The conventions and functions of the classical Hollywood score

I would like to share a short essay I have written about a year ago as part of my BA studies.

In this essay I tried to briefly outline the conventions and functions of film music in the 1930's Hollywood cinema.

I hope you enjoy!

-PW

Bernard Herrmann – Walking Distance (Twilight Zone) - Part 3

With the concluding part of my analysis of Bernard Herrmann's score for 'Walking Distance', I would like to concentrate on his orchestration. Herrmann himself was a great believer that every composer working on films should orchestrate his own music as this quote of him illustrates:

'To orchestrate is like a thumbprint. I can't understand having someone else do it. It would be like someone putting color to your paintings.'

And indeed, he orchestrated every work of his until his death.

That tells me that he valued orchestration as an important tool in order to communicate the music to the audience. I try to highlight some of his methods in this blog entry.

Firstly, it should be noted that the ensemble used for this score was a very small one consisting of harp and a string section only. Even the string section is relatively small with 6 violins I, 4 violins II, 3 violas, 3 cellos and 2 basses. The reason for this could be an artistic one as the music almost exclusively portraits a single character and would therefore benefit of being confined to a few instruments or a small ensemble. Another reason, the one I believe to be the more likely, is that the budget for the music was limited and a small ensemble was all they could afford. Either way, the score offers a fascinating insight into Herrmann's approach for writing for such a small ensemble, especially bearing in mind that he wrote a similar score (albeit only for strings) a year later with 'Psycho'.

Intro

The first bar of the 'Intro' cue [0:01 in first video] shows that Herrmann split the violins in two (3 each for violins I and 2 each for violins II) and that each of the string groups is to be played with mutes. He will not deviate from this set up for the rest of the score. The chord (C#half dim7) is divided onto solo viola and violins, with harp playing the whole chord arpeggiando. The interesting thing here is that the first note is to be played with an up-bow for all the strings, possibly to generate a more diminished attack of the chord, which would be in line with the arpeggiando harp and the dynamic marking of pp. The cue continues this way until the end.

The second cue shows how to effectively use the harp to great effect. In bars 4-5 [0:57], the strings hold an E7(b5)/Bb chord as a pad for the harp to play a downward arpeggio of an E7. The tonal qualities of the harp create a sense of foreboding and danger. Note also, how the chord doesn't change (although the voicing does) but the notes for the individual string sections do – a subtle detail to make the parts more interesting.

The Drugstore

The third cue ('Memories'), illustrates one of the cornerstones of Herrmann's compositional as well as orchestral style: the development of motifs. In the opening two bars [1:37], he scores the 'memory motif' for violins (violins II and first desk of violins I an octave apart with the second desk of violins I a third below) with cellos and violas for the chord pad. For the return of the motif in bars 15 – 16 [2:39], he scores it in a much lighter texture with violins only for the theme and chord pad.
In bar 19, he introduces cellos (note that they are playing the chord tutti now) and double basses to clearly define the chord as A minor, to then add a harp arpeggio (with the same effect as in the previous cue) in Ab major in second inversion. I have highlighted the violas, that support the harp only ever so slightly with the same chord played flautando, the effect gained is hauntingly chilling.

Memories

In 'The Park' [4:27], Herrmann offers us an interesting approach of scoring a simple waltz theme. The harp plays the basic accompaniment, while the second desks of violins I and II play tonic and dominant harmonics respectively. The first desks play the same harmonics but twice as fast as the second desks. The remaining two first violins, play the theme a third apart to complete the whole texture. Once again, the scoring here is very light and thin but at the same time creates a sort of carefree atmosphere.

The Park

The House

Bars 14 – 15 [6:54] of 'The House' offers a glimpse of Herrmann's chord voicing for violins alone. The second desks of each section lay out the basic chord, while the first desks provide the top octave and doublings of notes apart from the seventh. Note also, that the chords are played at ppp with the additional marking of non vibrato, to give just the faintest of sound.

