Music from the 1990S to the Present

j：,/ � • .. ….......:._. ‘. • '1- ;V . jn/w Tnn • ft ¾( ! \ ..' � •'. I . I .广, I n . .....Vv'Z …'.J I O > 3 . • • I •• . ^ • jr ,' ‘:'. ； , ''Jr ... Hong Kong Film Music from the 1990s to the Present CHENG LingYan A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology © The Chinese University of Hong Kong June 2004 The Chinese University of Hong Kong holds the copyright of this thesis. Any person(s) intending to use a part or whole of the materials in the thesis in a proposed publication must seek copyright release from the Dean of the Graduate School. ^ST university~7^// ^XLIBRARy SYSTEM^W Abstract i Hong Kong Film Music from the 1990s to the Present Submitted by LingYan CHENG for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in June 2004 Abstract This thesis focuses on Hong Kong film music from the 1990s to the 2000s. In recent years, there has been much research and theory on western film music, especially the Hollywood film industry, by musicologists and scholars in film studies, popular music studies, and other fields. However, there has been little research on Hong Kong Film music, the system of which is different from that of western film music, and therefore I will apply basic film music concepts, but using the real situation of Hong Kong film music to formulate my own argument. The methodology used in this thesis will include the application of basic concepts used by scholars of film music, such as the functions of music in film, combined with fieldwork and analysis of films. In chapter one, I will focus on the present-day film music practice, and compare it with the history and changes of composition in Hong Kong from the 1960s to 2000s. In chapter two, functions of film music and the formulaic uses of instruments will be introduced. In chapter three, the imagined scoring of Chinese music in film is identified and a special phenomenon in Hong Kong film -- the crossover of pop singers into films ~ will be discussed in chapter four. These film music practices are closely related to the listening experience of the audience and thus the film music itself reflects locality in the musicality of Hong Kong audiences. Abstract (Chinese) ii 自1990年代迄今香港電影音樂鄭寧恩論文摘要（中文）近年西方電影音樂的研究蓬勃發展，各種理論紛陳。其中音樂學、電影以及流行音樂學者多致力研究荷李活電影，而甚少以民族音樂學的角度探討電影音樂o即使Alison E. Arnold曾以印度電影音樂為其博士論文題目（1996)，其研究亦缺乏實地考查的資料，如觀察及討論電影音樂的創作過程。另外，香港電影音樂雖深受荷李活電影影響，但仍有其獨立不同的操作模式。故純粹應用西方電影音樂的理論，並不能完全適合香港本土電影音樂的研究。因此作者於本研究中，除採納基本的電影音樂概念外，主要就香港電影音樂的發展實況立論° 本文的首章主要根據作者對各電影音樂人的訪問及實地觀察的資料，勾劃香港電影音樂的創作過程及運作情況。其中亦追溯1990年代「原創音樂」一名正式確立以前的香港電影音樂的「原創」成份，與現況比較。在早期電影音樂的部份，則集中討論邵氏出產的歌舞片及黃梅調電影。本文第二章介紹電影音樂的功能及分析香港電影公式化使用樂器的現象。第三章集中討論香港電影如何虛擬中國音樂與民族音樂。第四章探討香港電影音樂的獨特現象：大量歌手與演員身分重叠。最後結合上述歷史發展與音樂特色，從而剖析現今香港電影音樂的操作與本地觀眾的音樂口味互為影響的關係。 Acknowledgment iii Acknowledgment I am deeply grateful to the professors in Ethnomusicology - Chan Sau Yan, John Lawrence Witzleben and Yu Siu-Wah. They open my eyes to the field and always provide thoughtful advices for improving my academic learning and personality. I am also thankful to all other teachers in the Music Department, including Michael McClellan, Greta Olson, Harrison Ryker, Daniel Law, Tsao Penyeh, Victor Chan, Chan Wing-wah and David Gwilt, who gave me foundational training in music. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my supervisor J. Lawrence Witzleben, who led my interest to Ethnomusicology in his World Music class. He not only provides immediate comments and discussion for the thesis, but also gives fresh inspiration of ideas in various categories of music. Without his endless support and warm encouragement, I would not be able to finish this thesis. My special thanks also to advisor Yu Siu-Wah, who taught me to think critically and provided useful suggestions for my research and sound encouragement whenever I feel frustrated. For the completion of this thesis, I am indebted to numerous film music composers - that I interviewed. Tommy Wai and Peter Kam offered me generous help and great insights into the industry. Other composers include Teddy Robin, Ken Chan, Punk Chan and Raymond Wong who also gave valuable information on the history of film music and its production. My thanks also to numerous friends who offered various help in my research and study, they are Ng Cheuk Yin, Winnie Tse, Wong Chuen Fung, Teresa Suen, Alfred Wong, Kitty Ko and Amelia Chiang. Last but not the least, I devote this thesis to my mother for her unceasing love and support in my music career. Table of Contents iv Table of Contents Abstract i Abstract (Chinese) ii Acknowledgement iii Table of Contents iv List of Figures vi Romanization and Translation vii Introduction 1 Chapter One Original Scoring 原倉[f音樂： 6 Compositional Practice in the Present-Day Hong Kong Film Music Industry How Original is "Original Scoring" ？ 8 Originality in Previous Practice? 