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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = E.S. Posthumus| background = group_or_band| origin = Los Angeles , California , United States|USA | genre = Orchestra l Electronic music|Electronic | years_active = 2000& nbsp;– 2010| label = Wigshop Records | website = http://www.esposthumus.com www.esposthumus.com| past_members = Franz Vonlichten Helmut Vonlichten E.S. Posthumus was an Indie (music)|independent music group that produced cinematic style music. Their style is a form of Classical music|classical http://www.amazon.com/s? ie=UTF8& keywords=E.S.%20Posthumus& rh=n%3A85%2Ck%3AE.S.%20Posthumus& page=1 that intertwines popular style drum rhythms with orchestral and electronic sounds. Their music is inspired by the Pythagoreans|Pythagorean philosophy which states that "music is the harmonization of opposites; the conciliation of warring elements". The E.S. is an acronym for "Experimental Sounds" while Posthumus is a Dog Latin word that is meant to represent "all things past". http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/5/prweb236515.htm eMediaWire - E.S. Posthumus Unearthed press release 5 May 2005. Dog Latin terminology: in reality the words posterus and post(h)umus refer to things that follow after, not to things past or things that came before; cf. Wiktionary:postumus|post(h)umus and Wiktionary:posterus|posterus .
The group was formed in 2000 by brothers Helmut and Franz Vonlichten. Helmut and Franz studied piano with their mother. After graduating from high school, Franz worked in recording studios while Helmut attended and graduated from University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA , with a degree in archaeology. Their music has been licensed by many movie and television production studios, being included in numerous Trailer (movie)|movie trailers and television shows . E.S. Posthumus released three albums overall in their career.
Sometime during late 2009 early 2010 a controversy arose between some fans regarding the real identitys of the composers Franz and Helmut Vonlichten.Some fans believed that these were just cover names and that their real names are in fact Jeffrey & Robert Pfeifer who were composers for another company called Pfeifer broz Music which is now also under another name known as Mariposa Lane Music. The reason behind this controversy was because at the time of Franz's death Rob Pfeifer who composed for pfeifer broz also passed away and the fact that their music sounded vary similar only added to the controversy. Later in 2011 the controversy would be revisited when Helmut started his new band known as Les Friction. When Les Friction released their first album in early 2012 the metadata on itunes and description of the album on the website cd bay shows the lable company as Mariposa lane music which was the company Jeffry/Helmut started after he closed down pfeifer broz when his brother passed away. This only added more mystery and wonder amongst fans.
On July 22, 2010, it was officially announced that Franz died about two months before. http://www.trailermusicnews.com/category/tags-news-and-article/es-posthumus After giving notice of his brother's death, Helmut stated that while there still may be one or two unreleased songs (One of them being their single "Christmas Eve" released in November 2010), the group would no longer be active. http://www.facebook.com/note.php? note_id=145393265476072 In November 2011, it was officially announced that Helmut Vonlichten has formed a new band called Les Friction , http://www.facebook.com/pages/Les-Friction/111712738942126 and released a preview at his new work with a track called "Torture". http://www.backpagemagazine.com/2011/11/18/les-friction-torture-a-potential-star-band-arises-out-of-e-s-posthumus
Albums
Unearthed
Infobox album| Name = Unearthed | Type = Album | Artist = E.S. Posthumus | Cover = ES_Unearthed-Cover.jpg | Released = Limited: 1st January 2001 Wide: 3rd May 2005 | Genre = Neoclassical (New Age)|Neo-classical New Age music Psybient
| Label = Wigshop Records | Length = 58:13 | Producer = E.S. Posthumus | Last album = | This album = Unearthed (2001) | Next album = Cartographer (2008) Album ratings| rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = rating|3.5|5Allmusic|class=album|id=r548299|pure_url=yes | rev2 = Soundtrack.net | rev2Score = rating|3.5|5 http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/? id=2862 | rev3 = TrackSounds | rev3Score = rating|8|10 http://www.tracksounds.com/reviews/unearthed.htm
Unearthed , the first album composed by E.S. Posthumus, was originally made available for purchase online through the CD Baby website in January 2001. It became the third-biggest selling album in CDBaby's history. The success of the album prompted the wide re-release to retail in May 2005 through Wigshop and 33rd Street Records/Bayside Distribution.
