When Trish (Prof. Patricia Markert, the advisor for Discover Old D’Hanis) and I had our first meeting about creating the music and soundscape for this project, I was genuinely excited. She introduced me to extensive historical evidence illustrating what music in the 1880s might have sounded like in the D’Hanis area of Texas.
The history of Old D’Hanis and the surrounding Medina County is deeply fascinating. Located near San Antonio, the region is rich in Spanish influence and home to many Alsatian immigrants who brought French and German traditions to Texas. This convergence of cultures has created a remarkable sense of multicultural beauty that immediately inspired me.
Under Trish’s guidance, I explored a wide range of traditional French and German songs as I began composing the original soundtrack. These materials provided valuable insight into the musical aesthetics of the period, inspiring both the mood and instrumentation of the score. I was particularly intrigued by how French and German melodies often intertwined with Spanish musical accompaniment, creating a unique cross-cultural sound. This discovery became the foundation for my approach to mixing and arranging the tracks.
The mixing process was highly engaging—I aimed to design a soundscape that would immerse listeners in the world of Old D’Hanis, capturing both its historical resonance and its quiet, haunting beauty. Trish and I also agreed that the recordings should retain a certain “gramophone quality,” evoking the texture and timbre of music from that era.
In developing the environmental soundscape, Trish shared her site work video from D’Hanis, which greatly enriched my understanding of the space. I was captivated by the natural textures and spatial depth—the chirping of birds, the gentle breeze, and the subtle rustling of grass—all of which conveyed both the serenity and the emptiness of the landscape.
I was fortunate to visit the ruins of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in D’Hanis myself, which confirmed many of my initial impressions. Experiencing the site in person allowed me to feel the resonance and acoustic character of the space firsthand. I hope to incorporate these qualities more deeply in a future remastered version of the project.
It has been a great pleasure working with such a talented and collaborative team. I am truly excited about how the music and soundscape come together to enrich the storytelling and create a deeply immersive experience for Discover Old D’Hanis.