The opening bars of 'The Merry-go-round' [10:24] shows one of the very few instances where the violins are not to be played with mutes. The motif is represented by violins I at first before answered an octave lower by violins II. The dynamic of ff and the tempo marking indicate that a harsh and intense sound is desired. Once again although repetitive, Herrmann makes each part more interesting by throwing phrases around and thus keeping the sections but also the listener entertained.

The Merry-go-round

For the final example I want to go back to what I was pointing out in the third cue: the development of motifs.
Section A [11:50] shows the initial chord motif, divided onto all string sections apart from double basses, playing with the same rhythm. At section B [12:34], the meter changes and basses are now introduced, to play a pedal D along with the cellos. The chord theme is now divided onto violas and violins. The melodic rhythm has now changed and is much more elaborate. At section C [0:01 second video] (the beginning of the 'Elegy' cue), the pedal D has gone, the meter is back to where it was but the whole theme is condensed to strings alone. Section D [0:48], represents even more condensing. Back is the pedal D and the change in meter but this time everything is scored for cellos and violas only.
I hope it can be seen how Herrmann was able to alter the tone and character of the same music by the use of (sometime subtle) variations throughout his orchestration. This, I believe, is the key to the success and popularity of his music as it rarely becomes tiring although being incredibly repetitive.

This concludes my blog about Bernard Herrmann's orchestration for the score to 'Walking Distance' and indeed my 3 part blog series about the score itself. I hope you found it interesting and informative but also motivating to explore more of Herrmann's music, as there is much to be learnt from it.

-PW

These transcriptions are entirely my own and only intended for educational purposes.

Bernard Herrmann – Walking Distance (Twilight Zone) - Part 2

This is the second part of my 3 part blog series about Bernard Herrmann's score for 'Walking Distance' (1959), an episode from the CBS Television series The Twilight Zone. It is highly recommended that you go through the first part (Bernard Herrmann - Walking Distance (Twilight Zone) - Part 1) before commencing on to this entry, as you will then be able to understand the whole score in its entirety.

7. The Parents:

The cue begins after Martin stumbles over his old baseball glove upon returning to his childhood home. No surprise that Herrmann used the 'memory motif' for this scene in order to play the character. The interplay between visuals, audio and music is impressive as the music is played under the narration explaining the current state of Martin Sloan, picking up his glove and thinking about past times that are long gone.
A different section (B) is introduced at bar 9 to underscore the dialogue between Martin and his father. This section is keeping the nostalgic mood mostly with the use of 7^th chords in A minor.
Bars 24-27 are along the same lines (leaning towards a G major tonality), acting as a sort of bridge between this and the following section starting at bar 28.
This section (C) begins with a descending 4 note motif, which is a development of the 'yearning motif' from the 'Intro' cue. This time however, it sounds more aggressive without the rise up a semitone. The fortissimo dynamic and dissonant harmonies convey a rather anxious mood, which fits with the action on screen as Martin is now almost begging his mother to understand that he is her son. This whole pattern intensifies in dynamic and tempo with the use of tremolo chords (a favourite of Herrmann for intensification as in 'Scene D'amour' from 'Vertigo') until the end in bar 41.


8. The Merry-go-round:

An almost seamless continuation of the previous cue, this cue starts with the more anxious 'yearning motif', this time even more intense and isolated as it is played at the higher end of the violin range. The underlying implied harmony is going down in semitones, as the motif is working its way down too. The scene shows a close up of Martin's face after his mother wouldn't listen and slapped him. This cue makes a very good example of scoring the characters feelings: the music depicts Martin's confusion, rejection, loneliness, isolation and yearning all at once with simple devices.
The cue follows the basic structure of 'The Parents' and indeed it is little more than a copy. However, it should be noted how well Herrmann synchronises Martin running off to the merry-go-round, with the use of pizzicato bass (similar to the synchronisation of the wind shield wipers in 'Psycho').
Overall, this is possibly my favourite cue of the whole score and a good lesson in itself for effective film scoring.

