1960s

Influence of social movements

o Feminism, racial issues
Further fragmentation of the audience
o Abandonment of the Hays Code (began in 1930)
To have films appeal to broad audience
Influence of New Wave Cinema
o Auteur concept idea that film should have single artistic voice;
director should be author of film and should have prime influence
grows during this period; film director is an artist/auteur developing a
single artistic voice
Decline of classic era scoring
o Large scale epics are made which made use of big orchestral scores
o Vestiges: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), score by Maurice Jarre (19242009); lush orchestral music is used sparingly, music used is to
underscore desert and sun scene
Good coordination with string instruments, high pitched and
dissonant
Maurice Jarre studied in France, was involved earlier in his
career in the New Wave Cinema movement, collaborated a lot
with David Lean, scores are sparse and modern
Use of theme songs:
o Vocal: Moon River composed by Henry Mancini (1924-1994) used in
Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961)
o Instrumental: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
It is a western (spaghetti western known for awkward
dubbing); made by Italian director
Opening credits has unusual score with rock influence (electric
guitars), strange tone colours in voice, gun shots, whistling,
wordless vocals

Avant-garde music
o 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Includes music by Gyorgy Ligeti (1923-2006), but also older
composers Richard Strauss (1864-1949) [Also Sprach
Zarathustra] and Johann Strauss [Blue Danube Waltz]
Famously the director had hired Alex North to write score for him
but eventually it wasnt used
Score is used very effectively
Gyorygy Ligeti known for dense textures
Music used to accompany technological things (impersonal use),
scores not for people

Star Wars (A New Hope) 1977

score by John Williams (b. 1932), directed by George Lucas (b. 1944)
orchestral score revival
The Planets (1914-16) by Gustav Holst
Holst was Influenced by Stravinsky
score also influenced by Rite of Spring in places
leitmotifs pg 335
o Luke Skywalker theme is given importance, as is the character;
shows audience he is hero
Accented, dominate sounding, has span greater than an octave
(octave and a half)
o Obi-Wan Kenobi/The Force
Slower for an older/fatherly type figure; associated with the
force
o Princess Leia
Love theme used commonly for female characters in adventure
films; rising sixth with softer sounding interval (sense of
yearning and reaching)
Used when Princess Leia is focused on
music as characterization, absence of music to put focus on sound effects (or
other reasons)
when characters first appear there theme is played, allowing audience to get
a sense of how to feel about the character
ex. Darth Vader example no specific theme but during his entrance
audience can tell he is the bad guy
ex. source music played when Han Solo is introduced
return to old style of scoring (ex. Robin Hood)
Mother Theme from Psycho used when characters come out from under the
panels

June 8th, 2015

Final is cumulative
Weighted heavily on new material
Will have sizeable portion from older material
Newer textbook readings
50/50
2 hours long
6 pm on Wednesday, June 17th, 2015
70 questions

The Graduate (1967)

-

Movie that is not focused on in the textbook

o Biased textbook has that drives away from popular films
One of the first scores that is very reliant on popular music that became
prominent in music culture in 1950s and later
No orchestral underscoring
o However there is a lot of underscoring
Popular music
o Problematic, controversial
o Term used widely in everyday discourse in complexity of artwork
o Listened to by everyday people who arent elite
o Long history of popular music
o Way in which use the music now mass marketed music
o Relies on sound recording as principal method of recording, electronic
performance, electronic amplification (mics)
o Folk-rock

o Music that is meant to appeal to fairly broad cross section of public with
not as much musical training
This music was avoided particularly as underscoring
Especially in classic Hollywood era
Biggest difference between pop song and classic, pop song has similar pacing,
consistent mood suggested by individual songs whereas romantic music can
fluctuate in the music
o To coordinate the music with the imagery, it has to be treated differently

