About Cucumbers & Gin
This film takes you inside the studio recording of Cucumbers & Gin, a virtuosic piece for solo violin. We funded the project on Kickstarter, created custom cocktail recipes for our backers, and in the end needed about a metric ton of people and equipment to make the film. It was an incredible experience. Thank you to everyone who worked on, backed, or just watched Cucumbers & Gin.
If you want to play this piece, first buy the score. Then tape it together with two copies of page three, so you can turn the page right at the end of the really slow section in the middle. See that rest before measure 55? There. That’s where the page turn is. If you can’t figure out the fingering, take a look at the film to see how Sean did it. If you think I’m a horrible person for writing that double stop or that left-hand pizz, sorry about that. But for now just buy the score below, fire up your printer, and rosin up your bow.
Thanks to the artists behind the film:
Sean-David Cunningham, Violin
Zach Herchen, Music Recording Engineer
Alan Jeffries, Director, Editor, DP
Michael Feldman, Associate Producer
Dave Yim, Assistant Director
Kate Perkins, 2nd Camera Operator
Gillian Arthur, Production Sound
Ben Horowitz, DIT
Victoria Nece, Layout and Design
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Wes Clark and Maxine Rockoff who didn’t just back the project, but welcomed the production into their home. We kept them up till midnight while we made a movie, and they were incredible hosts.
Special thanks also to Dennis Clark, Orlando Klass, Jessica Lynn Peck and Victoria Nece for their help inventing, testing and photographing our custom cocktails.
Kickstarter Backers
Bill Nerenberg, Dan Norton-Middaugh, Dennis Clark, Ed Harsh, Elisabeth Halliday, Emily H, Erica Schreiber, Erin Brittain, George Lam, Greg Jukes, Gregory Dalesandre, Gregory K. Williams, Jenny Pham, Jon M. Perry, Keith Pollok, Ken Ueno, Lainie Fefferman, Lynn Miller and Rich Weiss, Marie-Thérèse Flaherty, Meaghan Berry, Meerenai Shim, Melissa Miller Nece, Michael Straus & Dana Jessen, ML Hart, Mona Seghatoleslami, Monica, Rachel Fershleiser, Ruby Fulton, Sarah Wheaton, Steven Swartz / Dotdotdotmusic, Victoria Nece, Wes Clark and Maxine Rockoff, Zara Lawler
“Cucumbers and Gin” is fabulous, and Sean-David, incredible! I look forward to a time when my students can play it. Maybe your cousin, first.
You have created a piece that is enviable in its “invisibility.” At no time are we drawn out of the mood into an awareness of the composition techniques employed.
But since technique doth the piece create, I will mention that your tempo changes work beautifully and those slow down bows that end in tremolo were used to great affect.
And the video recording— artistic, seamless and gorgeous.
Bravo to all parties involved! I hope you’ve toasted often over this one. Keep on cooking…
Great!!
Hello,
I stumbled into this piece in an artistic search. I am not a professional musician, but a visual artist who appreciates music very much. This music evoked the paintings of Salvador Dali and similar trippy dream artists. I loved the close up shots of Mr. Cunningham’s technique, and his zen-like connection from score through mind, body, and instrument. I didn’t get the title (more for a jazz piece) or connect the cool night view of the city (which was nice) with the music, probably because I don’t really care for big cities.
Keep up the good work.