9. Martin's summer:

The next cue starts on a sforzando E in the basses and cellos after Martin tried to speak to the young Martin at the merry-go-round, which results in him (young Martin) falling off and hurting his leg. The cue continues with a series of 7^th chords over pedal tones, to heighten the drama on screen.
A new section (B) starts at bar 5, which on the first glance might look like an ordinary melodic fragment, however I believe this to be a continuation of the development of the 'yearning motif' (note the harp arpeggios), this time with obvious rhythmic alterations. This new motif gets repeated in true Herrmann-style until bar 15. The scene it underscores shows Martin, disillusioned with the world, slowly walking off the merry-go-round to speak to the young Martin (probably the most memorable moment from the whole episode: he is spotlighted while all the other children get off the merry-go-round in the background, leaving him completely exposed).
As he explains his motives for coming into this world to his younger self, a choral like chord progression is heard (C). In my view, this is yet another development in the score, this time from the chord progression heard in the 'The Parents' cue. The harmonic progression is rather unspectacular with a circle of fifths movement starting on a D minor triad. In bar 21 Herrmann used a Neapolitan 6^th chord as part of the concluding cadence.
From bar 23 onwards until the end in bar 28, this section gets repeated with a development in part-writing and a change in metre.

10. Elegy:

The longest cue incorporates many musical devices and ideas up until this point in the score.
The first 11 bars are basically a repeat of the final section of the previous cue as Martin is confronted by his father.
The section that follows it (B) is build on the dorian mode (starting in D), with melodies divided into four voices and ending with chord movements (bars 35-40). The music here simply underscores the dialogue between Martin and his father.
The second to last section (C) starting at bar 42, is the last time we hear the 'memory motif' from the 'Memories' cue. Sure enough, Martin starts to recollect moments from his childhood at exactly this moment.
The final section (D) is a reprise of the bi-tonality section from 'Memories', however this time it is slightly modified with another chord in between. Unsurprisingly, this chord is a semitone up from the chord that precedes it – the semitone movement of melodies and chords being a common feature of the score.
Tremolo strings to intensify (common for Herrmann) and a pizzicato bass line down to A bring the cue to an end at bar 57.


11.Finale:

The final cue is an exact copy of the 'Intro' cue with the added bi-tonality section at the end. This time however, this section comes to rest on an E major triad as Martin drives off and leaves his home-town behind. I believe that the sense of closure is achieved because Herrmann introduces the E major triad (E7) as the final chord of the first cue in the score.

This marks the end of my cue by cue analysis of Bernard Herrmann's score to 'Walking Distance'. I hope it was informative and showed how an effective score can be achieved with only a small amount of musical devices, provided that it is well executed.
Part 3 will focus on Herrmann's orchestration for this score, as it was a vital component to fully express his musical ideas and also because it will show how he was able to use a small ensemble (strings and harp) to the best effect.

-PW

These transcriptions are entirely my own and only intended for educational purposes.

Bernard Herrmann – Walking Distance (Twilight Zone) - Part 1

With this 3 part blog series I want to give an insight into how Bernard Herrmann constructed his scores and especially how he used simple methods to greatest effect. As an example I will use his score for the 'Walking Distance' (1959) episode from the CBS TV series Twilight Zone. I have chosen this particular score as its relative short length makes it easier to understand as a whole but also because it reflects many of Herrmann's trademarks.

Part 1 and 2 will be a cue by cue analysis of the whole score while part 3 will be focusing on his orchestration only.

I can only encourage everyone interested in film scoring to have a look at William Wrobels website: http://www.filmscorerundowns.net/, where you can find cue by cue analyses of almost every Herrmann score ever written. I would also recommend 'A Heart at Fire's Centre: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann' written by Steven C. Smith, to get a better view of Herrmann as an artist.

Finally, I hope I can give enough information to get a grasp of this score and indeed of Herrmanns methods of composing for film and that I can encourage people to listen more to his scores as they give a great insight into the most direct approach to film scoring.

