Have you ever seen this movie?! Well, if you haven’t you’ve most likely heard the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s famed movie that opened our eyes and imagination. In short, 2001 is a story about evolution. It was created in 1968 when little was known about space exploration.
At the dawn of man, a primitive tribe lives by hunting and gathering in a desert. The tribe discovers a black monolith, which they approach and examine. The implication is that the monolith is of extraterrestrial origin, and it imparts the knowledge of tools on members of the tribe. After the discovery, one of the tribe members scavenges a bone from a pile and uses it as a club, discovering the first tool. This tool is used to hunt, and eventually as a weapon to kill a member of a rival tribe. (Source: imdb.com)
Long story short. The humans evolve making new tools and technology. Humankind manages to make it to the moon where they unearth a monolith and upon the sun hitting it, emits a a high frequency transmission. It is believed to have originated from Jupiter. So the mission begins to send man to Jupiter to investigate.
Regardless, you get the picture. In 1968 some active imaginations had their thoughts roll out on to the big screen. The theme song pioneered the sound of discovery with it’s timpani drums and slow dramatic notes of suspense.
In September I found the most amazing rendition of the theme song. I was so moved that I couldn’t breath. I cried to no end. At the time I was visiting my mother and she asked what was wrong. So she joined me and we were both in tears, together. What you are about to witness is the most moving experience I have had to music in some time. So I leave you with the tagline from the movie to begin:
Let the Awe and Mystery of a Journey Unlike Any Other Begin
Having watched that, I’m sure you’ll understand why tears have come to your eyes now. That is by far the funniest thing I have ever heard in a very long time. I know, it’s awful to laugh, but seriously… how could you not?! After a little bit of research I found out why they sound so terrible. Brilliant concept if you ask me and would have loved my band teacher to challenge me so. Instead, I got stuck playing the bass drum and a snare drum, not at the same time either. So if you’re out there Mr. Sterling I hope you get your arm stuck in a french horn while you’re cleaning it! :)
The Portsmouth Sinfonia was a real orchestra founded by a group of students at Portsmouth School of Art in Portsmouth, England, in 1970 — however, the Sinfonia had an unusual entrance requirement. Players had to be either non-musicians, or if a musician, play an instrument that was entirely new to them. Among the founding members was one of their teachers, English composer Gavin Bryars. The orchestra started as a one-off, tongue-in-cheek performance art ensemble but became a cultural phenomenon over the following ten years, with concerts, record albums, a film and a hit single. They last performed publicly in 1979.
See more here on wikipedia: The Portsmouth Sinfonia
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