A key piece to the distinctive sound of the music comes from working with the Northwest Sinfonia . In an interview with SoundtrackNet, the band said "we wanted the chance to blow an ungodly sum of cash working with a big orchestra". http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/? id=148 SoundtrackNet - "Unearthing Pythagoras" Franz Vonlichten interview 26 May 2005 Other musicians performing on this CD include Pedro Eustache , Michael Landau , Matt Laug, Lance Morrison, Davy Spillane and Efrain Toro .
Track listing
In keeping with the theme of "all things past", each of the thirteen tracks on the album is named after an ancient and abandoned or destroyed city. However, Cusco|Cuzco , Nara, Japan|Nara , Isfahan (city)|Isfahan , and Estremoz still survive to this day.
Many tracks from Unearthed have been featured in various movie trailers and television shows. They have been used in the trailers for movies due to their escalating structure, which makes them well-suited for the dramatic montages building towards the credits in the aforementioned trailers.
An excerpt from the track "Nara" is used as the main theme for the CBS television show Cold Case (TV series)|Cold Case . A vocal rise performed by a female solo singer (Elise Morris) leads into the opening title, where one of the verses of "Nara" is then played for the remainder of the sequence, concluding with a short melody from a woodwind instrument. At the time Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer chose the song to be used in the show, he had never actually met the Vonlichten brothers in person. Additionally, Michael A. Levine , a musical composer for television shows and advertisements, created a reworked version of "Nara" that is played during the show's closing credits as provided by the studio (though not as shown on CBS). The track was also featured in the animation for the presentation of the design for the Beijing WaterCube by the firm architectural LAVA.
The track "Ebla" was also used as the main menu music for the 2008 racing video game Ferrari Challenge (video game)|Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli .Challenge Trofeo Pirelli (2008, Game, PS3) – 8/10 review"> http://misterslimm.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/ferrari-challenge-trofeo-pirelli-2008-game-ps3-810-review/, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli (2008, Game, PS3) – 8/10 review
One track from the Unearthed album has also been used in the BBC TV series Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear and its stage show, Top Gear Live.
The following list provides details on the movie trailers that have used tracks from the Unearthed album:
2001
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)|Planet of the Apes - "Menouthis" and "Pompeii"
Breaking and Entering (film)|Breaking and Entering - "Nara"
The Last King of Scotland (film)|The Last King of Scotland - "Tikal"
2007
Partition (2007 film)|Partition - "Nara"
'' Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - "Nineveh"
The Irony of Fate 2 - "Nara"
Top Gear: Polar Special
2008
The Other Boleyn Girl (film)|The Other Boleyn Girl - "Nara"
Cartographer
Expand section|date=January 2009Infobox album| Name = Cartographer | Type = Album | Artist = E.S. Posthumus | Cover = ES_Cartographer-cover.jpg | Released = 14th January 2008 | Genre = 21st-century classical music|Modern Classical New Age Music Symphonic Rock | Label = Wigshop Records | Length = 2:14:05 | Producer = E.S. Posthumus | Last album = Unearthed (2001) | This album = Cartographer (2008) | Next album = Makara (2010) Album ratings| rev1 = TrackSounds | rev1Score = rating|8|10 http://www.tracksounds.com/reviews/cartographer_e_s_posthumus.htm Cartographer , the second album from E.S. Posthumus, was proposed to make its release sometime in 2006, though was later released in early 2007. The delay from the original release date can so far only be attributed to the brothers Vonlichten's ill concern with deadlines, although it is rumored the delay in release was due to the addition of Sans to the group of musicians, an addition much heralded by Helmut Vonlichten
Upon the album's release on the CDBaby website, it came accompanied with the following album description:
"In 1929, the ancient map " Piri Reis map|Piri Reis " was discovered in Istanbul. The map is extraordinary because it depicts bays and islands on the Antarctic coast which have been concealed under ice for at least 6,000 years. What civilization was capable of such exploration that long ago?
On "Cartographer", we imagine that these explorers were from the tiny island of Numa in the Southern Indian Ocean. As advanced seafarers, they navigated every corner of the Earth. We have created a language unique to them and tell stories through song that describe their creation, discoveries and ultimate demise.
This is a 2 CD collection with Vocal and Remix versions of every song. The Remix CD also contains 2 bonus tracks."
The vocal tracks are sung by Luna Sans, while the remix versions replace her vocals with instrumental solos and choir melodies, much in the style of Posthumus's first album, "Unearthed".
