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Mikolai Stroinski And Garry Schyman Score Kafka's 'Metamorphosis'

Ovid Works

Metamorphosis, created by the studio Ovid Works, is inspired by the Kafka story of the same name.  There's a bit of the plot of The Trial woven into the story as well.  The main character, Gregor, finds he's been turned into an insect, and it's up to him to investigate why his friend Joseph has been taken away to be interrogated. Both Mikolai Stroinski and Garry Schyman say working on the soundtrack was one of the most artistically rewarding projects they've ever done.

Mikolai and Garry's music reflects Kafka's era, and they took a chance on writing music in the style of the time by Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. Finding a singer up to the challenge of this demanding music was difficult, but Mikolai discovered soloist Joanna Freszel who brought the texts to life.

Credit Anna Konieczna-Purchala photo
soprano Joanna Freszel

Gregor's life as a bug and Joseph's experience on trial happen simultaneously, and Mikolai and Garry traded themes back and forth so that the music they each wrote would sound cohesive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDJLwjwl4L0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDJLwjwl4L0

Both Mikolai and Garry say that having a chance to use techniques they learned when they were music students was incredibly satisfying, and they should have paid Ovid Works for the fun they had writing the soundtrack.  

Episode tracklist:

Metamorphosis:

Garry Schyman: Metamorphosis Theme

Mikolai Stroinski: The Letter (instrumental)

Garry Schyman: Corridors

Mikolai Stroinski: The Tower

Garry Schyman: Underfloor

Mikolai Stroinski: The Final Run

Garry Schyman: The Harbor

Mikolai Stroinski: The Three Procedures

Garry Schyman: Underground Village

Mikolai Stroinski: The Path to the Tower

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Thanks to Dick Roberts for production assistance and Greg O'Connor-Read, Top Dollar PR

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Kate Remington joined WSHU in December of 2000, and she's been WSHU's Music Director since 2002.
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