This spirited cello solo is cut from the same cloth as last week’s Fencing Prelude No. 2. To quote last week’s description, which applies equally well: “The piece is meant to convey a sense of fencing’s regal history, as well as the nimble back-and-forth of the sport’s footwork. Cello performances by John Acosta.”

Continuing the music series from Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story, this is one of several cello solos and duets underscoring the fencing instruction scenes. The piece is meant to convey a sense of fencing’s regal history, as well as the nimble back-and-forth of the sport’s footwork. Cello performances by John Acosta.

George Adams’ documentary Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story tells the extraordinary story of Catherine Bolton, a woman who after losing most of her vision in adulthood became a champion blindfolded fencer.

As touched upon here previously, music for a documentary has to walk a line between romanticism and respect for its subject matter. That said, I felt that it made sense to compose a leitmotif for Catherine, who recurs throughout the film. Instead taking the traditional approach of varying the theme over time, I changed its instrumentation to reflect the mood of the moment. This solo piano version takes on a reflective but optimistic tone.

Just when you thought the tournament couldn’t get any more final, here’s the second half to the musical accompaniment for the climax of Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story.

As with the first part, my challenge was conveying a sense of motion and excitement in the context of an intimate personal documentary. Once again a small group of strings and hand percussion did the trick, bringing energy to the fencing competition without overwhelming the scope of the subject.

Continuing the music series from Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story, this week’s cue is the first of two that accompany the film’s climactic fencing tournament sequence.

Scoring this scene took a delicate touch. The music needed to add energy and a sense of stakes without turning a real-life competition into a scene from an action movie. In other words, to heighten the moment without over-romanticizing nonfictional people and events. And given the prevalence of dialogue and narration, big overarching themes would have felt intrusive.

I chose a minimalist (capital M) approach: rhythmically driven, with gradual changes of texture and harmony. I used a chamber music palette to keep the score intimate and personal: four celli, acoustic bass, and hand percussion.

Continuing the music series from Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story, this week’s cue is a gentle accompaniment to fully blind fencer Ani Brady, as she deftly prepares a meal with the help of her daughter. The sensitive guitar performance comes courtesy of Tom Strahle.

Having returned from a well-enjoyed summer trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, I’m happy to put the Cue of the Week blog back in operation!

This week’s music is the main title from a documentary with an extraordinary subject: Catherine Bolton, a single mom who lost her sight in her mid 30s, then become a champion in blind and sight-impaired fencing. Solo piano accompanies the film’s main title sequence of slow-motion fencers in black and white.