Biography and filmography

Christopher Franke

Christopher Franke (born 6 April 1953) is a German musician and composer. From 1971 to 1987, he was a member of the electronic group Tangerine Dream. Initially, a drummer with The Agitation later renamed Agitation Free, his primary focus eventually shifted to keyboards and synthesizers as the group moved away from its psychedelic rock origins. While he was not the first musician to use an analog sequencer, he was probably the first to turn it into a live performance instrument, thus laying the rhythmic foundation for classic Tangerine Dream pieces and indeed for the whole Berlin school sound.

After his departure from the group, he founded the Sonic Images record label, a new-age music label called Earthtone, and the Berlin Symphonic Film Orchestra, and produced a number of solo music works. After leaving Tangerine Dream, his only live concert was on 9 October 1991 at the Astoria Theatre in London. He performed on stage with Edgar Rothermich (a.k.a. Richard E. Roth) who is also his producer and engineer on all his solo projects and film music after 1990.

Franke moved to Los Angeles in 1991 to pursue film work. In 1995 he scored the AFI short Requiem. He may be best known for composing the music for the science fiction television series Babylon 5, as well as the score of the anime movie Tenchi Muyo! in Love and in 2005 the music for the German musical Ludwig² (with Konstantin Wecker).

Photos

Movies (66)

Tangerine Dream: Ricochet

2019

Julia

2013 · Music

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

2011 · Original Music Composer

Reviving Ophelia

2010 · Music

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark

2007 · Original Music Composer

What the Bleep! Down the Rabbit Hole

2006 · Music

Tangerine Dream at Coventry Cathedral

2006 · Himself, Music

Berkeley

2005 · Original Music Composer

Hooligans - Defiende a los tuyos

2005 · Original Music Composer

What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?

2004 · Original Music Composer

The Elizabeth Smart Story

2003 · Music

Footsteps

2003 · Original Music Composer

A Date with Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster

2003 · Original Music Composer

Hunter: Back in Force

2003 · Original Music Composer

Manhood

2003 · Original Music Composer

Dancing at the Harvest Moon

2002 · Original Music Composer

Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers - To Live and Die in Starlight

2002 · Original Music Composer

When Dinosaurs Roamed America

2001 · Music

Murder on the Orient Express

2001 · Original Music Composer

Jack the Dog

2001 · Original Music Composer

The Calling

2000 · Original Music Composer

La fortaleza 2

2000 · Original Music Composer

A Holiday Romance

1999 · Original Music Composer