o Hollywood music- avoiding music with words while characters are

speaking
To help prevent distractions while character is speaking
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel
o Created music for the graduate
Folk music / folk-rock
Part of folk music movement in the 1960s inspired by older forms of
music
Biggest appeal of folk music- authenticity, simpler, pure
expression
The Graduate was directed by Mike Nichols (b. 1931- 2014)
o Decided to use Simon and Garfunkels music
o Most of the music was recorded prior to the film being made
o Mrs. Robinson only song that was written after filming
o Simon and Garfunkel music was used mostly for underscoring except for
the bright green pleasure machine
More of a rock-type of song
Songs
o Other music in the film, source music written by Dave Grusin
Dave Grusin (b.1934)
o Famously known Hollywood composer
o Composer who doesnt come from classical music world
o He was more of a jazz specialist
o Studied music at University of Colorado
o Worked as director for accompanying ensemble of Andy Williams
o Founded GRP recording company that specializes in jazz recordings
Movie about young guy named Benjamin Bradik who graduated from university
o Athletic, smart
o He is very despondent and depressed about what the future holds
compared to those around him
o Music chosen slow and gloomy quality
o Song- sound of silence has these gloomy qualities
About social isolation; people not communicating with one another
Very distinct barrier between younger characters and the parents
generation in the film
Mike uses the strategy of showing characters talking no actual
sound produced through them
Opening credits
o Shows Benjamin flying home from university
o Motif in film (literary idea) Benjamin not moving to his own ideas and that
hes just conveying along in life (on the conveyor belt)
o Image of Benjamin in the right part of the screen

As credits end, camera stays still and Benjamin moves across the
screen
Film begins and ends with the same music
April comes she will
o Used in extended sequences in their entirety for reflective moments
o Emotive, gloomy quality
o Charts the progression of the relationship
o Uses the month names as if they are names of people and the passage of
time
o Seems like something is not completing in this affair (according to what
Nichols creates through the music)
Ben shows he is completely unsatisfied with the affair
Ben gets involved with the wife of his dads law partner (who is old enough o be
his mother and was a friend of his family as they were growing up)
o Adventurous theme in film
o Initially propositioned by Mrs. Robinsons at the party the family throws him
upon his return
She says they will be in a relationship, he was disgusted at the start
but then was encouraged
Affair initiated in hotel room
April Come she Will Montage
o Mrs. Robinson is physically similar looking to his mother
o Metaphor/ emblematic of lack of connection between the generations
o Music matches the scenetime passing as he moves through
o Reflecting after major plot development
Source Music carefully chosen to fit in the scene
o When Mrs. Robinson first suggest they might have an affair after he takes
her home after the party since shes tired
Cha cha cha latin American music
Slightly exotic, she often wears animal print
This is the first instance of any sort of music after the opening
credits
Helps us become aware of an important part of the plot
Details of the music
Interesting moment/ accent of music at certain times as
music unfolds
Musical cue music is first brash and then goes down in
volume before the main melody starts to help let the initial
dialogue to start
What do you think of me accent in music ensemble to
punctuate the silence as he contemplates his response
Again happens when she says shes an alcoholic
Being written very carefully to be coordinated with exact moments
in the scene

o Agreeing to meet Mrs. Robinson

As he walks into the hotel- Foxtrot
Old fashioned dance music in the 1960s dominant with strings
Benjamin is nervous about having the affair with a much older lady

o
Scarborough fair
o Important montage after Elaine discovers Benjamins affair with the mother
o Traditional folk song about a lost love
o Moment that helps argue that the music and film are being placed together
very carefully
Elaine appears on the screen as the word she is sung in the song
o Canticle subtle political note within the song
Helps tap into the conflict between the younger and older
generations
Ben pursues Elaine to Berkley
o Makes an energetic attempt to win her back
o Seems to have some luck
o She seems like she may consider marrying him
o First time the underscoring has a bit more energetic and positive sound
compared to any of the other scoring in the film
Mrs. Robinson
o We hear underscoring in a conventional way not orchestra, but on guitar,
playing a rift of Mrs. Robinson
Music slows down as he runs out of gas --- LOL sucker
All you can hear is the sound of his breathing and his
footsteps as he runs
Emphasizes futility of the scene
o While underscoring occurs, very little sound effects are heard during the
underscoring (sometimes we hear it but it is rare)
o Helps fill out overall sound for this climactic moment
Ben takes Elaine from the church and they go onto the Bus
o The sound of silence
o Movie ends with great uncertainty as to what to do now after
accomplishing

The Godather (1972)

