D. Kern Holoman. the Orchestra: a Very Short Introduction

Journal of Film Music 4.2 (2011) 183-184 ISSN (print) 1087-7142 doi:10.1558/jfm.v4i2.183 ISSN (online) 1758-860X

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D. Kern Holoman. The Orchestra: A Very Short Introduction

Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. [iv, 158 pp. ISBN: 9780199760282. $11.95 (trade paper)] Very Short Introductions. Illustrations, tables, sidebars, bibliography, and index. melissa ursula dawn goldsmith Elms College, Chicopee, Massachusetts [email protected]

eared for the layperson music lover, this at least a couple of well-deserved discussions on the introduction to the orchestra covers the orchestra and film music, such as that on orchestra G history of the main orchestras in both Europe members within the Hollywood studio system and and the United States from the 1600s on (Holoman the aftermath of the system’s demise, the role of the defines the ensemble that accompanied Monteverdi’s orchestra in the theater just before the popularity opera Orfeo [1607] as orchestral, “symphonic in of sound films really took off, or the effects of the complexity if not in size,” p. 3). It also introduces American Federation of Musicians’ strikes on all the reader to the orchestra’s structure, the roles kinds of recorded orchestrated music. The popular of musicians and conductors, the major orchestral interest in the orchestra film score that emerged venues worldwide, some important repertoire and from the advent of Dolby sound during the late recordings, music journalism and criticism’s coverage twentieth century (the best-known example is John and reviews of certain orchestras (particularly Williams’ motion picture score to the first release of Western ones during the twentieth century), the George Lucas’ epic, Star Wars in 1977) or the use of impact of digitization on the orchestra, and the role non-classical music in orchestrated film scores (e.g., of the orchestra as peacemaker. Throughout the book, orchestrated popular music or jazz influences) are Holoman mentions film music, but in passing only. never discussed. There are no chapters or sections devoted to film In “Electricity,” a section devoted to the growing music and the orchestra; important radio broadcasts, cultural impact and popularity of the orchestra sound recordings, and televised music receive more through radio broadcasts, as well as sound recording attention. technology developments in the early to mid twentieth The purpose of Oxford’s Very Short Introductions century, Holoman makes his lengthiest observations is expressed clearly on the back cover of this about orchestrated film music by first discussing book: “stimulating ways in to new subjects.” the allure of Disney films to a young audience and Though Holoman offers an accessible, informative, then citing other, later examples of orchestra-based and engaging introduction to the orchestra, he films that have classical music passages or characters marginalizes orchestrated film music. Missing are portraying classical music composers. Holoman cites

these films because they “get it right” (what he means and for bringing national attention to musicians by this remark is unclear): and composers such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Yo- Yo Ma, and Shulamit Ran (pp. 96-97). In addition, The movies romanticized the orchestra in several Bernstein’s conducting and composing careers straddle ways, nowhere more so than Walt Disney’s Fantasia live concert performances of classical music, musical (1940), which brought a new young public to theater, opera, filmed and televised performances the orchestra. Mickey Mouse shakes hands with Stokowski after The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, connecting and presentations, and feature films. Bernstein’s film the old ways to the new with stirring power. So, too, work receives no attention. West Side Story, a 1957 did Disney’s animated Peter and the Wolf (1946), shown musical adapted as a musical film in 1961, is not as a short subject before screenings of Fantasia. Some mentioned; however, the televised documentary about of the dozens of orchestra-based movies have fleeting moments of getting it right: consider Jean-Louis the 1985 recording featuring Kiri Te Kanawa and José Barrault’s Berlioz in La Symphonie Fantastique (1942), Carreras receives brief mention (p. 70). Although this Katharine Hepburn’s Clara Schumann in Song of Love documentary (broadcast on PBS) features footage of (1947); some stretches of Amadeus (1984), Immortal session recordings of the conductor’s working with Beloved (1994), and The Red Violin (1998) (p. 103). the singers and the orchestra and is hence “orchestra- based,” to have no brief discussion about the The listing of films here would be more meaningful orchestral music in films—in Bernstein’s case, film had the author mentioned some of the reasons why scores to directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ these orchestra-based films are satisfying. For a book West Side Story, Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (released published in 2012, readers will also wonder why the in 1954), and part of Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s author’s list does not include any post-2000 films. On the Town (1949)—seems like a peculiar omission Since Holoman examines whether the symphony for a text that intends to introduce the layperson to matters in contemporary culture and questions how the orchestra. long the orchestra as an organization can survive, the Given that the purpose of a Very Short Introduction list’s stopping at 1998 should raise an eyebrow. book is to make an introduction brief, one appreciates In respect to his role as conductor, music educator, how aspects of music, presented by seasoned scholars, entertainer, and social activist, Leonard Bernstein is can be made accessible to a mass audience. The discussed several times. Holoman credits Bernstein’s problem with these books, which does not necessarily role on television shows, such as the Young People’s rest on the authors’ efforts, but rather on the series Concerts, televised on CBS between 1958 and 1972 editor, is when these brief introductions become from Lincoln Center, for encouraging a generation of suspiciously thin or when a vital aspect of music is American musicians “who made their career choice” overlooked in favor of a specific scholarly perspective.