As of 17 January 2008, a http://www.esposthumus.com/cartographer/cartographer.html new section was added to the official website of E.S. Posthumus with the focus being on the new album.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Promo) - "Ashielf Pi"
2009
Epiphany dn|date=December 2011 - "Odenall Pi"
Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear - "Mosane Pi"
Makara
Infobox album| Name = Makara | Type = Album | Artist = E.S. Posthumus | Cover = ESPosthumus-Makara-cover.jpg | Released = 2 February 2010 | Genre = 21st-century classical music|Modern Classical New Age Music Symphonic Rock Ambient music|Ambient | Label = Wigshop Records | Length = 59:47 | Producer = E.S. Posthumus | Last album = Cartographer (2008) | This album = Makara (2010) | Next album =
According to CD Baby , with the release of E.S. Posthumus' new single Arise (Theme to the AFC Championship on CBS), the description of the song hinted that the new album would be called "Deciphered." But in an interview with the group posted on Original Sound Version in December 2009, the new album will no longer be called "Deciphered." http://www.originalsoundversion.com/? p=6191 Original Sound Version - The Definition of “Ruling”: E.S. Posthumus Interview The new album, renamed Makara , consists of 15 tracks and was released on February 2, 2010 for download on iTunes , Amazon MP3 , and several other popular download services. The album is available on both CD and for digital download at CD Baby . The album was made available on eMusic on January 26, 2010. http://wmp.emusic.com/messageboard/viewTopic.html? topicId=226770 eMusic new releases Europe January 25 There may also be a vinyl release of the album in the future.
"Unstoppable" was used for the theme to the 2007 NFL season|2007 AFC Championship Game|AFC Championship on CBS , and was also used as the entrance music for the Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey|Miami University men's ice hockey team as well as the Orlando Magic throughout the 2009-2010 season. The BBC 's Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear used the song during a highly anticipated drag race between a Bugatti Veyron and a McLaren F1 . "Posthumus Zone" was used in the same episode while a Top Gear presenter raced Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SV through a closed highway in downtown Abu Dhabi. "Unstoppable" is also used by British talent show The X Factor (UK)|The X Factor in the pre-title sequences, especially for the Final.
"Arise" was written as the theme to the 2008 NFL season|2008 AFC Championship on CBS.
"Kalki" was used on trailer for the new Starz (TV channel)|Starz original series The Pillars of the Earth (TV miniseries)|The Pillars of the Earth .
The whole album was used extensively throughout the 2010 BBC series Celebrity Masterchef .
The following list provides details on the movie, television, or video game trailers that have used tracks from the Makara album:
2009
Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)|Sherlock Holmes - "Unstoppable"
Halo: Custom Edition map Precipice promo video - "Arise"
Singles
Rise to Glory
Rise to Glory is a single released in September 2005 featuring the vocals of rappers DJ Quik and Bizarre (rapper)|Bizarre (from D12 ). The song Rise to Glory is recognized as a sung remix and an extended version of Posthumus Zone . It is most commonly recognized as the theme song to the NFL on CBS since the 2005-2006 season.
Run This Town/Posthumus Zone
E.S. Posthumus collaborated with hip hop artist Jay-Z to create a remix of Run This Town and Posthumus Zone for the CBS broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV .
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is a single released in November 2010 as a Christmas tribute to Franz Vonlichten of E.S. Posthumus. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/esposthumus11
The Vonlichten brothers had begun work on a holiday project, planned to be released during the holiday season, in early March 2010. According to Helmut, the project would be a re-arrangement of their favorite holiday songs and "bring something new to the party". http://thesoundsnews.com/2011/01/es-posthumus-bittersweet-sound This track was the only song they started recording before Franz died in May 2010.
In a Facebook posting on the group's fanpage, mid-November 2010, Helmut relayed that “When Franz passed away last May, the project was barely off the ground; however, a lyric, piano sketch and rough vocal were completed on the new song.” http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? story_fbid=176784035669797& id=195021517128 In that same posting, Helmut shared that he contacted Jeremy Lubbock, the brothers' childhood favorite arranger, to arrange the song for them. Helmut later salvaged the rough vocal recorded months earlier and included it in the final recording.
"Christmas Eve" will be the last song produced from the group E.S. Posthumus and is a product of the Vonlichten brothers' last recording session before Franz's death.
