Lecture 10: MUSIC 246

Jaws

Jaws began a shift in the attitude towards orchestral music in film - helped re-establish the orchestra as an important force in film music. A trend that will reach a peak with Star Wars two years later.

• Score is a blend of modernism (such as the influence of “The Rite Of Spring”(1917) by Igor Stravinsky) and a return to the sound of Korngold (Neoromantic music).

Scene One: Get Out Of The Water

• Shark theme enters with the underwater shot.
• The theme rise in intensity before the attack.
• Modernism-Psycho-like strings during Brody’s reaction (0:45)
• Theme fades away telling us the shark has left. Scene Two: The Fisherman
• Shark theme enters as the tire is pulled out the sea.
• Theme grows in intensity.
• Note the change in intensity as the dock changes direction and returns to shore.
• Again, the theme fades away, telling us the shark has left. Scene Three: He Made Me Do It
• All of the visual elements from the first attack are present.
• The one thing that is missing is the music.
• The attack is a prank, but the only thing that is missing is the music.
• By this point the music is clearly linked to t he presence of the shark. Scene Four: You’ve Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
• The shark appears without any musical warning.
• Can no longer trust the music to know when the shark appears. Scene Five: The Barrels
• Shark theme builds to first sight of the shark.
• New theme - wonder / amazement / humility
• Quint’s theme - highly structured - deliberate - focused - controlled
• Hooper’s theme - childlike - wonder - excitement
• Shark theme builds up to the harpoon shot.
• ”Pirate” music - exciting uplifiting until the shark pulls the barrel under the water.

John Williams Style

• Influenced by both the traditional approaches of Wagner / Korngold as well as more recent modernist styles.
• ”Neo” romantic: brought it back .
  • Return of romantic music.2
• No contemporary popular music, but capable of composing in Jazz-influence styles 1980-93 he is the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra:
• TV show, public, had fans.
• His film work is reworked into orchestral works.
• Self-contained concert pieces.
• Music takes on a life outside the film world.

The 1980s

• Strongly influenced by the work of John Williams.
• Composers moving back to the orchestra as a starting point
• Dominant musical style is Neo-Romantic fused with elements of modernism.
• Main themes tend to be tonal.
• Notable composers in the 1980s who become prominent during this period: James Horner, Michael Kamen and Alan Silvestri

Alan Silvestri (1950- )

• Successful collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis including Forrest Gump(1994), Cast Away(2000) and The Polar Express(2004). Influence of John Wiliams: Back To The Future(1985):
• film is a comedy but the music treats it as a serious story
• Listen to the similarity between the work of Silvestri and Williams. Example: Back To The Future
• Rhythmic/modernist - characters in peril
• When things turn positive, return to tonality, statement of the main theme.
• Music closely follows both drama and action, with rapid changes between tonality and atonality.
• Frequent use of the main theme when things turn positive.

Silvestri’s recent work includes scores for The Avengers franchise.

James Horner (1953-2015)

• First major film score: The Lady In Red (1979) Breakthrough score was for Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Among his best-know work: Aliens (1986), Field of Dreams (1989), Braveheart (1995), Apollo 13 (1996).
• Greatest success came in 1997: Titanic for which he won two academy awards (Best original Score; Best original song “My Heart Will Go On” Lyrics by Will Jennings).
• The recording of the original score is still considered the best-selling orchestral album of all time.

Characteristics of Horner’s Style:

• Strong melodic composer, often works with the conventional orchestra
• Both neoromantic and modernist sounds in his work
• Also capable of incorporating electronic instrument and effects, synthesizer.
• Despite not having a strong background in Popular music, he is also adept at writing in popular styles - “My Heart Will Go On” with Celine Dion.
• Very strong at synchronizing music to visual elements such as scene and camera changes - hitting the cuts (not Mickey Mousing).
  • What the actor and action is doing.
  • Think about Apollo 13, shower to the ready room change of scene with music.

Glory (1989) Example: Glory Solo hear trumpet at the beginning. Brass is military association. but trumpet is very quiet and put a huge amount of echo. Trumpet sounds far away = gives a sense that it is a long time ago. Then we hear a snare drum. First very quiet. We see the title of the film. Second time snare is loud. We are moving closer. Following that we get a closer shot, fuller orchestrated.

• Close syncronization of music with camera “cuts” (hitting the cut) - changes of point of view or scene.
• Electronic processing of trumpet and snare to create sense of historical distance.
• What “instrument” is used to carry the main theme?
  • Children choir (represents the naivety and innocence of the main character). Simple melodic sound.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Score is primarily orchestral and tonal. Also includes some modernist elements and electronic instruments.

Example - Main Theme

• Starts with electronic instruments
• Theme is grand and lyrical but lacks an “action hero” quality. Why?
  • Deliberate softness
  • Second story about Kirk, have birthday, kirk stuck in the past, film about age.

Example: Star Trek II - Leaving Space Dock

• a strong fanfare - exterior shots of the ship coming to life - music and camera cuts are closely synched.
• Music volume drops down as Kirk enters the bridge - wonder and excitement / uncertainty.
• The music begins a new statement of the theme as Spock asks a cadet officer to “take her out”. Intended as comedy with Kirk’s a nervous reaction, but funnier that if he hadtried to play it.
  • plays Kirk’s theme. Been too long in office
• Music builds with closeup exterior shot of the Enterprise.
• Full statement of main theme synced to full shot of the Enterprise.

Example: Star Trek II - Khan

• modernism for Khan’s reveal. Atonal clusters and moans gradually build until we see his face for the first time.
• The music changes to a slow but relentless pulse. Theme is based on semitones: a first glimpse into the obsession of Kahn.
• As the narrative develops, the slow pulse and its accompanying theme of semitones will grow into a fierce and dreadful articulation of Khan’s rage. Cluster of three notes side by side. semitones.

Example: Star Trek II – Surprise Attack

• Battle between Kirk and Khan – also a ‘battle’ between the musical themes.
• Dominance of Khan’s theme foreshadowing the attack
• Kirk’s theme gradually overwhelmed
• Once the attack begins, nothing but variations of Khan’s theme
• Finally, Kirk’s theme returns in minor (thematic variation) with the demand
  for surrender

Battle goes back and forth betwen Kirk and Khan’s theme. Mirroring what is going on, slowly Khan’s theme prevails. Notice how Horner times the music and cues. Maintains intensity, bring music down for dialgue. Catches camera cut to switch theme. Uncertain Kirk’s theme? Eventually, Khan’s theme goes on and on.

Example: Star Trek II - Kirk’s Reply

• ”Clear The Bridge” Music is quiet and uncertain, but the ryhtm suggests order and precision of Kirk, rather than the vengeance of Khan. Does Kirk have a plan?
  • Not Kirk nor Khan’s theme, but positive music. Suggests that Kirk is coming up with a plan.
• Exterior - Khan’s theme, but no longer clear and focused.
• When do we hear Kirk’s theme return to the score?
• And of course, what happens next? It’s awesome!