The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Live)

by Geoff Smith

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

The album download also comes with a free bonus item exclusive to Bandcamp: the original promotional colour pdf about the live score to film project that was partnered by the BFI (British Film Institute).

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Full Digital Discography

6

releases

Get all 6 Geoff Smith releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Live), Hurt, I Hear a Symphony, Haxan - Witchcraft Through the Ages, MINA, and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. , and , .

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1.	The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 1) [Live] 09:50	buy track
2.	The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 2) [Live] 13:18	buy track
3.	The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 3) [Live] 11:13	buy track
4.	The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 4) [Live] 16:02	buy track
5.	The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 5) [Live] 04:46	buy track

about

'The Adventures of Prince Achmed' by Geoff Smith is a recording of a live performance. This was a live performance to a screening of the renowned feature length silhouette animation, 'The Adventures of Prince Achmed' (Dir: Lotte Reiniger, 1926). The performance took place at an opera house in Poland at an International Film Festival. The original promotional pdf about Smith's soundtrack and the animation is included as an exclusive free bonus item with this album download from Bandcamp.

When Smith composed his score for this renowned film, his vision and methodology was that the score would have a dual existence: firstly as a soundtrack that responds to, and enhances, the intricate detail and beauty of the animation and its narrative; and secondly as a composition and live performance that would stand alone and be independent as a listening experience - separate from the film. This second existence is intended to leave the listener's imagination completely free when listening to this live album.

The Fluid Dulcimer was invented by Smith. It is a hammered dulcimer that incorporates ‘Fluid Tuning’ mechanisms which facilitate adjustable microtonal tuning on each note individually and separately. This therefore enables the exploration of tuning and the creation of 'bespoke' tunings per composition. Smith's invention of the Fluid Piano subsequently evolved from the prototype Fluid Dulcimer. The Chromatic Dulcimer was made by the late great Roger Frood. Roger Frood only made three or four of these wonderful instruments.

Smith is the only musician in the world to have explored, in both composition and performance, a comprehensive spectrum of percussion and drum rudiments on the Hammered Dulcimer. This can be clearly heard on this album as well as seen, for example, in the two bonus items of music notation pdfs for the tracks Ferocious Tenderness and Pale Powder Blue. Intrinsic to facilitating this composition and performance technique has also been the use of a different design of hammers as well as method of gripping the hammers: i.e. the way in which the hammers are actually held in each hand and manoeuvred within each hand during performance.

This approach has given Smith the means by which to express, explore and enhance a vast dynamic and emotional range in his composition and songwriting.

As result of the production & mixing process of this live recording, Smith has been able to fully capture the extremely wide dynamics of his performance. In this live recording you will also hear occasional unobtrusive sounds from the audience in the opera house. You will also hear the applause at the end of the live performance in Act 5.

Album track list

(1) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 1)
(Geoff Smith: Fluid Dulcimer & vocal)
9:50

(2) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 2)
(Geoff Smith: Fluid Dulcimer & Chromatic Dulcimer)
13:19

(3) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 3)
(Geoff Smith: Fluid Dulcimer, Chromatic Dulcimer & vocal)
11:13

(4) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 4)
(Geoff Smith: Fluid Dulcimer)
16:02

(5) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Act 5)
(Geoff Smith: Chromatic Dulcimer)
4:46

Media Reviews

“The musical equivalent of splitting the atom” The Guardian

“ The Hammered Dulcimer has been waiting for someone like Geoff Smith to come along” Fiona Talkington, BBC Radio 3

“Smith is a virtuoso percussionist who has revolutionised the Dulcimer” The Sunday Times

credits

released July 28, 2023

Composed & performed live by Geoff Smith on the Fluid Dulcimer, Chromatic Dulcimer & vocal.
Produced, mixed & mastered by Geoff Smith.
Fluid Piano recordings.

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about

Geoff Smith Brighton, UK

Composer, performer, songwriter, vocalist & inventor Geoff Smith is acknowledged as a world-leading virtuoso and a unique innovator & pioneer in composition, technique and performance on the Hammered Dulcimer. His albums comprise songs, instrumentals & film soundtracks. He is the inventor of both the Fluid Piano & Fluid Dulcimer.

“The musical equivalent of splitting the atom” The Guardian ... more