«If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.»
Calgarians Dave Latos and katie o'brien collaborated to create a truly quirky song called "apple pie" based on Carl Sagan's quote; “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe”.
The text is from a larger work called "There is a cavern where my lungs used to be", which is focused on the theme of water. Apple Pie has a grandiose cosmic feel that builds to a climax where the composer envisions time stopping as we reflect on the unfathomable. On the surface this piece is about to black holes circling closer together out there in the universe.
The choir speeds up to a climax on different cycles. This piece is mixed by Kantorei's own Cass Bessette of Morgan Music; they created a Dolby surround-sound image for Apple Pie that gives you the impression that all eight sections of the choir are spinning around your head. If you have a Dolby surround theatre system listen to this recording on it, or as a next best thing, wear some good headphones.
Special thanks to:
Kantorei Choral Society, OCL Recording Studios, Morgan Music, Media Pop Films, and our funders Calgary Arts Development and Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
Music: Dave Latos
Text: katie o’brien
Soloist: Dave Latos
Dolby ATMOS Spatial Audio Design: Cass Bessette at Morgan Music
Filmed at: Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts
Performed by: Mount Royal Kantorei
Artistic Director: John Morgan
Collaborative Pianist: Mary Buckley
Conductor’s Intern: Cass Bessette
Audio Recording: John Morgan & Cass Bessette at Morgan Music
Audio Mix: John Morgan & Cass Bessette at Morgan Music
Film Director/Producer: Ryan Northcott at Mediapop
Producer: John Morgan, Ryan Northcott, Eric Giesbrecht
Director of Photography & Editor: Ryan Northcott at Mediapop
Apple Pie
two black holes circling closer for aeons
quickening pace with each orbit until they reach lightspeed -
the fabric of the universe wobbling with their energy
like water at a rolling boil
as they crash, radiating more energy than
all the stars combined, they are more than the sum of their parts -
a greater black hole, sixty-two times as massive as the Sun -
the noises scientists hear are birdlike
the energy released ripples in every direction
the Earth bobbing like a cork
and the waves keep on