Angelo Badalamenti on “Laura’s Theme” (video)

[Got A Light?]

I’m sure many, if not the vast majority, of the people here have seen this video, but since I’m new and haven’t found it here, I thought I’d share. It’s a wonderful video on how Laura’s Theme was created and gives a bit of insight on collaborating with David Lynch…not to mention, Angelo seems to be a great storyteller.

 

[hopesfall]

He was such a passionate and talented man. I'd loved to have met him. He had a real nack for conveying emotion in his music, which must be one of the reasons Lynch was so endeared to him.

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall during one of their side by side sessions at the piano. I bet it was wonderful to witness them creating that magic together.

 

[Dom]

Dare I say it? Angelo Badalamenti was a little like Robert Cobert in that he could take what teetered on the edge of generic soap opera music and turn it into something romantic and beautiful, yet wasn't afraid to experiment.

I mean, take Cobert's track from Dark Shadows, 'Joanna' - also the main theme from the movie Night of Dark Shadows



and compare it with Badalamenti's 'Laura Palmer's Theme'



and there's a common romantic ancestry in the piano parts, but both manage to tuck a neat sense of unease in there, undercutting what could be conventional soap opera music.

Apologies if anyone has an issue with me mentioning Dark Shadows, but I'm an unashamed fan! I've got the complete series coffin boxset! I paid the equivalent of $65 in tax extra just to get it through UK customs and excise!!

 

[Got A Light?]

Dare I say it? Angelo Badalamenti was a little like Robert Cobert in that he could take what teetered on the edge of generic soap opera music and turn it into something romantic and beautiful, yet wasn't afraid to experiment.

I mean, take Cobert's track from Dark Shadows, 'Joanna' - also the main theme from the movie Night of Dark Shadows



and compare it with Badalamenti's 'Laura Palmer's Theme'



and there's a common romantic ancestry in the piano parts, but both manage to tuck a neat sense of unease in there, undercutting what could be conventional soap opera music.

Apologies if anyone has an issue with me mentioning Dark Shadows, but I'm an unashamed fan! I've got the complete series coffin boxset! I paid the equivalent of $65 in tax extra just to get it through UK customs and excise!!

I very much like this comparison. I’m a fan of Dark Shadows, albeit a casual one, so I never really thought much about the music, but one can definitely see that there is a shared aesthetic (if not a kind of “language”) between the two.

I thought your description of undercutting traditional soap opera music with unease was really spot on. I’m old enough to remember daytime soap operas, so when I first watched Twin Peaks, I recognized the sort of broad “soap” motif in the score, but with a sense of foreboding, of almost imminent dread. However, I think “unease” captures the feeling and mood even better.