Motivic Development in Max Steiner's Score for Gone
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MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT IN MAX STEINER’S SCORE FOR GONE WITH THE WIND ____________________________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Fullerton ____________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Music History and Literature ____________________________________ By Sarah Margaret Weinzetl Thesis Committee Approval: John Koegel, School of Music, Chair Nicole Baker, School of Music Larry Timm, School of Music Fall, 2016 ABSTRACT This thesis explores the musical development of the major themes in Max Steiner’s score for Gone with the Wind. One of the most revered composers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Steiner scored David O. Selznick’s epic Civil War drama in 12 short weeks with a collaborative team composing in the Steiner style. Steiner relied on his European post-Romantic compositional training, as well as his Broadway arranging and conducting experience, to craft an expressive, expansive score for what would become one of the most successful films of all time. This study analyzes the borrowed and original material of Steiner’s score by highlighting the compositional techniques that make it effective, and viewing it through a historical lens. By incorporating recognizable patriotic songs, Stephen Foster melodies, and original leitmotifs for the principal characters and their relationships, Steiner emphasizes the narrative tone, conveys the regional setting and historical time, and accentuates the film’s dramatic themes of nostalgia and survival. He achieves this primarily through repetition of character leitmotifs, distinguishable melodic construction, and expressive instrumentation. Steiner’s arsenal of musical tactics are effectively put to use in eliciting empathy from audiences of Gone with the Wind across generations, especially its first audiences in the Great Depression era at the dawn of World War II. In particular, Steiner’s inspirational theme for the Tara plantation elicited the nostalgia and message of survival those audiences needed to hear. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 Review of Existing Scholarship ............................................................................ 3 Research Methodology ......................................................................................... 7 Chapter Descriptions............................................................................................. 9 2. MAX STEINER: LIFE AND WORKS ................................................................ 13 Life in Europe ...................................................................................................... 14 New York City and Broadway.............................................................................. 17 Hollywood ............................................................................................................ 20 RKO Pictures ................................................................................................. 21 Selznick International and Warner Bros. ....................................................... 27 Steiner’s Compositional Style .............................................................................. 36 Wagnerian Influences .................................................................................... 38 Film Scoring Techniques ............................................................................... 40 3. THE PRODUCTION OF GONE WITH THE WIND ........................................... 45 Margaret Mitchell’s Novel.................................................................................... 46 Selznick International Pictures and Max Steiner .................................................. 48 Production and Premiere ....................................................................................... 53 Lasting Impact ...................................................................................................... 59 Plot ........................................................................................................................ 61 4. MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT IN STEINER’S USE OF BORROWED MUSIC 65 Stephen Foster and Nostalgia ............................................................................... 67 “Katy Bell” and Katie Scarlett ....................................................................... 72 iii Twelve Oaks Barbecue Medley: Plantation Songs ........................................ 74 “Massa’s in de Cold Ground” and Scarlett’s Husbands ................................ 81 Other Quotations of Foster’s Songs ............................................................... 84 “Dixie” and Nationalism ....................................................................................... 88 5. MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT IN STEINER’S USE OF ORIGINAL MUSIC: ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS ...................................... 105 Melanie and Ashley .............................................................................................. 107 Ashley and Scarlett ............................................................................................... 117 Scarlett and Rhett .................................................................................................. 130 6. MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT IN STEINER’S USE OF ORIGINAL MUSIC: TARA’S THEME .............................................................. 145 Act I ...................................................................................................................... 146 Act II ..................................................................................................................... 153 Scarlett’s Men and Tara ................................................................................. 156 “Tomorrow is Another Day” ......................................................................... 159 Concluding Thoughts ............................................................................................ 165 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 170 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Intervallic Relationships in “Battle Hymn of the Republic” ............................... 98 2. Appearances of Leitmotifs, McDonough Road ................................................... 137 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 4.1. Foster & Cooper, “Katy Bell,” verse 1 excerpt ................................................... 72 4.2. “Katie Bell,” Reel 1, Part 3 .................................................................................. 74 4.3. Foster, “Lou’siana Belle,” verse 1 ....................................................................... 75 4.4. “Lou’siana Belle,” Reel 2, Part 4 ......................................................................... 76 4.5. Foster, “Dolly Day,” chorus ................................................................................ 77 4.6. “Dolly Day,” Reel 2, Part 4 ................................................................................. 78 4.7. Foster, “Ring, Ring de Banjo,” verse 1 ............................................................... 79 4.8. “Ring, Ring de Banjo,” Reel 2, Part 4 ................................................................. 80 4.9. Foster, “Massa’s in de Cold Ground,” chorus ..................................................... 82 4.10. “Massa’s in de Cold Ground,” Reel 4, Part 3 ...................................................... 83 4.11. Foster, “My Old Kentucky Home, Good-night,” verse 3 excerpt ....................... 85 4.12. “My Old Kentucky Home,” Reel 8, Part 1 .......................................................... 85 4.13. Foster, “Old Folks at Home,” verse 1 excerpt ..................................................... 86 4.14. Emmett, “Dixie’s Land,” verse 1 excerpt ............................................................ 93 4.15. Howe, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” verse 1 excerpt ...................................... 95 4.16. “Fire Segment,” Reel 9, Part 2 ............................................................................. 97 4.17. “Country Road,” Reel 10, Part 1.......................................................................... 100 4.18. “Dixie,” Reel 12, Part 2A .................................................................................... 101 vi 5.1. “Melanie,” Reel 3, Part 1 ..................................................................................... 108 5.2. “Love Theme,” Reel 3, Part 2 .............................................................................. 109 5.3. “Love Theme,” Reel 6, Part 4A ........................................................................... 112 5.4. “Love Theme,” Reel 10, Part 3 ............................................................................ 113 5.5. “Love Theme,” Reel 13, Part 1 ............................................................................ 114 5.6. “Love Theme,” Reel 13,