Central Ohioan had a hand in ‘Logan’ score
As Jake Schlaerth sat in a packed movie theater last week for the premiere of the latest “X-Men” movie, he listened closely to the soundtrack for the haunting sounds of a rare instrument.
He immediately recognized the notes of a glass armonica, an 18th-century instrument featured in the opening scene and a prominent motif throughout “Logan,” the third stand-alone Wolverine film (which actor Hugh Jackman has said will be the last time he portrays the iconic Marvel Comics character).
“It was surreal,” said Schlaerth, a Pickerington native who himself recorded music on the instrument for the film score. “From the very first scene, it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh; they must’ve really like it.’ “
The instrument, which Benjamin Franklin invented in 1761, is made of glass bowls of
varying sizes (for particular notes) that are mounted on a rotating spindle. Musicians produce sound by applying friction to the rim of the bowls with wet fingertips.
Schlaerth, 25, began playing the instrument two years ago after he accepted a fellowship at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, where he is completing a two-year master’s degree in percussion performance.
“It’s a pretty ethereal sound, maybe a little on the creepy side, but it’s also very beautiful,” said Schlaerth, a graduate of Pickerington Central High School who in 2015 earned bachelor’s degrees in both percussion performance and music composition from Ohio University in Athens.
Two years after he struggled at first to even produce a sound on the challenging instrument, he now has his first film credit.
It all started when composer Marco Beltrami sent an email to industry contacts seeking an armonica player for “Logan.” Word quickly reached Schlaerth, just one of perhaps 10 musicians in the world who plays the instrument. He reached out to Beltrami, who readily expressed interest in working with him.
Because traveling to Los Angeles with the large and fragile instrument wasn’t an option, Schlaerth arranged to record his music in a studio on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. During a five-hour session on Jan. 11, he recorded 30 pieces of music for the film — some as short as an eight-second single note, others as long as two minutes.
The film, the 10th installment in the “X-Men” franchise, opened last Friday in theaters, grossing $247 million worldwide during its first weekend.
“Logan” has drawn praise from critics for eschewing the conventions of superhero flicks in favor of a Western dynamic, which is partly due to the musical score. Schlaerth said the score is less bombastic than what Marvel movie fans might be used to.
“For the most part, it was pretty minimal,” he said. “and it really allowed the characters to do their own thing on screen.”
Set in 2029, the film plot centers on an aging Logan — who has ditched his Wolverine persona — as he and Professor Charles Xavier try to keep Logan’s daughter, Laura, safe from a gang hunting down mutants.
Schlaerth said that his armonica playing is most prevalent in scenes featuring Laura, although several other characters’ scenes are also underscored by an armonica theme.
The instrument was most prominent through 1830 before it fell out of popularity.
In 1984, glass-blower Gerhard Finkenbeiner began making the instruments again. His Massachusetts company, G. Finkenbeiner Inc., remains the only producer of the armonica nationwide, said Vice President Diane Hession, who operates the Boston-area business with her husband, Tom.
G. Finkenbeiner manufactures three to six quartz glass armonicas a year, which start at $8,150.
The Mason Gross School at Rutgers received its 42-bowl armonica in 2011 from Robert and Charlotte Craig, who also fund the school’s glass armonica fellowship, said Laurie Granieri, spokeswoman for the school. Including Schlaerth, five students have studied the instrument as part of the fellowship, the only of its kind in the country.
Schlaerth, a multi-instrumentalist who began making music when he was in the sixth grade, has been taught the instrument by Dean Shostak, who has played the armonica for two decades. The two meet biweekly on Rutgers’ campus, and Schaerth also practices alone at least an hour a day five days a week.
The armonica, he said, is unlike any other instrument he has encountered, as it doesn’t fit neatly into any one family of musical instruments. To play, Schlaerth said, he must first thoroughly wash his hands with a special soap to remove any oils, then lightly wet his fingertips. The delicate instrument requires just the right touch to make it sing.
Shostak, who performs concerts on the armonica around Williamsburg, Virginia, said he’s pleased with his pupil’s notable progress in such a short time.
“I’m really impressed with what he’s done,” Shostak said. “He’s a really hard worker.”
After Schlaerth completes the master’s program in May, he plans to move back to the Columbus area to start an experimental concert series with friends. He hopes that leaving New Jersey won’t mean the end of his armonica playing.
One day, he said, he might even buy his own armonica.
“Hopefully, there’s more to come.”