Music in Film Chapter 16 What you will learn Describe the origins and development of music in the art of film Identify three ways in which music enhances the dramatic action in a film Explain how music gives continuity to a film Describe the process that is used to match music and sound to film Vocabulary Scoring Music director Soundtrack Spot Character themes Click-track Empathy Mag track Foreshadow Dubbing Cue The History of Film The beginnings Thomas Alva Edison is credited with developing movie Kinetoscope invented in 1899 is the forerunner to the present day movie camera The birth of filmmaking Early movies had little plot Focus was on the technology Later films told stories Voyage to the Moon (1902) The Great Train Robbery (1903) Music in Silent Films Early movies were accompanied by live improvised music and sound effects Performers had to watch the screen and make the music match the action 1924 - Enro Rapee, a composer of silent film scores, published Motion Picture Moods for Pianists and Organists Birth of a Nation (1915) by D.W. Griffith was the first film to use a live orchestra as accompaniment Soon the symphony replaced the piano By the 1920’s the orchestra grew to nearly 100 musicians Scoring: Composing music expressly for a film Activity 1, p. 364 CD 10:11 Hurry No. 2 What makes this music appropriate for a firefighting scene? What evidence can be seen in the music that creates the sense of urgency the composer intends? What other film scenes could this music accompany? The “Talkies” Edison and others worked to synchronize sound with action The Jazz Singer (1927) – first talking film, featuring Al Jolson The Vitaphone solved the problem of synchronization but was difficult to run Soundtrack: Perforated strip along the film’s edge containing coded representations of the sound Music in Modern Film Musical film – musical is central to the story Saturday Night Fever (1977) The story of aspiring disco dancers Songs were original disco tunes and many went on to become hits Amadeus (1984) Tells of the rivalry between Salieri and Mozart Features classical works as part of the plot and action Music establishes clearly the feeling of what the story is about Activity 2, p. 366 CD 10:12-14 Ennio Morricone Music Enhances Drama John Williams How music enhances film drama Establishing character Character themes: Melodies associated with a particular character that recur throughout the film The Untouchables – has a sinister underworld theme of Al Capone by composer Ennio Morricone The music usually exhibits a style or melody form that overtly suggests traits of the character in question Superman (1978) John Williams – Superman’s theme is majestic The Red Violin (1998) John Corigliano “Anna’s Theme” played by Joshua Bell John Corigliano Activity 3, p. 368 CD 10:15 & 16 “Superman Theme” – John Williams “Anna’s Theme” – John Corigliano Listen to the theme from Superman. Write down qualities of the melody, rhythm, and orchestration that convey the idea of the superhero. Listen to “Anna’s Theme” and follow the instructions from above. Compare “Anna’s theme with Superman’s. What are the differences that allow each theme to connect powerfully with the character it helps portray? What similarities can you identify?.