Boardinghouse owner Mary Surratt was one of four Southern sympathizers who was tried, convicted and executed for conspiring to assassinate President Lincoln. Believed by many to have been innocent of the crime, Mary Surratt’s speedy “trial” was nevertheless one of the most startling examples of judicial negligence steeped in bias the nation has ever witnessed. Richard's moving and expressive score painfully reflects the intimate emotions of the key figures in the story all the while underscoring the inexorable course of swift justice and Mary Surratt's immutable fate. Richard uses specific instrumentation and musical phrases (motifs) to represent particular characters and events. Instrumentation: String Orchestra - foreboding and fate Acoustic Guitar, Bass Dulcimer, Tambourine & Finger Cymbals - sounds of the times Solo Fiddle - Mary the woman Piano - Mary the soul, conscience Solo Viola, Solo Cello - grief Double Bass "Ghost Tones" (harmonics) - spectre of death DVD of the 26-minute documentary film may be purchased from the filmmaker's website: http://www.watermarkfilms.net/surratt_.html Richard brings 20+ years of orchestral and Hollywood Studio experience to his compositions. As an A-List Violinist, including Principal for John Williams (Indiana Jones IV), Danny Elfman and John Ottman, Richard has participated in over 1000 film scores with such composers as John Barry, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Howard Shore, James Newton Howard, and the late great Jerry Goldsmith. A short list of film and game credits include Jurassic Park I, II & III, Spiderman I, II & III, Matrix I, II & III, Fable, Pirates of the Caribbean I, II & III, Superman Returns, the Sims, Lion King, Titanic, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the Fantastic Four I & II, Prince of Persia, A Christmas Carol, Princess and the Frog, Wolf Man, and Alice in Wonderland. Richard has performed live on the Academy Awards Show, collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Puff Daddy, YoYo Ma, Celine Dion, Mannheim Steamroller, and composed arrangements for Natasha Bedingfield. His cutting-edge soundscapes for film and games range in character from quirky to provocative, somber to humorous, sci-fi to lush, epic orchestral. His Renaissance, Baroque, and ethnic themes project you to far-off places and times, while his New Age offerings bring you right back to California, planet Earth- his home. . Richard composed the score to Biting Personalities, which won 1st Prize in the So-Cal Cinema Slam 72 Hour Film Competition ’07 in Hollywood and screened at SUNDANCE 2008. Write-up by ASCAP. Richard was recently chosen 1 of 12 composers worldwide, and 1 of only 3 Americans, to participate in the prestigious ASCAP Film Composers’ Workshop which recognizes participants as the up-and-comers to watch. This workshop brings together top industry professionals and challenges participants to compose, arrange, and conduct an assigned film cue. Film cues were recorded with the Hollywood Studio Orchestra at 20th C. Fox. Richard Altenbach, Composer: http://www.bachiosaurus.com