Christopher Franke | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Chris Franke |
| Born | 6 April 1953 |
| Origin | Berlin, Germany |
| Genres | Electronica, Ambient, Rock, New Age, World |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Composer, Songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Synthesizers, Keyboards |
| Formerly of | Tangerine Dream |
| Website | christopherfranke |
Christopher Franke, born 6 April, 1953, is best known as a German pioneer of electronic music and a Hollywood composer for film and television. [1] He studied composition at Berlin Conservatory where his influences included Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage. [2]
Contents
- Discography
- Solo
- with Tangerine Dream
- Filmography
- Film and Television Projects
- See also
- References
- External links
Franke was a member of the group Tangerine Dream from 1970 to 1987 [3] where he was dubbed the "Sequencer King" for his use of analog sequencer on stage. [4] His use of sequencers with the band is attributed to molding its fast hypnotic style, [2] including on its Phaedra in 1973. [5] This album paved the way for the classic style of the group and attributed to the Berlin school of sound. [6]
After leaving Tangerine Dream, Franke performed a number of solo projects. He performed live in 1991 at the Astoria Theatre in London. Recorded live with Edgar Rothermich, who also produced and engineered most of his projects, it was released as a full-length album in 1993. [7] In 1991, Franke opened a recording studio in West Hollywood and began composing the music for featured films that included Universal Soldier, Tarzan and the Lost City, and Night of the Running Man. The following year, he founded the record label Sonic Images to release soundtracks, Electronica, and World Music. [8] He also released Pacific Coast Highway, his first solo album outside of Tangerine Dream. [9]
For television, Franke has composed music for a number of television shows including for the Sci-Fi series Babylon 5 [10] and Pacific Blue to name a few. [11]
