:52
- "Drama in the harbour" – 9:00
- "Nyet" – 6:14
- "To the shore" – 3:12
- "Odessa" – 6:50
- "No time for tears" – 4:32
- "To the battleship" – 4:34
- "After all (The Odessa Staircase)" – 7:23
- "Stormy meetings" – 1:31
- "Night falls" – 5:55
- "Full steam ahead" – 1:50
- "The squadron" – 4:24
- "For freedom" – 3:17
Personnel
- Neil Tennant
- Chris Lowe
Guest musicians
- Pete Gleadall - Programming
- Torsten Rasch - Orchestrations
- Jonathan Stockhammer - Conductions
- The Dresdner Sinfoniker - Orchestra on all tracks except 2, 3, 11, 12 & 13
- Dave Clayton - Additional programming and keyboards
- Markus Schwind - Trumpet
Chart performance
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums Chart | 54 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
97 |
Touring The Battleship Potemkin
- 2004
- 12 September - Trafalgar Square, London, England.
- 2005
- 2 September - Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany.
- 3 September - Museumsmeile, Bonn, Germany.
- 4 September - Museumsmeile, Berlin, Germany.
- 5 September - Stadtpark, Hamburg, Germany.
- 2006
- 1 May - Swan Hunters Shipyard, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England.
- 20 July - Prager Strasse, Dresden, Germany.
- 29 July - Gardens of the Royal Palace of La Granja, Segovia, Spain.
- 2008
- 11 January - Barbican Theatre, London (ticket only event)
DVD release
A DVD release of the original film of Battleship Potemkin with an accompanying soundtrack is planned, although there have been delays because of problems with the film rights. Initially it was hoped to have the DVD out in 2005, but nothing further has been announced.The future
The performance of the score in Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
was one of the season's top events, and drew a crowd of approximately 25,000. In September 2005, Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker took the concerts to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and performed in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
(September 2), Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
(September 3), Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(September 4) and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
(September 5) to promote the release of the album.
Another British performance took place on May 1, 2006 at the Swan Hunter’s Shipyard in North Tyneside
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
.
A 7-inch version of the song "No Time For Tears" was officially released as a b-side on the DVD format of the PSB single, *"Minimal
Minimal (song)
"Minimal" is a song by British synthpop band Pet Shop Boys and is featured on their 2006 album Fundamental. It was released 24 July 2006 as the second single from that album in the UK, entering the UK Singles Chart at #19 in the first week of its release . It was their 37th Top 20 hit in the UK...
". An online exclusive orchestral mix can be heard on the Official website.
Pet Shop Boys performed the score with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Barbican, London, on January 11, 2008.
Further concerts are planned, with Pet Shop Boys hoping to take it to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, following their successful Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concert in the Russian capital in 2005. In an interview for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in September 2005, Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
also mentioned that they had approached the governments of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
about performing the film live, but both countries declined the proposal.