List of cues:

1. Intro

2. The Drugstore

3. Memories

4. The Park

5. The House

6. Curtain

7. The Parents

8. The merry-go-round

9. Martin's summer

10. Elegy

11. Finale (Walking)

1. Intro:

The first cue of the score is essentially what Bernard Herrmann's music was best known for: short cell-like motifs, repetition and the use of half-diminished seventh harmonies.
The cue is being played while the main character, Martin Sloan, is introduced by a narrator.
The first motif we hear is a 4-note figure, which gives a clue of the state of mind of the main-character straight away. The figure is rising a semitone before falling back on its starting note only to fall another note down after that. This suggests to me a sense of yearning but also despair, which characterises Martin Sloan and his quest for wanting to relive his past. Therefore, I would call it the 'yearning motif'.

yearning motif

The very first chord we encounter is a half-diminished seventh (built on C#) - possibly Herrmann's most frequently used¹_. The cue continues with a repetition of the 'yearning motif' for 4 bars until a slight variation in the melody signals the ending. The final chord of the cue is E7, which I find significant as it will be the final chord of the whole score.

Herrmann immediately establishes an uneasy mood by the use of falling semi-tone patterns, mostly seventh chords and slow tempo but he also creates a sense of yearning and nostalgia with his orchestration for strings and harp only.

2. The Drugstore:

The second cue recalls the intro (bar 5) in the first 3 bars, which is preceded by a change in mood starting at bar 4. The unstable E7b5 chord is more or less the tonal centre for the next 4 bars on top of which the harp plays a descending arpeggio of said chord (highlighted). Very simple methods but note how they create a completely different feel, which is directly associated with the events on the screen as bar 4 begins exactly as Sloan enters the Drugstore. It gives the impression that something is not quite right. Bars 8-9 repeat the same idea but this time played over Ab+ and G+ harmonies respectively. A repetition of said chords in bar 10 brings the cue to a close on a D diminished triad in first inversion in bar 11.

3. Memories:

This cue starts with another motif, which I like to call the 'memory motif' because of its constant appearance whenever Martin recollects something from his past (in this instance how he loved his ice cream as a child):

memory motif

As with the intro cue, this 2 bar motif gets repeated in typical Herrmann fashion for the next few bars until bar 9. Note that the Fb Major chord of bar 7 functions as an E Major chord in A Minor, which results in a perfect cadence.
Bars 9-14 introduce a second subject in a major tonality (contrasting to the previous A Minor) before the cue returns to the initial motif in bar 15.
Bars 18-19 (highlighted) and subsequently are interesting for two reasons. Mainly because of its bi-tonality of A Minor and Ab Major but also because it gives us a hint at the final cue. As with the previous cue, a substantial shift in mood is created by the aforementioned bi-tonality, which further manifests the unnerving feeling that something is not quite right. Note also that Herrmann introduces this figure after Martin Sloan has left the Drugstore, which gives this and the previous cue a subtle sense of synchronisation with the picture.
The cue returns once again to the 'memory motif' in bar 27, as we see Martin walking through a park and relishing moments from his past. This further emphasises the connection of this motif with Martin's memories.

4. The Park:

The whole cue is basically just a simple waltz with a coda at the end. The waltz itself is almost sentimental for Herrmann's standards and uses simple dominant tonic relations as its harmonic foundation. 

The cue becomes interesting at bar 19 when Martin sees his younger self carving his name on a wooden post in the park. Herrmann plays this moment with downward moving thirds, always intensifying, until the cue ends on a G/B major third interval in bar 26.
By now it has become clear that Martin Sloan has somehow travelled back in time, to the place he grew up as a child.

5. The House:

This cue starts with a violent octave figure in the low strings as Martin is confronted with his past for the first time, while talking to his younger self. It is the first time the score deviates from its mostly nostalgic and bitter-sweet mood into something more rough and edgy.
This 5 bar figure is followed by the last reoccurring motif in the score, a diatonic chord progression in triple metre. The motif starts as the scene changes to Sloan walking up the front yard to his childhood home. For me, this motif succeeds the most in capturing a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past.
Bars 14-19 might be seen as an interlude passage with its predominantly romantic sounding major and minor 9ths chords, while Sloan approaches his parents on the doorstep to his home.
The mood shifts again as he is turned away by his parents and anger starts to surface. Herrmann's music reflects this with an increase in volume, tempo and with an accented bass line over an tremolo F half diminished 7^th chord (recalling the opening of the cue).
The 'longing motif' appears again (bar 24) as he turns away but this time more aggressively played by fortissimo strings instead of arpeggio harp.
A trademark of Herrmann's style, which has hopefully become apparent by now, is that if he is using motifs, he is restricting them very often to 1 or 2 bar phrases. This approach needs a lot of variations of all sorts to not become tiring and indeed it is remarkable how Herrmann was able to incorporate such a vast amount of repetition into his music without making it sound tiresome.

