Unit 6 The Golden Age of Film Music (1940s and 1950s)
Objective
In the first half of this unit we will discuss the maturing of film music by pioneering masters, look at achievements of style, setting and the high standards put forth by the giants of the field of film music. We will also analyze and transcribe music cues from two films: Suspicion and Spellbound
By the end of this unit you will be able to:
In the first half of this unit we will discuss the maturing of film music by pioneering masters, look at achievements of style, setting and the high standards put forth by the giants of the field of film music. We will also analyze and transcribe music cues from two films: Suspicion and Spellbound
By the end of this unit you will be able to:
- Identify films of the era
- Identify compositional styles of composers from the era
- Have a greater understanding of how a musical score greatly enhances the emotions shown on the screen
Films of the Era
- Laura
- Hangover Square
- The Lost Weekend
- The Sea Hawk
- King's Row
- The Bishop's Wife
- Citizen Kane
- The Killers
- Henry V: William Walton
- The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
- Suspicion
- Spellbound
Developments
- 1940s high percentage of population attended movies on a weekly basis than in any other decade in the history of cinema
- In 1946 ninety million people attended movies (approx. 65% of the United States Population)
- 1994 twenty-five million theatergoers every weekend (less than 10% of the population).
- People went to the movies. Now people go to a particular movie.
- Coming Threat of Television-In 1949 there 1 million T.V. sets in American households.
- Within 3 years > 10 million
- HUAC: House Un-American Activities Committee:
- 1947-HUAC investigated Communist infiltration within the motion picture industry.
- Led to negative impact on ticket sales, major stars had contracts lapsed.
- Anyone suspected of being a member of the Communist Party or sympathizer would not be permitted to work on any Hollywood film.
Discussion of Suspense/Slow Drama Template
Suspicion: Franz Waxman
- 1906 -1967 From Germany
- Became head of the music department at Universal Studios
- Bride of Frankenstein (1935) was most significant score composed while working at Universal
- Used string tremolos to create suspense
- Signed a seven-year contract with MGM Waxman
- Went to Warner Bros after MGM Warner Bros had Waxman, Steiner and Korngold
- Placed great emphasis on orchestral color.
- Chose instruments to create sounds that would match the style of the scene
- Hired in 1941 by Hitchcock to score the film Suspicion
Composer Profile: Miklos Rozsa
- Hungarian born composer 1907-1995
- Composed concert works and film music
- Became a professor of film scoring at USC 1945-1965
- Has four distinctive creative periods:
- Exotic fantasy period (The Thief of Bagdad, Jungle Book and Sahara)
- Psychological period (The Lost Weekend and Spellbound)
- Gangster film period (The Killers, Naked City)
- Historical period (Quo Vadis, Ben-Hur, King of Kings, El Cid)
- Won three Academy Awards for Best Score: Spellbound (1945), A Double Life (1947) and Ben-Hur (1959)
- Composed 90 scores
- Eugene Zador was his orchestrator
- Film composer Ennio Morricone’s uncle was Rozsa’s music copyist
- Music contained dark Hungarian folk influences
- MGM Studio system from 1949-1962
Rosza used the new electronic instrument, the Theremin, in his scores for The Lost Weekend and Spellbound.
Here is an old-time recording of the Theremin.
Here is an old-time recording of the Theremin.
Watch Spellbound here!