This week’s selection is a short cello prelude that accompanies the opening scene of Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story. The intended mood was regal but intimate, reflecting fencing’s history but not overwhelming a dialogue-driven scene. The end result was this Baroque-esque solo piece, performed here by John Acosta.

(p.s. The phrase “Baroque-esque solo piece” sounds like a diction exercise.)

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Prelude for Épée

A companion piece to last week’s music selection, this cue accompanies the climactic showdown between fencers Catherine Bolton and Robbie Hopper. Both are sight-impaired fencers who fence entirely blindfolded. To a sight-enabled observer who can easily sense the relative positions of both participants, the faceoff is unexpectedly gripping.

This cue continues the musical vocabulary of Part 1, utilizing hand percussion and marcato celli to provide a minimalist-style rhythmic drive.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Final Tournament (Part 2)

Composing for a fencing tourney in a documentary is decidedly different from scoring the same material in a fictional movie; too bombastic a style and you’ve suddenly turned a real-life moment into an Errol Flynn action sequence.

At the same time, this scene in Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story does have some of the elements of fiction: sympathetic characters, tension, and struggle towards a climax. The music needed to acknowledge the energy, and the distinctive give-and-take rhythm of fencing.

My approach was rhythmic, but on an intimate rather than ultra-romantic scale; the drive is provided by three celli, instead of a big orchestra or pounding electronic beats. Support is provided by colorful hand percussion – marimba and halo drums, which sound a little bit like Caribbean steel drums.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Final Tournament (Part 1)

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.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Ani at Home

Continuing the selections from Touché: A Blind Fencer’s Story, this week’s cue is the music from the opening credits. The haunting black-and-white visual of two fencers dueling in slow-motion inspired this lyrical piece for solo piano.

Piano always feels like a natural match for black and white imagery; the color of the keyboard is an obvious correlate, and since piano is used to make “sketches” of orchestral pieces there may be a functional analogy as well. But ultimately I think it’s the instrument’s focused, consistent sound that makes the association click in my mind.

Those ruminations safely delivered, hope you enjoy the piece!

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Touché (Main Titles)