Weaving the right notes: Composer Jay Wadley finds influence in the past to create modern compositions for 'Franklin'

Apr. 13—Music notes run not only through Jay Wadley's head, but are ingrained into his DNA.

The composer is no stranger to the creation of music — as he's been at the helm of numerous projects.

When he was called in to create the score for the Apple TV+ series "Franklin," it was easily his biggest effort to date.

"It's such a dream project in every aspect of it," Wadley says. "It was a phenomenal experience. It's exactly the zone for the type of work I like to be doing."

The series is set in December 1776, and follows Benjamin Franklin, who is world-famous for his electrical experiments.

But his passion and power are put to the test when he embarks on a secret mission to France — with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance.

The series begins to stream on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 12.

With a classical background rooted in his studies at Yale University, Wadley seamlessly blends traditional orchestral techniques with modern composition, capturing the essence of Benjamin Franklin's journey.

His extensive experience in large orchestral writing shines through, as he intricately entwines thematic motifs and Americana influences into the score, paying homage to Franklin's identity.

Wadley says he collaborated closely with showrunner Tim Van Patten on the project.

He says each note resonates with emotion utilizing horns and violin reminiscent of American fiddle music, almost like a call back to the United States.

While the cast and crew were filming in France, Wadley, as the composer, sat in the studio for six months. During that time, he composed nearly five hours of original music.

Wadley had an open lane to weave together the past and present.

"I studied concert composition in grad school," he says. "It's not too often that you get a lot of these opportunities. I've been doing film scores for 10 years now, and this project was really juicy. I got the opportunity to stretch myself. I got to write for a live orchestra again and play around with musical approaches."

Wadley says the opening sequence was the first piece he wrote for the project.

"I was trying to capture and show how I would treat the more modern day at sea," he says. "As Franklin makes land, I bring in the horn line to bring a more melodic shape to it. The music represents how he is looking back at America. It's kind of bringing out a little more of the Americana fiddle, but in a more modern way. That became the core themes and textures that I would turn to. As he pulls into France, it still has a modern film take, but I'm taking a note from Vivaldi or Mozart's bass movements."

Wadley's biggest joy came from creating the hybrid of old and new.

"I was able to move fluidly," he says. "The show really gave me a lot of opportunity to play with the themes. That's all due to the language of the show."

As co-founder of Found Objects, a renowned music and audio production company based in Brooklyn, Wadley brings a wealth of expertise to the table.

His collaborative approach and dedication to crafting memorable music have earned him accolades, including two Charles Ives Awards.

Wadley is grateful for the opportunity to be on the project, as it taught him lessons.

"I've learned to manage my time and build the right team to help me," he says. "It's not all on my shoulders to do all the steps in the process. I have the right team so I could focus on the music. There's a lot of good stuff in the series, and the last episode has some of the best music in it."