Music of Caprica

For the music of Caprica, composer Bear McCreary utilized a wide variety of ethnic instruments and styles as well as more Western influences to create a soundscape reminiscent of, but vastly different from that of Battlestar Galactica, including the continued use of leitmotifes for characters, events and places.

Main Title Music

First appearing in the series' second episode, "Rebirth", the main title differed vastly from that of its predecessor, utilizing a theme established in the pilot episode for the Graystone Family as an overarching theme for Caprica as a whole. According to composer Bear McCreary:

"The title begins with a pounding percussion fill that introduces the Main Theme (technically the Graystone Theme), played by Chris Bleth on flute. The track builds in intensity, incorporating electric guitars and bass, played by Steve Bartek and Mike Valerio respectively. Towards the end, a distorted drum kit enters (played by Nate Wood) that gives the track a hard-rock feel, completely unique from anything we heard in the pilot. I wanted to give our delicate, plaintive melody a bad ass metal backbone, representative of the V-Clubs and cultural underbelly of Caprica City that the series depicts." [1]

Character & Event Themes

Many of themes used throughout the single season run of Caprica were established in the series pilot episode.

Main Characters

Graystone Family Theme

Described as the de facto Caprica theme, the Graystone Family Theme was initially created to underscore scenes featuring the Graystones, but later evolved into the series main title. Executive producer David Eick later recalled in "The Music of Caprica" video blog that theme was a remarkable achievement as it was instantly recognizable and easily associated with Caprica. [2]

The theme first appears in the pilot immediately following the destruction of the Caprica City Lev by Ben Stark during a montage in which Daniel and Amanda Graystone mourn the death of their daughter, Zoe Graystone. It appears in virtually every episode of the series, generally played on flute or strings. It notably appears in the series finale "Apotheosis", underscoring the U-87s battling STO terrorists in Atlas Arena. For that episode, McCreary described the piece, titled "Apotheosis", as an extension of the main title, combining strings, percussion and electric guitars. The Graystone Theme is also integral in the final moments of the series, played on string and accompanied by percussion in what McCreary described as a "soaring" final statement. [3]

In the episode, "End of Line", Daniel Graystone appears playing the Graystone Theme on the piano in his home lab. [4]

Graystone Family Ostinato

McCreary described the Graystone Ostinato as a "simple oscillating pattern...woven throughout the score, serving as the canvas upon which the longer melodies are painted." [5] Usually played on the harp, piano and gamelan, the osinato was restated in the series finale in a more aggressive variation, heard in the climactic battle at Atlas Arena. [6]

Daniel Graystone Ostinato

Another ostinato is the repetitive figure created to represent Daniel Graystone personally. First signifying Daniel's progressing obsession with the Zoe avatar and his "growing madness", the theme later underscored many of the scientist's scenes. [7] Usually played on harp, the ostinato was also accompanied by aggressive percussive elements in the pilot as well as in the climactic moments of "Know Thy Enemy". [8]

Amanda Graystone Theme

A lesser used melody, the Amanda Graystone Theme notably appeared during the Graystones' love scene during the pilot. [9] A simple, ascending scale, the theme was also prominently featured in the Amanda-centered episode, "The Imperfections of Memory" in which it was adapted for her deceased brother Darius. Utilized as both a theme and in the form of an ostinato, the Darius melody was Amanda's theme played in reverse order. [10]

Zoe Graystone Chords

While both the Graystone Theme and Ostinato were utilized to represent Zoe Graystone, a third musical idea connected to Zoe was more specifically constructed for her. [11] The progression first appears when Lacy Rand discovers the Zoe avatar in the virtual world and later recurs in "Rebirth" as Lacy embraces Zoe in her robotic form. [12]

Other Themes

Tauron Theme

Possibly the second most frequently heard theme throughout Caprica is the theme created for the Tauron side of the series. With the themes for the Graystones given a more traditional Western sound, the Tauron Theme was created as a more ethnic counterpoint. Used in scenes featuring Joseph Adama and his family, the Tauron Theme was frequently played by Paul Cartwright on the acoustic fiddle, or by Chris Bleth on the Chinese membrane flute. [13]

