There has been much debate over the years about the originality of
film music. On the one side there are the purists, who cry foul at the piecing together of
classical segments simply because the film composer doesn’t have the time or the
originality. On the other side there are the film score gurus, who insist that the composers
were merely inspired by the earlier music and used the idea to write their own compositions. One
composer in particular that has come under condemnation from the purists is John Williams. He has been accused of “borrowing” from composers as well-known as Dvorak(New World
Symphony) and as obscure as Erich Wolfgang Korngold (kings row theme). The
underlying debate, however, is not
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After the spotting has been completed the composer has two to three months to complete a “rough cut” that fits reasonably with the discussed moods of the film. Even with the help of recent midi computer technology, the time line puts an extensive amount of pressure on the composer. Several composers, including Hans Zimmer, have described the pressure as terrifying, “I was just living in fear…We were battling the system”(Bond 21). Unfortunately, this pressure leads to methods of composition that are normally avoided and rejected by composers. It is not uncommon for the composer to draw from the temp score to form the rough cut or even the final working score. This leads to the common phrase, “haven’t I heard that before?”. The simple answer is, yes! Many of the temp score themes find their way into the actual score with slight alterations that distinguish one from the other. Even when the composer tries to create an original score there will still be lingering traces of the temp score present that a careful ear will pick up. After learning of the temp score method, I realized there might be more to the similarities between John William’s scores and others than first meets the eye. I decided to try to find out more about the temp scores used in the making of the Star Wars saga. Not surprisingly I came upon some of the songs that are reportedly related to the score. These included pieces of
Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Korngold’s Kings Row, and Dvorak’s Ninth
3) Discuss the growth of the various types of popular music in films from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. Please mention specific films, styles, and composers when you can. (20 points)
Terry Tempest Williams and Wangari Maathai are both very powerful women who devoted their lives to improving the world one step at a time. Williams, the author of Refuge, is a naturalist, a feminist, and a writer who brings such power into everything she touches. Her passion for change has brought so much goodness into the world. She has beat many obstacles, including her own struggle with herself, which to her is the same fight we have with nature, and finally accepting the outcome; whatever that may be unnatural, or natural, is the secret to life. While we read about what Terry Tempest Williams writes about her mother’s difficulties while struggling with cancer, we also have Wangari Maathai speaking about all the violence she faces in Kenya.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are two of the greatest composers ever to write music. Both men lived in the early 18th and 19th century, but their music and influences are still felt today. The men faced similar experiences, yet they both lead very different lives. All together the pieces that these men composed amounts to over 300 published, and unpublished works of art. The people of their time period often had mixed feelings about these men, some “complained that Mozart’s music presented them with too many ideas and that his melodies moved from one to the next faster than audiences could follow, yet the ideas themselves seem effortless and natural, clear and
Giovanni Gabrieli was a legendary composer of the 16th century. As the fundamental structure and ideas of the Catholic Church were being challenged by the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, Gabrieli’s compositions were given the opportunity to be successful and influential to music in the coming centuries. His works helped to transform not only church music of the Catholic Church, but also secular music as well. Giovanni Gabrieli wrote significant works that ultimately shaped the rise of the symphony, including the development of purely instrumental works, the art of orchestration, and the concerto style. Without his innovations in composition, it is arguable that instrumental music would not have developed as quickly, or developed
William Carlos Williams’ passion and dedication of medicine can be seen through his literary contributions of short stories and poems. The Doctor Stories use interior monologue in a stream-of-consciousness as a tool to reflect each narrator’s experience and gives insight into the character and his appraisal of each of the situations encountered. It is through this stream-of-consciousness that we come to realize the observational nature of this doctor’s actions and thoughts.
Not only is he the most nominated living individual in the history of the Academy Awards (with 49 nominations), but he is also the third most-nominated person in Hollywood History, second only to Metro Goldwyn Mayer (62) Walt Disney (59). In his credentials he holds five Academy Awards, seven British Academy Film Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and 4 Golden Globe Awards. Considering that obtaining a single nomination for any of the aforementioned awards is remarkable in itself, this astounding number is truly
The poet William Carlos Williams stands apart as one of the most influential poets of modern times. Williams' poetic voice composes a unique picture in which the reader is immersed in the poet's world of sensory perception. Williams believed that everything in our lives, no matter how simple, can be organized into poetic verse. Through Williams' rather simplistic straightforward language and observations he speaks directly to ordinary individuals. Williams' poetry utilizes objectivism to craft the poem into an object and to emphasize the action of perception. The poems, "Poem," "The Great Figure," and "Spring and All" are each representative of Williams' ability to craft language and imagery into
CENTRAL IDEA/THESIS: Film scores are an undoubtedly important part of the movie watching experience, however you may not know about how they were first introduced, the process it takes to make them, or how they have changed over time.
Music can be extraordinarily influential in films, as it has the ability to evoke emotion not displayed by on-screen action. Music used in films can play many roles; it can depict time and place, mood, atmosphere, character, and can be used to underscore the onscreen drama and titles. Alan Silvestri and John Williams successfully manipulate the use of music in film to establish characters (along with their personality, actions and changing emotions), as well as underscore the mood for the entirety of their given films. The contrasts of Silvestri’s “The Feather Theme” with Williams’ “Batman Theme” exemplify the power of music in film.
In the movies, there are a number of factors that will impact the quality of the film and the story. This is because producers and directors are using different techniques that will enhance their ability to entertain. The Sound of Music is taking numerous ideas and is integrating them together. To fully understand what is happening, there will be an examination of the film and various concepts. This will be accomplished by focusing on: the storytelling, acting, cinematography, editing, sound, style / directing, impact of the film on society / vice versa, genre, application of at least one approach and overall textual themes. Together, these elements will highlight the effects of the film and how it has influenced others inside the industry.
The release of Gordon Hollingshead and Alan Crosland’s The Jazz Singer in 1927 marked the new age of synchronised sound in cinema. The feature film was a huge success at the box office and it ushered in the era David Bordwell describes as ‘Classical Hollywood Cinema’; Bordwell and two other film theorists (Janet Staiger and Kristin Thompson) conducted a formalist analysis of 100 randomly selected Hollywood films from the years 1917 to 1960 in order to fully define this movement. Their results yielded that most Hollywood made films during that era were centred on, or followed, specific blueprints that formed the finished product. Through this analysis of Hollywood films the theorists were able to establish stylised conventions and modes of
Music has played a major role through out the entire film. It is used as a
There are thousands of movie composers in the music industry, a few who triumph and whose work is well known to almost half of the world. One example of that can be the famous Maestro John Williams. John
Before being able to completely appreciate musical films, one must be aware of their remarkable history and how they came into existence. According to an article written by Cara Schreffler:
The purpose of this essay is to analyse music from the film ' Star Wars' and discuss in detail, the function of this music, the elements of music used and how this music embellishes the film. This includes the purpose of the music. It is to represent a character/ action / set a geographical location/ create atmosphere/ to psychologically unite the audience.