-

Italian composer- Nino Rota (1911-1979)

o Studied in Italy, moved to USA and studied in prestigious schools(Kurtis
institute in Philadelphia)
o Friend and studied under Aaron Coplan
o Began composing Italian films in 1950s, and 1960s
o Wrote the underscoring
o Collaborated with Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
o
Francis Ford Coppola
o
o
Carmine Coppola
o Wrote Italian folk music played at the parties within the film and the other
source music within the film
CavalleriaRusticana by Pietro Mascagni
o One of the best known examples of the late 19th century operas focusing
on life of peasant life
Realism of showing everyday life of people within opera
o Opera set in Sicily ( island at the end of the boot)
Film about new york mafia family
o head of family- Don C. ; he has 3 sons who have different characteristic
(sunny- oldest who is a hothead who makes terrible decisions (in line to
take over family), Frado- indecisive, Michael father wanted him involved
in politics)
o he becomes head of the head crime organization
musical themes in the film
o polytonality
more than one key played at the same time
music that is dissonant that is created through music tonally
music is arranged in a way that sounds likes what you hear
traditionally on a carousel

o leitmotifs in film

godfather initially played as source music at the start of the film at

the wedding dancing with his daughter
has mournful quality to it, suggesting minor key to it
has 2 main sub-phrases
melody primarily moving downward, depressive quality
triple meter
early in the film, we see the instances of how godfather does
his business (relationship, services for other people)
Michael
We dont hear it until we get quite a bit into the film
Interesting melody
Quadruple meter
Similar shape to godfather melody
o Consists of 2 sub-phrases as well that droop and
descend
Sounds less folk-like
Michael charcter that seems distant
o When father is shot, he begins to react to that
o Solo instrument used- oboe
Used to emphasize sorrow, gloominess in a
theme
Sicily
Folk song that doesnt sound as depressing as the other two
leitmotifs
Quadruple meter
Lavish underscoring
o Hitting us at a deeper level to connect with us
emotionally bonding the viewer with that brought out
on the screen
o Hospital scene when Michael visits father at the hospital
He notices guards who were hired to watch the fathers door arent
there
Music helps build tension
Main element heard is piano simple repetition builds
tension to the Michael theme
Music helps us draw attention to certain thinking Michael
experiences
Music not being used at particular points in the scene
Where he convinces nurse to move fathers room
Helps us calm us down
Inspired by the sound effects in that scene slow footsteps
building, the rolling of the bed and movement

1960s

Influence of social movements

o Feminism, racial issues
Further fragmentation of the audience
o Abandonment of the Hays Code (began in 1930)
To have films appeal to broad audience
Influence of New Wave Cinema
o Auteur concept idea that film should have single artistic voice;
director should be author of film and should have prime influence
grows during this period; film director is an artist/auteur developing a
single artistic voice
Decline of classic era scoring
o Large scale epics are made which made use of big orchestral scores
Vestiges: Lawrence of Arabia (62) with a score by Maurice
Jarre
o True story where TE Lawrence gets involved with
some tribe in Arabia and decides that he is going to
unify all the tribes in Arabia
; The Arab peninsula is controlled by the Ottomans
o TE Lawrence as a result wants to help the Arab
people
o However, he becomes very negative and stuff at
the end (the textbook described him as barbaric)
o Lush music is used sparingly, or is restricted
throughout the film
o Usually, the music underscores vistas of the desert,
or long panoramas
These scenes are usually more musically
exposed? Idk
o The Lawrence of Arabia theme is not fully Arabic, in
fact, this reflects Lawrence himself, as he is not

Arabic, and so its like fake Arabic and it fits and

stuff
There are sections of the film that is scored but has
characters no one really cares about, but its just
interesting to see that
Sometimes it is intended that the music
sets us up and then something bad
happens and then were like what? But the
music was so optimistic and playful?????
but its not

o
o

Vestiges: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), score by Maurice Jarre (19242009); lush orchestral music is used sparingly, music used is to
underscore desert and sun scene
Good coordination with string instruments, high pitched and
dissonant
Maurice Jarre studied in France, was involved earlier in his
career in the New Wave Cinema movement, collaborated a lot
with David Lean, scores are sparse and modern
Use of theme songs:
o Vocal: Moon River composed by Henry Mancini (1924-1994) used in
Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961)
o Instrumental: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
It is a western (spaghetti western known for awkward
dubbing); made by Italian director
Opening credits has unusual score with rock influence (electric
guitars), strange tone colours in voice, gun shots, whistling,
wordless vocals

Avant-garde music
o 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Includes music by Gyorgy Ligeti (1923-2006), but also older
composers Richard Strauss (1864-1949) [Also Sprach
Zarathustra] and Johann Strauss [Blue Danube Waltz]
Famously the director had hired Alex North to write score for him
but eventually it wasnt used
Score is used very effectively
Gyorygy Ligeti known for dense textures
Music used to accompany technological things (impersonal use),
scores not for people