The Tauron Theme is the only theme in Caprica to receive lyrics, heard in the episode "There is Another Sky" during the funeral for Tamara and Shannon Adama. Written by the episode's writer, Kath Lingenfelter, the lyrics for the Tauron Theme were sung in Ancient Greek: [14]

Original English lyrics by Kath Lingenfelter:
These are the voices of those Who have passed over the river heard On the wind entwined with the Eternal and the everlasting These are the voices of those whom We have loved, who no more will suffer Who have returned to the mud This is the voice of the dead Entwined with the eternal and the everlasting

Speaking of the Tauron Theme, Bear McCreary said:

"My task was relatively easy because Tauron and its musical traditions are entirely fictional, so I could make Tauronese music sound like whatever I wanted. I drew my inspirations from Russian folk music, and asked Paul Cartwright to play in that style as opposed to the Scottish Fiddle feel he so frequently evokes for “Roslin and Adama” on Battlestar." [15]

Tauron Ostinato

Another ostinato used throughout the series, the Tauron Ostinato was prominently heard in the pilot when Sam Adama murdered Caprica's minister of defense, Val Chambers. It was also among the first pieces from the pilot to be realized, as recounted by the show's director, Jeff Reiner:

"The first piece I heard was the montage where Sam kills the Minister of Defense while Amanda and Daniel make love, not to mention, Joseph breaking down in tears because of guilt and the loss of his family. The score drove the scene, while evoking the intimacy of love, the rage of a gangland killing, and the struggle with ethnic identity." [16]

The Tauron Ostinato was later heard in a notably different form in "End of Line" in scenes in which Joseph Adama searched New Cap City for the Tamara avatar, played by electronic instruments.

Adama Family Theme

Initially composed for the Battlestar Galactica episode, "The Hand of God", this theme continued throughout that series as the defining musical identity for William Adama and as well as Adama's relationship with his son, Lee Adama. Though heard in only the pilot episode, the Tauron funeral scene in "There is Another Sky" and in a very fragmented rendition in "The Dirteaters", the Adama family is one of the few musical links between Battlestar Galactica and Caprica. [17]

Percussive Element

Another link to the music of Battlestar Galactica was the utilization of shakers, claves, shime daiko and sparing use of taiko drums underscoring action sequences like the U-87 testing sequences in the pilot episode. [18] Though McCreary intended to keep the use of the percussive element so heavily used in Galactica to a minimum, as Caprica progressed, the identity increasingly asserted itself. [19] By late series episodes like "Here Be Dragons" and "Apotheosis", the percussive and ethnic instrumentation of sequences like these was increased, most notably in the climactic Cylon battle at the series conclusion. [20]

Songs

Caprican National Anthem

For the second episode of the series Bear McCreary created a recording of the Caprcian National Anthem, Caprica Abides. Though only a small portion of that recording was used during the scenes at Atlas Arena, the entire song was later utilized at the arena in "Apotheosis". [21] The anthem was sung by Mack Donnelly - “Mr. O Canada” - who frequently sang the Canadian National Anthem before Vancouver Canucks games. [22]

Original lyrics by Jane Espenson:
Caprica let us celebrate Raise our hands despite the weight And all her joys we extol Caprica Abides Caprica let us perservere Shield ourselves from doubt and fear And all the sorrows of the soul Caprica Abides Caprica let us perservere Shield ourselves from doubt and fear And all the sorrows of the soul Caprica Abides

External Links

• Bear McCreary's website
• Bear McCreary's blog

Caprica definition: a belief held by members of the STO, including Clarice Willow, with various view points ^{(CAP: "Reins of a Waterfall")}. Willow believes that the STO can prevail if they use Zoe Graystone's program to offer real eternal life to their members in the form of holographic avatars. One of the Hybrids also uses this term during the Fall of the Colonies, stating "Apotheosis was the beginning before the beginning" ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. (See: resurrection program)