Max Steiner
Before getting work in Hollywood, Steiner worked here, the capital of musical theater, as a conductor and orchestrator.
Broadway
Korngold was born in the country, the same as Max Steiner
Austria (central Europe, not Australia)
Herrmann was the only composer of the three born in America, but towards the end of his life he lived in this country, producing films such as Twisted Nerve.
England
Studios produced many __________ films depicting heroes and action such as The Sea Hawk and The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Swashbuckler
When do composers typically begin writing the score for a movie?
When the film is shot and edited. The earlier the better though as we will see in future cases.
The first nondiegetic film score to a feature length talkie film belongs to this 1933 flick from RKO Pictures.
King Kong
Korngold approached writing film music as “_______ without singing.”
Opera
Herrmann would only agree to a movie if he knew it granted him…
Artistic Liberty
This Golden Age Big Five studio is responsible for the production of The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Warner Brothers
Herrmann’s score to The Day the Earth Stood Still featured the use of this early electronic instrument.
Theremin
Steiner scored this famous Warner Brothers film set in North Africa and featuring the song As Time Goes By.
Casablanca
A period and style of classical music characterized by dramatic melodies and lush harmonies.
Romantic Era. Korngold and Steiner were both influenced by this movement during their childhoods in Europe.
This neo-noir psychological thriller from 1976 would turn out to be Bernard Herrmann’s final film score. Quite a departure from the standards of the Golden Age.
Taxi Driver
The Adventures of Robin Hood stars this leading man in the role of the mythological hero.
Errol Flynn
Unlike Steiner and Korngold who were raised to focus on melody and harmony, Herrmann preferred to be experimental and focused on ______________, often doing his own orchestrations.
timbre/tone color
Steiner's bosses hoped the music in King Kong would help audiences ________________.
Suspend their Disbelief
A film scored by Korngold with a distinctive main theme that influenced Star Wars.
King's Row
Hermann worked with this famous radio broadcaster that also directed the critically-acclaimed film Citizen Kane.
Orson Welles
Define a leitmotif AND describe an example from The Adventures of Robin Hood.
A recurring fragment of music that represents something.
Robin Hood/Arrow - heroic brass
King Richard - Noble strings and horns
Plight of the Saxons - downtrodden strings
Merry Men - jovial march
Lady Marian - tender strings
Prince John - Pretentious trumpet fanfare
Music written specifically to be played in the background of a spoken theater production. The precursor to nondiegetic film scores and Korngold's first few orchestrating jobs in America .
Incidental Music
The title song from this Max Steiner film became a popular jukebox tune in the late 1950s.
A Summer Place
Korngold was brought to America by this director to do orchestrations for his film adaptations of Shakespeare plays.
Max Reinhardt
Describe a disagreement Bernard Herrmann had with director Alfred Hitchcock as it relates to their film Psycho (1960).
Hitchcock wanted jazz, Herrmann wanted strings only.
Hitchcock wanted no music in the shower scene, Herrmann added his iconic score.
Define thematic transformation AND describe an example from The Adventures of Robin Hood.
When a leitmotif is changed depending on the mood of a scene.
Student choice but good options are:
Robin Hood angrily brings the deer to the feast, his leitmotif played in a minor key and lower pitched instruments
Robin Hood climbs the vines to meet Lady Marian in her quarters, his leitmotif is slower and played by smooth strings
The Merry Men infiltrate Nottingham Castle, their bright march becoming a serious and sneaky procession.
The musical ensemble founded by Bernard Herrmann in NYC. Points will be rewarded for the name AND what made them special. (opportunity for partial credit)
New Chamber Orchestra, performed the music of lesser known composers.