Christopher Franke

Christopher Franke
Also known as	Chris Franke, Christoph Franke
Born	(1953-04-06) 6 April 1953
Origin	Berlin, Germany
Genres	New age psychedelia electronica
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Drums, keyboards, synthesizers
Formerly of	Tangerine Dream, Agitation Free
Website	christopherfranke.com

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 German musical Ludwig² (with Konstantin Wecker).

Discography

Franke (right) with Tangerine Dream (1980s)

Solo

• 1991 – Pacific Coast Highway
• 1992 – Universal Soldier
• 1992 – London Concert
• 1993 – New Music for Films Vol. 1
• 1993 – The Tommyknockers
• 1993 – Klemania
• 1993 – Journey to the Center of the Earth
• 1994 – Raven
• 1995 – Night of the Running Man
• 1995 – Babylon 5
• 1996 – Perry Rhodan – Pax Terra
• 1996 – The Celestine Prophecy
• 1996 – Tenchi the Movie: Tenchi Muyo! in Love (rereleased in 2002)
• 1996 – Enchanting Nature
• 1997 – Babylon 5, volume 2: Messages from Earth
• 1997 – Babylon 5: In the Beginning
• 1997 – Babylon 5: Thirdspace
• 1997 – Pacific Blue
• 1997 – Transformation of Mind
• 1997 – Babylon 5: River of Souls
• 1999 – Epic
• 2000 – Babylon 5: Episodic CDs – 24 CDs x 30 minutes per CD (1997–2000)
• 2000 – New Music for Films Vol. 2
• 2000 – The Calling
• 2001 – The Best of Babylon 5
• 2003 – Music for Films Vol. 3 (2003) CD-R
• 2004 – What the Bleep Do We Know!?
• 2005 – Ludwig² – Das Musical
• 2007 – Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

with Tangerine Dream

Major releases

• 1971: Alpha Centauri
• 1972: Zeit
• 1973: Atem
• 1974: Phaedra
• 1975: Rubycon
• 1975: Ricochet (Live)
• 1976: Stratosfear
• 1977: Sorcerer (Soundtrack)
• 1977: Encore (Live)
• 1978: Cyclone
• 1979: Force Majeure
• 1980: Tangram
• 1980: Quichotte (Live)
• 1981: Thief (Soundtrack)
• 1981: Exit
• 1982: White Eagle
• 1982: Logos (Live)
• 1983: Hyperborea
• 1984: Poland (Live)
• 1983–1985: Multiple film soundtracks
• 1985: Le Parc
• 1986: Legend (Soundtrack)
• 1986: Green Desert (Recorded 1973)
• 1986: Underwater Sunlight
• 1987: Three O'Clock High (Soundtrack)
• 1987: Tyger
• 1988: Near Dark (Soundtrack)
• 1988: Shy People (Soundtrack)
• 1988: Livemiles (Live)
• 1991: Canyon Dreams (Recorded 1986)

See also

• List of ambient music artists
• Perry Rhodan

External links

• Official website
• Sonic Images official homepage
• Christopher Franke at AllMusic
• Christopher Franke discography at Discogs
• Christopher Franke at IMDb