University of Cincinnati

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date:___________________ I, _________________________________________________________, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ The Examination of the Appearance and Use of the French Horn in Film Scores From 1977 to 2004 A Document submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in the Division of Performance Studies of the College-Conservatory of Music 2005 by Yi-Hsin Cindy Liu B.M., University of Auckland, 1997 M.M., Manhattan School of Music, 2000 Committee Chair: Dr. Hilary Poriss Abstract This document explores the essential reasons why and how the sound of the French horn has been adopted so prominently in symphonic film scores in Hollywood. The examination begins with discussions on how music functions in film music in general, why the sound of the French horn appeared frequently in films, and a general assessment of how the French horn was used in Hollywood films scores from 1977 to 2004. The document concludes with three case studies of three symphonic film scores composed by Hollywood film composer, James Horner. Acknowledgement I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Hilary Poriss, who has been so patient with me throughout the whole process and is credited for thinking of this brilliant document idea. I would also like to thank my editor, Kevin Burke, without whose assistance, I would not have been able to complete this “impossible mission.” Many thanks to my film music advisor, Dr. Jeongwon Joe, whose extensive knowledge on the subject of film music really helped me to sort out a lot of difficult questions that appeared throughout my research process. Also to my horn teacher of five years, Mr. Randy Gardner, whose sophistication not only made him an intellectual mentor whom I have always looked up to, but whose professional artistry also helped me become a better horn player. And finally, I would like to thank my parents and my fiancé, whose endless love and unconditional encouragement and support really serve as great comfort, especially when I doubt my ability. Thank God for his continuous blessing, and I shall “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” — 1 Chronicles 17:34. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………… 1 Chapter 1: How music works in film scores?....................................................................... 4 Chapter 2: Why choose French horn?................................................................................. 13 Horn and its Development………………………………………………….... 13 The characteristics of French horn………………………………………….. 16 The Los Angeles Studio Horn Players………………………………………. 23 Chapter 3: The assessment of the appearance and use of French horn in film score…..27 The revival of symphonic film music…………………………………………27 The general appearances and uses of French horn in film………………….30 Where can we expect to hear French horn in films?.......................................31 (1) Science fiction – Case study: Cocoon ……………………………………..32 (2) Epic – Case study: Braveheart …………………………………………….43 (3) Adventure/Disaster – Case study: The Perfect Storm ……………………54 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………...66 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………...67 Filmography…………………………………………………………………………………73 Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………….76 1 Introduction The most talked-about motion picture in recent memory, The Lord of the Rings , attracted millions of viewers not only for its gripping plot and amazing visual effects, but also for the lush melodies and orchestration of Howard Shore’s soundtrack. Throughout the score, Shore employs the French horn for many of his most alluring melodies. Long before the advent of film, the French horn carried a host of associations. In opera and symphonic music from the seventeenth century through the present, composers have employed this instrument to represent hunting, chasing, and fighting scenes. My research shows that film composers draw on these age-old associations, employing the sound of the horn for fight and chase scenes, and music that highlights the heroism and victories of individual characters. For example, in Gladiator (2000, directed by Ridley Scott), the horn utters the main theme in each of the movie’s major fight scenes. Film composers also frequently draw on the sound of the French horn for tender occasions. In Glory (1991, directed by Edward Zwick), the solo horn is heard when a soldier writes to his mother about the war. The soldier’s longing for his family during this very difficult time is expressed deeply by a heart-felt horn solo. Another example appears in Field of Dreams (1989, directed by Phil Alden Robinson). In this film, the horn joins the violins towards the end of the movie when the main character, Ray, finally encounters the ghost of his father. The sound of the French horn is heard when they talk about the baseball field as “a place where dreams come true.” Here, the horn not only represents the spirit of hope, but also signifies the achievement of Ray and his father’s long-term dream. The French horn’s beautiful tone color and ability to represent myriad characters and moods has inspired composers of symphonic film music to write for it. Unfortunately, the importance of the French horn to these repertories has often been ignored or overlooked by music scholars and the public because of film music’s pop and commercial nature. Therefore, this document 2 presents the first thorough examination of the appearance and use of the French horn in film scores from the 1977 to the present. The document is divided into three chapters. First, I discuss how music functions in films from a general point of view and I analyze how directors employ music as a tool to communicate their ideas to their viewers. The second chapter examines how the French horn has become one of the favored instruments in film scores. I will first talk about the use of the French horn in symphonic and theatrical repertories (in particular throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries). I show how Classical composers employed the sound of the French horn to represent particular emotions and moods in their works and explore the possibility that film composers have applied similar techniques in their film scores. Then, I will introduce a group of Los Angeles-based studio horn players who have performed on a number of film recordings. Their outstanding technique and rich tones have inspired film composers to write prominent French horn parts in their scores. It is these musicians’ contributions to the film industry that made the French horn one of the most commonly used instruments in symphonic film repertories up to today. Finally, chapter three presents three case studies that explore the appearance and function of the French horn in three individual films. This document serves as the first thorough assessment of the use of French horn in film scores. My hope is that it will not only help any musician understand the importance of the instrument to film music, but also offer a more complete picture of how music functions in film. 3 Chapter 1 Since filmmakers began to coordinate music with images in the late nineteenth century (c. 1895-6), music has become an indispensable component of films. According to composer Irwin Bazelon, “music evokes emotional responses, alters a viewer’s perception of the dramatic links between words and images, and stimulates feelings and reactions.” 1 However, what are the reasons that filmmakers wanted to include music as part of their films? Does music really have the ability to describe or represent anything? Or, has it been added only based on the directors’ caprice? The following paragraphs will explain how music became an integral part in films and why it has become so essential that few films are produced without music. Ever since the advent of film, filmmakers felt the need to include music in the movie theaters. According to Royal S. Brown, in the early part of the silent film era (c. 1890s – 1910s), music was used to cover up the noise from the projectors and the audiences, and also to soothe the audience’s uneasy and insecure feelings while sitting in the dark theater watching actors moving around on the screen without sound 2 (Hanns Eisler said it created a “ghostly effect” to the audiences). 3 Bazelon also wrote that in many incidents, filmmakers would just insert music excerpts from popular music, hymn tunes or symphonic repertories to fill out the silence in the theater — even though the music may not have had any connection to what was being shown on screen. 4 In other words, music that appeared in early silent films was not intended for audience attention — it only served as an aid for creating a comfortable environment. 1Irwin Bazelon, Knowing The Score: Notes on Film Music (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1975), 22. 2Royal S. Brown, Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994), 12. 3Hanns Eisler, Composing for the Films (London: Athlone Press, 1994) quoted in Roy Prendergast, Film Music: A Neglected Art, A Critical Study of Music in Film (New York: W. W. Norton, 1992), 3. 4Bazelon, 22. 4 Starting in the second half of the silent film era (c. 1910), some of the more “sensitive” filmmakers began to ask for “specific” music to be adopted for “specific” scenes. 5 They employed pianists, organists, or conductors to choose appropriate types of music from a compiled music collection categorized by scene-types. Music included in the collection consisted mostly of excerpts taken from orchestral literature being performed in American concert halls. 6 For example, Rossini’s William Tell overture was used to reflect horse riding and chase scenes, while Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries emphasized intense and dramatic events.

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