Kelly Rossum - Jazz Trumpet Player in New York City

The silent film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), directed by John Robertson, is based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novella, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886). The University of Wisconsin at River-Falls commissioned Kelly Rossum to compose an original soundtrack to accompany this classic piece of cinema. The score is based upon the four major characters of the film: Dr. Jekyll, Gina, Millicent and Mr. Hyde. Their themes become the basis for musical improvisation, which parallels the characters' evolution throughout the film, culminating in a dramatic climax.

Commissioned by the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in 2009
Original Score pdf, Original Theme pdf
First performed at UWRF on March 2009
Subito Grant awarded by the American Composers Forum in 2009 for production of Demo Reel
Final version performed at UWRF at Halloween, October 31, 2010

This score was written for the 8-piece Nicollet Circus Band, and employed free jazz techniques common to that ensemble. Here, creative interaction and improvisation are not only present between the musicians, as in traditional free jazz; the performance must also acknowledge the action on-screen. The thematic material provided serves as a launching point for the improvisations.

Instrumentation
2 saxes (soprano and tenor)
trumpet
trombone
piano
bass
drums
percussion (concert bass drum, woodblock, police whistle, etc)

Full Score PDF

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde poster

DEMO REEL samples available on KRossum's YouTube channel

Music Hall (6:34)
Millicent (2:14)
Creeping Horror (1:51)
Lab Again (4:36)

Dr Jekyll original