It seems fitting that Jerry Goldsmith should be selected to compose the score for the Next Generation crew?s first solo movie outing, directed by the ship?s first officer himself, Jonathan Frakes. Having kicked off the original series crew?s offerings with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and turning in a surprisingly excellent entry for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (given that movie?s otherwise lacklustre reception), the director and producers made a specific point of budgeting Goldsmith into the production, and he was not going to turn down the opportunity to reinstate his themes into the franchise. 1996 saw a particularly busy schedule for Goldsmith though, with the late-running post production on The Ghost and the Darkness, and so Jerry called upon his son Joel to co-compose with him in the three weeks available to complete the score, with Joel handling most of the Borg-related material. Created from the original manuscript, this release offers a rare opportunity to study film music in its authentic, original orchestration and arrangement. An opportunity not to be missed!

A large orchestral piece, inspired by the classic film music of science fiction cinema, perfect for cross-over, pops programs. A symphonic love letter to science fiction!

Anyone familiar with the 1980s sci-fi cinema boosted by the success of Steven Spielberg should note the obvious reference in the title of this piece. The 1987 sci-fi adventure, directed by Joe Dante and produced by Spielberg, was one of my favourite movies as a teenager.

When the enthusiastic Gothia Concentus commissioned me to write Innerspace, the task was to write a stand-alone concert work that would serve as companion piece to an impressive set list of well-known genre works primarily from the world of film, but also video games. Since all of the other pieces were written for sci-fi adventures taking place in outer space, I wanted to go in the other direction - inwards.

My piece and its storyline is inspired by that of Joe Dante?s movie, and of course, even more so by the ingenious 1960s sci-fi gem Fantastic Voyage. I would not say, though, that the music itself is particularly inspired by the scores written for these films (by Jerry Goldsmith and Leonard Rosenman) - it?s more of a love letter to all of the great sci-fi music written in the past century.

Innerspace is in large doses based on an octatonic scale which I developed based on a chord progression that has been in my head since I was a teenager, just waiting for the righ opportunity to ?come out?. The piece makes a condensed journey from the stark and alarming opening, through atmospheric passages which are almost bitonal in character, via stirring action and heroic scherzo motifs to a triumphant finale.

It is my intention that this piece should be entertaining, fun and exciting for the post-modern symphony audience, as well as a lot of fun for the players and conductor who share my love for the great sci-fi movies!

Duration: ca 7:30

Instrumentation: 3(1.2.pic)3(1.2.eh)3(1.2.bcl)3(1.2.cbn) - 6652(1opt) - timp.3perc - hp.pno - str.

Mikael Carlsson
January 2019