6. Curtain:

The cue is the shortest in the score and was possibly designed to make a 'statement' to conclude the first part of the episode. Sloan has now fully realised that he has somehow been transported into the past after the neighbour showed him a brand new car from about 20 years ago. The music is basically a falling pattern of thirds, intensifying in volume before concluding in a rather unsurprising E half-diminished seventh chord.

This concludes the first part of my cue by cue analysis. The second part (cues 7-11) will be online in a few days.

-PW


These transcriptions are entirely my own and only intended for educational purposes.

¹ Half-diminished Seventh: The Bernard Herrmann chord by William Wrobel: http://www.filmscorerundowns.net/herrmann/herrmannchord.pdf

Violinenstück Nr. 1

I had planned to write a piece for solo violin and piano for a while, but it only materialised after listening to John Williams' score for 'Schindlers' List' [1993].

In many of the pieces composed for that film, one can often find very singable melodies carried by solo violin, almost akin to the voice in a song. This reminded me of a chord progression I was working on for quite some time but I never knew what to do with it. But since it seemed most appropriate to function as the foundation of a song, I thought it would work well with a melody played by solo violin instead of being sung by a human voice.

But since I have never embarked on writing such a piece, I needed to do some research, which mainly focused on listening and score-reading of well know pieces.

My listening list conained the following pieces:

L. v. Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.9, Op. 43 'Kreutzer'
S. Rachmaninoff - Cello Sonata, Op. 19

S. Rachmaninoff - Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14 

F. Chopin - Cello Sonata, Op. 65

A. Dvorak - Violin Sonatina, Op. 100 + 5 Romantic Pieces, Op. 75

E. Elgar - Violin Sonata, Op. 82

J. Brahms - Violin Sonatas 1-3 (Op. 78, Op. 100, Op. 108) 

C. Franck - Violin Sonata A major

M. Ravel - Tzigane

C. Debussy - Violin Sonata, L. 140

C. Ives - Violin Sonatas 1-4

A. Schönberg - Phantasy for Violin and Piano, Op. 47

My main concern in terms of arranging both instruments was for the piano part, as the appropriate melody for violin came naturally to me. Learning a lot by doing my research, I eventually figured out that contrast is most likely the best way to arrive at a part that is interesting to perform, coherent and contributing in the overall sonority of the piece. Contrast was mainly achieved by rhythmic variety as can be best seen in the opening phrases starting at A, which change their rhythm every four bars. But also at B, where the piano part becomes the main focus and plays solo.

The underlying structure is best divided into four parts: opening, main motif (A), contrasting theme (B) and resolution (C). The harmonic basis is very simple. The opening is demonstrating a simple I-IV progression in g minor, although it feels like a V-I in C minor. 

The main motif (A) is dominated by a IV-I progression in G minor, with an emphasis on the major 9th and minor 7th respectively. The contrasting theme (B) is constructed by a I-V progression in g minor, using 9^th and 7^th again until it reaches its harmonic climax on an E-flat major chord in bar 43. After a short modulation, the resolution (C) is being approached in the key of D major with IV-I progressions to create a calming effect but also to complement the initial progression of the opening.

Overall, I have learned a lot by writing a piece for two solo instruments which will help me to improve as a composer writing for a variety of ensembles.

-PW

Creative strings in Liszt's 'Mazeppa'

In his Symphonic Poem no. 6 'Mazeppa', Franz Liszt (1811-1886) makes use of many different string techniques in the passage on page 116 of the Dover full score. Listen to the passage (at 3:41):

Looking at the score, one can see that he predominantly used percussive effects such as pizzicato and col legno to create a kind of eerie atmosphere.
The basses play the root note pizzicato, doubled by the cellos an octave higher. Note that the 2nd desk of cellos play the note arco, while the first desk arpeggiating the chord pizzicato.

