Before initiating the process of composition for my dramatised adaptation, I conducted a thorough review of the entire audio recording. During this initial stage, I identified significant points within the narration that stood out due to their importance in terms of story development, character introduction, or emotional transformation and did some spotting.
Ultimately, I marked twenty-four sections of the narration as potential points of interest. While I am fully aware that underscoring every marked section with music would be excessive and potentially overwhelming for the listener, this exercise provided me with a clear framework for identifying moments where musical underscoring might be effectively employed. This preliminary analysis allowed me to conceptualise the placement of music within the adaptation in a way that would complement, rather than detract from, the narrative.
Following this analytical phase, I took the opportunity to immerse myself in the dramatised adaptation, listening attentively until certain melodies naturally emerged in response to the material. Notably, the melodies that came to me were unexpectedly simple. Moreover, they often presented a striking contrast to the tone of the narrative, either through their harmonic key or textural quality. Interestingly, my compositional instincts gravitated towards a style reminiscent of Joe Hisaishi’s work and a Mickey Mousing approach to scoring. This was both surprising and thought-provoking.
The unexpected nature of this instinct stems from the contrast between my adaptation’s thematic content and the traditional associations of such musical styles. Having grown up watching animated films from both Studio Ghibli and Disney, I was undoubtedly influenced by their characteristic use of music. However, my narrative is not childlike in any way; on the contrary, it explores dark and mature themes. At first glance, employing a style that is often associated with playfulness and innocence seemed incongruous with the subject matter. Nevertheless, upon deeper reflection, I recognised an underlying thematic connection: my adaptation engages with the notion of lost innocence and childhood.
The protagonist, Aurelia, commits an act of murder—an action entirely incongruous with her established character and personal history. Moreover, the victim of her crime is her own twin sister, with whom she shared formative childhood experiences. Through Altaluna’s perspective, the audience gains insight into these early experiences, including the differences in their personalities and their shared moments in the playground, such as singing La Bella Lavanderina, a traditional Italian lullaby.
Aurelia’s use of La Bella Lavanderina within the story is particularly striking. She sings or hums this lullaby at moments of extreme inappropriateness—most notably while disposing of her sister’s body and attempting to conceal the evidence of her crime. This juxtaposition of an innocent childhood song with a heinous act of violence creates a deeply unsettling effect, reinforcing the story’s central exploration of innocence lost.
This intuitive musical approach subsequently led me to conduct further research into both Joe Hisaishi’s compositional techniques and the use of Mickey Mousing within Disney films. By analysing these influences, I aim to refine my musical choices in a manner that enhances the psychological and emotional depth of my adaptation.