grace hayes
music Composition and production
Ghosts Before Breakfast
Project statement
The following clip is an excerpt of the suite I composed to score the 1928 Dadaist silent film, Ghosts Before Breakfast, created by German artist, Hans Richter. The film was originally scored by composer Paul Hindemith, however, the original audio of the film was destroyed by the Nazis, as they deemed the Dadaist work to be “degenerate art.”
The suite is inspired by the anti-authoritarian themes, rhythmic elements, and symbolism seen throughout the film. Richter warns the public of the possible dangers associated with the rise of the Nazi party, and takes an anti-authoritarian stance as he conveys everyday objects rebelling. The themes heard throughout the suite correspond with the symbols in Richter’s film, such as images of a ticking clock and flying hats.
These themes are used as leitmotifs and undergo various harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic transformations to represent the various images in the film. The rhythmic nature of Ghosts Before Breakfasts inspired the syncopated and accented rhythms heard in the suite.
About the Artist
Grace Hayes is a Chicago based composer, arranger, and vocalist who draws influence from jazz, classical, R&B, and soul. While receiving her Bachelor of Music from Columbia College Chicago, Grace scored the silent film Ghosts Before Breakfast and composed the theme song for the animated series Wake Walker. In addition to composition for media, her vocal arranging works include a vocal jazz arrangement of Kyrie, using text from a traditional Latin Mass, and her arrangement of Once You by Jacob Collier for Columbia’s vocal jazz ensemble, ChicagoVox.
“It is exciting and thought-provoking to listen to Grace Hayes’ music. Grace’s rhythmic and harmonic language is influenced by composers ranging from Stravinsky and Messiaen to Esperanza Spaulding.”
—Ilya Levinson, Associate Professor, Coordinator of Composition Studies