Black Dyke Band: Metropolis 1927 Peter Graham

The Black Dyke Band perform Metropolis 1927 by Peter Graham at the New York Staff Band s 129th Annual Festival held on March 19, 2016 at the Centennial Memorial Temple in New York City. Fritz Lang s 1927 science fiction epic Metropolis is considered to be a masterpiece of cinematic vision and a high point of German Expressionist filmmaking. Set in a future dystopian world the film introduces the viewer to two contrasting communities living in the vast city of Metropolis. Those above ground live a life of privilege and pleasure serviced by the undergrounddwelling drone workers whose role is to maintain and operate the banks of machines which provide the city s power. Lang s film, which can be considered a type of 20th century morality play, draws upon a range of themes and influences from Marxist ideals and social satire to overt religious symbolism. The music does not attempt to precise the plot, such as it is, but simply reflects my musical responses to Lang