Music in Film
Class Outline
Fall 2007

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Unit One
Unit Two
Unit Three

Syllabus and Course Description        Music 103/308 Home Page

This page is subject to change and revision throughout the semester

 

Learning Objectives for Unit One

At the end of unit one you will be able to do and understand the following:

1) You will be able to identify the elements of the soundtrack and describe them: dialogue, music, and sound effects

2) You will be able to listen to the music in a scene or in a sequence of scenes and evaluate and analyze its role, showing how it reinforces emotions, fleshes out the psychology of a character, and contributes to the development of the narrative

3) You will have an understanding of the role of "romanticism" in film music and identify some of the main proponents of this style.

Work to Complete Before Class on this Date

Reading/Written Assignments

Texts:
Hickman: Reel Music (Text Rental)-RM
Karlin: Listening to Movies (Text Rental)-LM

D2L assignments are in red.

WWW-Refers to World Wide Web Sites
Reserve Materials-can be checked out on the first floor of the LRC for two hours
Or: E-Reserve

UNIT ONE

 
9/4 Introduction: Overview of Class Material
  • Browse and familiarize yourself with class D2L and web pages
  • Take some headphones to a lab and listen to one of the RealAudio Files
  • Log in to D2L by clicking here: D2L-enter your login and password and take a "stroll" around the D2L area. Click on the links on the taskbar and find the Content, Discussion, Quiz, and Drop Box areas. You'll be using these a lot throughout the course of the semester.
  • Make a post to the Class D2L Folder-Introduce yourself to the class-talk about your major, musical interests, musical experience (if any), and why you are taking this class. Find one other person and comment on something interesting that you might share or piques your curiosity about that person. Due before class on 9/6
  • RM-Chapters 1,2 and 4
    LM-Chapter 4
     
9/6 What to look for in a film

RM-Chapters 1, 2, and 4
LM-Chapters Four

9/11 The Elements of Music
 

 

RM-Chapter 3

Electronic Reserve: The Language of Music: A Brief Analysis of Vertigo

PowerPoint Presentation: Musical Terms-Kalinak in the D2L folder under PowerPoint

9/13 Listening to Film Music Electronic Reserve: Aaron Copland on Film Music

LM-Chapter 4

RM-Chapter-4

In Class Group Exercises

 

 I will play a short film clip several times for you in class that has a dense soundtrack.

 

1)     The first time I will ask you to listen and make a preliminary mental catalog of soundtrack events.

2)   The second, third and fourth times I will ask you to focus on each of the elements and create a list of events for that category-I.E. sound effects-gunshots, doors closing, heavy breathing, etc; score elements-orchestral, solo instruments etc.; dialog: sparse or Wall-to-wall, overlapping or a respectful conversation, etc.

 

3)     Lastly, I will have you view the clip a last time and then describe and evaluate your new sensitivity level. I will ask you these questions: Can you hear the discrete elements of the soundtrack now? Are you more aware of them? How do they work together to create the total fabric of the soundtrack?

 


 
9/18 The Rise of the Symphonic Film Score

 

 Electronic Reserve: The Golden Age of Film Music-Music of Steiner and Newman

RM-Chapter 10
 Outside Viewing: The Hollywood Sound-IMC
9/20 The Golden Age of Film Music: Music of Korngold
Scene Analysis: Robin Hood		 RM-Chapter 11

Karlin: 92-99

Electronic Reserve: Erich Wolfgang Korngold

 
9/25 Film Sound

LM-137-144
Electronic Reserve: Bordwell/Thompson and Chion Articles

In Class Small Group Project

 

  • You will take a scene or sequence and divide into small groups and come up with analysis. You will each be responsible for analyzing a part of the soundtrack Dialogue, Sound Effects, and Music
  • Functions of Film Music-reinforces narrative, reflects psychology, underscores emotions, etc.
  • Karlin Terms-Hits the Action or Plays through, etc.
9/27 More Practices of the "Golden Age" Casablanca
Review for Exam 1		 RM-Ch. 14
9/30 Film Screening-Casablanca
Room 221
7:30PM		  
10/2
The Silent Film 		RM-Chapter 5
10/4 The Silent Film Continued RM-Chapter 6 and 8
10/9

 

Exam One Due by Start of Class

UNIT TWO

Herrmann and the Stylistic Shift

 RM-Ch. 13
10/11 Music in the Post-War Era  RM-Chapter 15
10/18
 
10/18 The Turbulent 50's  RM-Chapter 17
10/23 Cue Analysis Due in D2L by the beginning of class

Bernard Herrmann and the Stylistic Shift

  

RM-Chapter 13

Bernard Herrmann (from the Bernard Herrmann Web Pages) 

 

 
10/25 In Class Video-Bernard Herrmann-Music From the Movies

 

 The Trouble With Benny-from the Herrmann Web Pages
10/30 Cue Analysis Demos Christopher Young  Interview

Young-Pithy Quotes

Shirley Walker
11/1 The Apotheosis of Herrmann and Hitchcock- RM-Chapter-20

Electronic Reserve: Herrmann and the Politics of Film Music
11/6 Ben Hur and the Religious Epic

Review for Exam 2

 RM-Chapter-19

Electronic Reserve: Miklos Rozsa: A Composer for All Seasons
 
11/8 EXAM NO. 2

The Turbulent 60's and the Film Music in Decline

 

 RM-Chapter 22

Karlin-122-128
11/13  

 A different kind of Western

 

  

Morricone Article

 

 

 
11/15
The Emergence of Goldsmith

 

 

 RM-Chapter 23

Electronic Reserve: Jerry Goldsmith
Outside Viewing: Film Music Masters-Jerry Goldsmith on Reserve in the IMC

Radio Interview: Goldsmith

 

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s
11/20 The Ascendance of John Williams RM-25-26

John Williams Bio
Electronic Reserve: Star Wars

 

 
11/22 Thanksgiving Holiday  
11/27 The Ascendance of John Williams

 

 RM-25-26

John Williams Web Pages
K: 129-137

Radio Interview with Bob Edwards

Interview with Leonard Slatkin

John Williams and the Music of Star Wars

 

 

 
11/29 The Ascendance of John Williams Continued from 4/19
12/4 Second Cue Analysis Due in D2L Dropbox

The International Film

 RM-28
12/6 The Newman Dynasty Continues RM-Chapter-31

Electronic Reserve: Thomas Newman Interview

WWW-Thomas Newman

 
12/11 From the Concert Hall to the Big Screen-Music of Corigliano and Goldenthal RM-Chapter-33

WWW-Corigliano
12/13 Other Voices: Terence Blanchard, Christopher Young, Phillip Glass and others Electronic Reserve: Alex Ross on Film Music in the New Yorker, Phillip Glass and Minimalism

RM-Chapter 34

 

 

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5/10 Film Music Comes Full Circle-the Lord of the Rings

Wrap up and Review

 

 

RM-Chapter 34
5/16 Exam no.3:

8-10 AM

 There will be no options to take this test another time!

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