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Dragon's Domain Records presents CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, featuring music composed by Michael Convertino for the 1986 romantic drama directed by Randa Haines, written by Mark Medoff, Hesper Anderson and James Carrington, starring William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie and Philip Bosco.
Released in 1986, CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD is an unconventional love story built around the cultural divide between a hearing man and a deaf woman, the limitations of spoken language, and the struggle to communicate without demanding conformity. Adapted from Mark Medoff's Tony Award-winning play, the film follows James Leeds, a speech teacher at a school for Deaf students and Sarah Norman, a former student who refuses to speak. Their relationship develops amid a fundamental conflict: James wants Sarah to enter his world, while Sarah insists that he meet her on her own terms. The film became a landmark in the representation of Deaf characters and performers. It received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and Matlin won Best Actress for her debut performance—the first Deaf performer to receive an Academy Award.
Born in New York City, Michael Convertino began his composition studies at the Paris Conservatory and continued his musical education with Vladimir Ussachevsky at Columbia University and Krzysztof Penderecki at Yale University. Before entering film, he performed as a singer, guitarist and songwriter with the new wave band The Innocents, whose lineup also included future composer Thomas Newman on keyboards. Convertino began his screen career collaborating with David Newman on Tim Burton's original short film FRANKENWEENIE and went on to score such films as THE HIDDEN, BULL DURHAM, THE DOCTOR, WRESTLING ERNEST HEMINGWAY, GUARDING TESS, THE SANTA CLAUSE, THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU'RE DEAD, BED OF ROSES and MOTHER NIGHT. His long association with director Randa Haines began with CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, his first major studio assignment as a composer.
The score for CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD was very unique at the time. The live orchestra was recorded at Paramount, with Shirley Walker conducting and Dan Wallin serving as scoring mixer. Chris Boardman orchestrated, with additional orchestration by Walker and Convertino. The resulting combination of orchestra and electronic sound reflects the technology and aesthetics of its period but Convertino's purpose in using electronics was not merely to enlarge the ensemble. He wanted to alter the natural identity of the instruments, to make familiar sounds feel slightly displaced.
Originally released by GNP Records at the time of the film's release and the early days of the compact disc format, Dragon's Domain Records is excited to bring CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD back to the marketplace during its 40th anniversary. The music has been remastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by author and composer Brian Satterwhite, with the participation of composer Michael Convertino.
- BSX
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