Star Wars (A New Hope) 1977

score by John Williams (b. 1932), directed by George Lucas (b. 1944)

orchestral score revival

The Planets (1914-16) by Gustav Holst
Holst was Influenced by Stravinsky
score also influenced by Rite of Spring in places
leitmotifs pg 335
o Luke Skywalker theme is given importance, as is the character;
shows audience he is hero
Accented, dominate sounding, has span greater than an octave
(octave and a half)
o Obi-Wan Kenobi/The Force
Slower for an older/fatherly type figure; associated with the
force
o Princess Leia
Love theme used commonly for female characters in adventure
films; rising sixth with softer sounding interval (sense of
yearning and reaching)
Used when Princess Leia is focused on
music as characterization, absence of music to put focus on sound effects (or
other reasons)
when characters first appear there theme is played, allowing audience to get
a sense of how to feel about the character
ex. Darth Vader example no specific theme but during his entrance
audience can tell he is the bad guy
ex. source music played when Han Solo is introduced
return to old style of scoring (ex. Robin Hood)
Mother Theme from Psycho used when characters come out from under the
panels

Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Lucas enlisted John Williams to use Korngolds model to

write the score for the film
He was also inspired by pre-existing music by Gustav
Holtz (The Planets of 1914-16)
The movement called Mars, the Bringer of Wars was
used for more tenser moments of the score, esp. building
to the climax of the film
Holtz was influenced by Stravinsky and used ostinatos
and so did Williams in ANH
o Also inspired by the Rite of Spring
Leitmotifs
Music as characterization, absence of music to put focus
on sound effects (or other reasons)

o
o

Lukes theme is a generic hero theme, there is a trumpet

part and so its like a fanfare
o Jumps of fifths and fourths
o Gives it an energetic, strong kind of quality
o Uses an octave and a half (upward, thrusting
quality)
Obi Wans theme
o Slower, more reverential theme (like King Richard
theme)
o Older fatherly type figure
o Has some spiritual quality
o It is also associated with the idea of the force
o Much different than lukes theme
o Like the clusters of theme in many films, there are
links to the other themes
o It also starts with a fourth like the luke theme, so
there is a relationship
Leias theme
o Like the love theme of robin hood
o It has a rising sixth
o So there is a yearning or reaching feeling
Often, the chars themes are heard when they are first seen so
we get that first and immediate impression
How we feel about the char is not USUALLY ambiguous, but it is
in one case:
Vader appears in the beginning and he doesnt have a
theme in the current film, but the music tells us he is bad
Han is also sort of ambiguous and we have a sort of
uncertainty when we see him
o There is no underscoring for his entrance
o The only music we hear is the music from the
cantina
Source music may be put together more intricately than
you think
o Eg the music changed when we see han solo
o As the music change, we may see a music change,
the music does that and it isnt coincidental
There are aspects of the film taken from other films eg. Lawrence of
arabia, the good the bad and the ugly
The music is pretty restrained in the film
There are a number of scenes that arent scored
It showed a sort of return to the old scoring practice, but it is
still restrained
The music isnt banged over your head, even in the lightsaber
fight, there is no scoring of music
There is more restrained use of music

There is only music like when obi-wan canobi is killed do we feel

that
There is a scene in the garbage chute
It is a trash compacter and the walls begin to close in and
the gang is almost squished
There is no music but a lot of effects
The mother theme from psycho is added (Herrmann died the
year before the movie came out), and its the scene where they
come out of the trash thing
Like how mother was hiding

June 15, 2015

1970s Trends

Rise of directors who graduated from film schools

o Francis Coppola, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas etc.
o References to established film traditions
Film Noir: Chinatown score by Jerry Goldsmith, Taxi Driver score
by Bernard Hermann
Prominent Orchestral Scores: Jaws and Star Wars both by John
Williams
o Period specific music
The Sting early 20th century popular music
American Graffiti 1950s popular music
Interesting trend in late 70s and early 80s use of synthesised/artificial music,
music which is produced completing electronically, in a style more orchestral
sound but audio ably no orchestral something different
o Ex. The Witness
o Use now to enrich orchestral instruments in score
Rare to hear avant-garde music
Much less adventurous choices in music
Audience is becoming younger, in order to make money, movies are steered
toward teens; harsh, dissonant music
Increasing importance of animation/animated films; previously has been for
children but increasingly being taken more seriously; early 1990s interest

from Disney, was common for films to have music with style of musical
theatre, this changes in early 20th century with rock music being introduced
rather than the sung approach of earlier scores
More diverse situation in film scoring than in 30s and 40s, easier to
generalize