9 �Fil Musim c from the 1960s to the 1990s 9 �“Chinese Musi" c in the Huang Mei Diao Film 9 ~ Canned Music in the 1960s and 1970s 11 ~ The Composer in 1970s Film Music 12 Film Music of the 2000s 12 Time Limitations 13 Budget 15 Technology in Use 18 Close Relationships between the Director, Composer, and Mixer 21 Chapter Two Film Music Functions and Formulaic Uses of Instruments 24 Function of Film Music 25 Formulaic Uses of Instruments 26 Re-Occurrence of Music in a Film 30 Chapter Three Imagined Scoring of Chinese Music 33 Chinese Instruments 34 Authenticity In Scene and Out of Scene 35 Imagined Scoring -- Creative Listening Experience 36 Cultural Correctness 38 Table of Contents v Listening Experiences Formed in Daily Life 39 Music for the Elders in Hong Kong 41 Conclusion 41 Chapter Four Crossover of Pop Singers Into Films 43 Hong Kong Pop Singers as Film Actor/Actress or Vice Versa 44 Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Music 50 Popular Song In Film and Film Theme Song 53 The Crossover of Popular Music Composers Into Film Music 54 Pop Songs and Listening Experience 56 Change in the Practice - Problems of Overlapping Identities 59 Chapter Five Conclusion: Musically Illiterate in Pop but Fluent in Chinese? 62 The Hong Konger is Musically Not Chinese 63 The Hong Konger is Musically Fluent in Pop 64 Questions for Further Study 64 Appendix 1 ( Wong Fook Ling ) 66 Appendix 2 ( Frankie Chan ) 71 Appendix 3 (List of United States, Taiwan and Hong Kong Film Music Awards) 80 Appendix 4 ( Film Titles ) 81 Appendix 5 (Directors, Composers, Lyricists, Actors/Actresses and Singers ) 84 References Cited 86 Glossary 92 List of Figures vjj List of Figures Figure 1.1 Peter Kam was composing music for a current film Figure 1.2 Tommy Wai was writing music in his studio Figure 1.3 Development of Film Music Practice in Hong Kong Film Industry Figure 1.4 Tommy Wai's Studio Figure 1.5 Keyboard and Midi Figure 1.6 Mixing Equipment Figure 1.7 Sound Module Figure 1.8 Mixing Consule Figure 1.9 Screen (Right) Figure 1.10 Peter Kam's Studio Figure 1.11 Punk Chan's Studio Figure 1.12 The Involvement of the Director in the Composition of Film Music Figure 1.13 The Relationship between the Director, Composer, and Mixer Figure 2.1 Last 15 Minutes Music of the Film Fly Me to Polaris Figure 2.2 Music of the Film Infernal Affairs I Figure 2.3 Music Excerpts from the Film In The Mood For Love Figure 2.4 The Appearance of the Song Bei yi wang de shi guang in the Film Series of Infernal Affairs Figure 4.1 The Identity of Various Artists Figure 4.2 The Nominations and Awards for Various Artists Figure 4.3 Relationship of Audience's Listening Experience and Pop Songs in Film Figure 4.4 The Hong Kong Popular Songs Used in the Film Golden Chicken Figure 5.1 The Process of Imagined Scoring of Chinese Music in Hong Kong Film Figure 5.2 The Process of Scoring Cantonese Music Scene in Film Romanization and Translation vii Romanization and Translation Standizaed romanization for terms and names originated from Hong Kong or Taiwan are used in most cases in this thesis. For those terms without official translation, the pinyin system, which is the standard romanization in China, is adopted. All the English translations of film titles are adopted from the information of the database of the Hong Kong Film Archive. In addition, Chinese (traditional) characters are provided immediately after a term or a name at its first appearance. The film titles and the persons related to film music production will be provided in Appendices 4 and 5, with a glossary of typical Chinese terms at the end of the thesis. Finally, quotations in Chinese will be translated by the author and the original text will also be quoted immediately after the translation. Introduction j Introduction Hong Kong Film Music from the 1990s to the Present Overview This thesis focuses on Hong Kong film music from the 1990s to the 2000s. In recent years, there has been much research and theory on western film music, especially the Hollywood film industry, by musicologists and scholars in film studies, popular music studies, and other fields. However, there has been little research on Hong Kong Film music, the system of which is very different from that of western film music. In the entry on film music in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ’1 the author mentions the historical development of film music in some non-western areas like Japan and India, but very few notes are included, on Chinese film music, and the statements made are not quite clear. Although Hong Kong film is in many ways quite different from Hollywood film, some of the general concepts used by Western scholars, such as the function of music in film and memory affiliation, can be applied here.

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