The 2nd desks of 2nd violins, violas and cellos have the chord divided between them in a quaver triplet group, to create rhythmic interest. These groups are played col legno (with the wood of the bow) to further emphasize the percussive nature of the passage.

The 1st desk of violas acts as a kind of counterpoint to the arpeggiated pizzicato chord played by the 1st desk of cellos. However, the viola downward arpeggio is played marcatissimo (a little less than marked) instead of pizzicato. He also further emphasizes this phrase by the rinf (reinforced) dynamic.

The 1st desk of 1st and 2nd violins respectively play the chord as a fingered tremolo, to create a soft pedal as contrast to the predominantly rhythmic phrases and motifs in the lower strings. The violins are also divided and marked p, which lets them sit nicely in the background without being obtrusive.

Finally, Liszt introduces 2 solo violins to play a pizzicato downward arpeggio similar to the one in the cellos but here in crotchet triplets. This is arguably the most prominent line in the whole passage.

Overall, I think Liszt used his strings very delicatly in this particular passage, which is further emphasized by their function as a rythmic and contrasting background to the expressive woodwind melody on top.

-PW

Howard Shore - Dead Ringers (Main Titles) analysis

Dead Ringers (1988) is a film by David Cronenberg about two identical twin gynaecologists who live in a delicate equilibrium, which is eventually disturbed by psychic depression and the fear of separation.  This film marked the fifth collaboration between Howard Shore and David Cronenberg and was the follow up of Cronenberg's hit The Fly (1986), for which Shore wrote the music too.  

Upon watching the film and listening to the music, I was especially fascinated by the Main Title sequence as I believe that Shore has written a fabulous piece of music which fits the mood and complements the upcoming narrative of the film perfectly.  

The melodic contour of the main motif is one of rising and falling pitches, which ultimately fall to signal the inevitable fate the twins face. 

Main motif

The melodic intervals consist of major 2nds and minor 3rds, which create a sense of closeness, confinedness without major leaps and risks - a reflection of the twins' state of minds.
The upcoming tragedy is foreshadowed by the timbre of the motif, which is predominantly in the low register with an almost minor quality to it.

The melodic rhythm is very static and predictable with rather insignificant syncopation, as is the harmonic rhythm of the whole piece which makes use of only four chords throughout - a reflection of the twins' static, ordered and almost predictable lives (click to enlarge images).

The really interesting thing about this particular piece is the pairing of notes and phrases throughout:  

Note pairs

The first note is immediately repeated to create a pair - a musical metaphor for twins, which in turn connotes similarity and togetherness. The music continues with repeated notes to further establish the idea. However, the last note of the motif is not repeated, which is a significant change to signal the suppressed desire to separate. The film itself gives a clue later on during a nightmare sequence which shows the brothers joined at the chest like Siamese twins. Shaw states that:  

'The dream is an obvious embodiment of Beverly's fear of being separated from Elliot. […] If one accepts the Freudian theory of dreams as wish fulfilments, the dream also suggests that Beverly desires such a separation.'  

The repetition continues in bars 3 and 4, only this time it is not a repetition of notes only, but of whole bars - a development but also a further establishment of the title connotation. Another interesting aspect in these two bars lies in the resolving of the 'dissonant' E into the 'satisfying' F# to complete the D major triad. This E was the only note not to be repeated in the main motif, which makes it significant in these bars that it needs to resolve. 

E resolves to F#

This four bar phrase is then repeated (to continue the pairing) and repeated again. The following musical ideas are developments of this material, which follow the idea of repetition rigorously.  

What makes this sequence so effective is the subtle but obvious treatment of musical metaphors to foretell the unfolding narrative to a certain extend. I believe Howard Shore has created a benchmark with his Main Titles to Dead Ringers.

'I wanted to create a score [for it] that didn't underline it [the film] too much emotionally. It's quite sophisticated. And so the score is just a reflection of that.' (Howard Shore)

-PW

(c) 2014 howardshore.com