Some Interesting Trends: 1970s and beyond

Continued fragmentation of market

Young audiences increasingly pursued
Animation grows in importance as a genre (with developing diversity of
musical style)
Increasing diversity of musical styles
Greater interest in authentic expression of regional and historical character
in music
Abandonment of modernistic art music

Amadeus (1984)

Based on Mozart
Was successful before it was made into film
Takes Mozarts middle name which means beloved by God
View through eyes of other composer, Antonio Salieri
They were both active in Vienna
Example of use of Adapted score
Images and dialogue was mapped onto the music; was a successful attempt
at doing this
Directed by Milos Forman
Musical Director Neville Marriner
o When he was asked to provide music for this movie, he agreed to do
with the condition that they would use the music in its purest form, not
cut up; musical cues are music as it is written, it is unaltered for the
most part
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)
o Music was bubbly and light; comic opera
Darker music at end of Mozarts life and a lot of this style is
used
o Idea of contrast; phrase of music with emotional quality and play a
contrasting one right after; abrupt changes in style
Antonio Salieri (1750-1825)
Salzburg, Vienna
Classical period of Western music history (c. 1750-c.1820)
Music was not chosen randomly, music was quite often was written roughly
around the time, the scene is depicting, it reflects great care when film
makers were putting movie together; detail of music and scene matching (ex.
thumping sound to footsteps)

Towards latter part of film, some compositions are used extensity (Requiem
and the Magic Flute)
Prominent compositions used: (in order of appearance)
o Don Giovanni
Leitmotifs not used; dont really have theme for characters;
except for the very beginning of opening credits, we hear two
cords (very dark, wide pitch/range, rich, ominous chords) it is
not abstract sound but taken from beginning of Don Giovanni
which was written in later part of Mozarts life, Don Giovanni
was used from Mozarts father leitmotif. The father raised his
children were skilled in music from a young age. After his father
dies, Salieri dresses up in a costume that Mozarts father had
worn before and the fathers leitmotif is used, used as story
telling device; fear connected to fathers character
o Symphony no. 25 in G minor
Dark sounding work
Mood changes multiple times throughout
Audience is introduced to Salieri as old man, he is taken on
stretcher throughout streets to insane asylum; heard through
this scene
Clear that film was being edited for the music
Switch to ball room scene, the music switches to dance like
music; scene is catered for the music
o Stabat Mater by G.B. Pergolesi
Not by Mozart
Accompanies Salieris story of when he was a little boy and he
had a father who didnt have interest of his music, wanted to be
like Mozart, made a vow to God he will become a great
musicians, his father dies and he is able to pursue his music
He is praying when this music is played , played comically
(comedic effect) to the amens
Voice of god vocal music used to portray this; God answering
Salieris prayer
o Abduction from the Seraglio
Underscoring, for Mozarts wedding; intensity of music
represents Mozarts anticipation of his fathers disapproval of his
wife and his fathers disapproval
Abrupt cut, representing fathers disgust for what he is reading
o Kyrie from Mass in C minor
o Marriage of Figaro
o Requiem
Written for funeral ceremony
Salieri commissions Mozart to write a piece but intense to use it
as his own work when Mozart dies (not historically true)
Used extensively in latter part of film with dark quality

The Magic Flute

Opera written in Mozarts last year
Written in quote of references to Masonic
Solo called Queen of the Night (villain in Magic Flute), solo
famous for high pitched singing; used to underscore Mozarts
mother in law who is unhappy with Mozart
Effective use of underscoring; effective because we see Mozart
going insane during this time (after Mozart sees ghost of his
father)

Extended scene of Don Giovanni after Mozarts fathers death, hear Salieri
voiceover to kill Mozart; descending of both characters into madness
Tears of Sadness rain is coming down in scene almost as the heavens are crying,
ironic effect because we are seeing Mozart being buried in a poor mans grave no
big ceremony; glorious music with unceremonic funeral