The BQE (soundtrack)
The BQE is a mixed-medium artistic exploration of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway by Sufjan Stevens. The project originally manifested in the form of a live show, performed on November 1–3, 2007. The show consisted of an original film, directed and written by Stevens, accompanied by an orchestra performing a live soundtrack.
The album recording was made after the rehearsals for the show. It was recorded live during a one-day session in Legacy Studios' A509 orchestral suite (since closed and demolished) with most of the group in the same large room together.
A multimedia package of The BQE was released on October 20, 2009. The set consists of a CD of the show's soundtrack, a DVD of Brooklyn-Queen Expressway footage that accompanied the original performance (not a film of the performance itself), a 40-page booklet with liner notes and photos, and a stereoscopic 3D View-Master reel. There is also a limited edition version that features the soundtrack on 180-gram vinyl and a 40-page BQE-themed comic book starring the show's hula-hooping wonder women, The Hooper Heroes.
Regarding The BQE, Stevens said:
I intended to create a non-personal, non-narrative piece. I tried to reduce my own personal investment as much as possible, and I refused to incorporate one of my strengths, which is the song. I was relinquishing my greatest weapon.[7]
Track listing
| 1. |
"Prelude on the Esplanade" |
2:56 |
| 2. |
"Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes" |
1:07 |
| 3. |
"Movement I: In the Countenance of Kings" |
5:19 |
| 4. |
"Movement II: Sleeping Invader" |
4:34 |
| 5. |
"Interlude I: Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation" |
3:33 |
| 6. |
"Movement III: Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise" |
4:09 |
| 7. |
"Movement IV: Traffic Shock" |
3:24 |
| 8. |
"Movement V: Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns" |
3:45 |
| 9. |
"Interlude II: Subi Power Waltz" |
0:28 |
| 10. |
"Interlude III: Invisible Accidents" |
0:54 |
| 11. |
"Movement VI: Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges" |
3:17 |
| 12. |
"Movement VII (Finale): The Emperor of Centrifuge" |
3:51 |
| 13. |
"Postlude: Critical Mass" |
2:59 |
Total length: |
40:16 |
| 14. |
"The Sleeping Red Wolves" |
4:23 |
Total length: |
44:39 |
Personnel
- Production
- Alejandro Venguer, assisted by Jeff Kirby and Tyler Van Dalen – recording, legacy studios, new york city
- Casey Foubert, James McAlister, and Sufjan Stevens – additional recording, Sufjan's office in Brooklyn
- Sufjan Stevens – mixing
- Lisa Moran – production management
- Michael Atkinson – music editing, copyist
- Performing Artists
- Tim Albright – trombone
- Hideaki Aomori – clarinet
- Mat Fieldes – upright bass
- Casey Foubert – electric guitar
- Josh Frank – trumpet
- Alan Hampton – upright bass
- Marla Hansen – viola, vocals
- Jay Hassler – bass clarinet, clarinet
- Maria Bella Jeffers – cello
- Ben Lanz – trombone
- Olivier Manchon – violin
- Rob Moose – violin
- Sato Moughalian – flute, piccolo
- Damian Primis – bassoon
|
- Theo Primis – french horn
- Joey Redhage – cello
- Kyle Resnick – trumpet
- Yuuki Matthews – bass, beats
- Beth Meyers – viola
- James McAlister – drums, percussion, drum programming, sequencing, synthesizers, sound effects, etc.
- Matt Moran – drums, percussion
- Arthur Sato – oboe
- Alex Sopp – flute, alto flute, piccolo
- Hiroko Taguchi – violin
- Amie Weiss – violin
- Sufjan Stevens – "everything else"
- Michael Atkinson – conductor
|
- BQE Film
- Anastasia-Dyan Pridlides – botanica
- Elaine Tian – quantus
- Lindsay Brickel – electress
- Sufjan Stevens – direction, cinematography, editing
- Reuben Kleiner – cinematography, editing
- Malcolm Hearn – editing
- Bryant Fisher and Blink Digital – post-production
|
- Packaging
- Denny Renshaw – photography
- Anastasia-Dyan Pridlides – botanica
- Elaine Tian – quantus
- Lindsay Brickel – electress
- Stephen Halker – bailey
- Virginia Bradley Linzee – makeup
- Belinda Martin – wardrobe
- Caroline McAlister – costume design, costumes
- Sufjan Stevens – photography, layout, design, illustrations
|
- "Hooper Heroes" Comic Book/Stereoscopic Reel
- Sufjan Stevens – story, writing
- Stephen Halker – story, penciling, inking, lettering, coloring
- Heidi Cho – coloring
- David Min – coloring
- Matt Loux – cover watercolour
- Christian Ackler – cover masthead
Ballet
BQE is the basis of the San Francisco Ballet's In the Countenance of Kings choreographed by Justin Peck which premiered April 12, 2016..[8][9]
References
External links
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| | Studio albums | |
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| | EPs | |
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| | Christmas albums | |
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| | Other albums | |
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| | Singles | |
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| | Related articles | |
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