Monumental Films: Lawrence of Arabia & Ten Commandments

Film Examples and Their Significance

• "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962): A biographical film about British officer T.E. Lawrence.
• "The Ten Commandments" (1956): A religious epic depicting Moses and the Hebrew exodus from Egypt.
• Films termed "monumental" due to their impressive scale and ambition, influencing viewers' perceptions.

Challenges in Cinematic Music Composition

• Conductors face difficulties with scene transitions, timing, tempo, and instrumentation.
• These challenges lead conductors to create original scores tailored for specific films.
• Silent films lacked space and budget for full orchestras, affecting music composition.

Composing Music for Films

• Composers view the film beforehand to calculate music requirements for each scene using a stopwatch.
• Compositions often begin with the climax before addressing other musical segments.
• Early methods, like those from Kinothek and Max Winkler, struggled to adapt to the advent of "talkies" in the late 1920s.

Rhythmonome Development

• Invented in 1926 by Carl Robert Blum, the rhythmonome synchronized sound with film using tape to register phonorhythmical signs.
• Challenges in music-to-picture synchronization included visible cues disturbing the audience.

Notable Silent Film Contributions

• D.W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) achieved monumental status, setting standards in orchestration and cueing.
• The score imitated classical composers and utilized traditional tunes from the U.S.

Edmund Meisel's Role

• An Austrian composer renowned for scoring silent films, notably Sergei Eisenstein's "The Battleship Potemkin" (1925) and "October" (1927).

Evolution of Film Music Styles

• 1960s-70s: Predominantly 19th-century orchestral influences.
• 1980s-90s: Introduction of pop-infused orchestral music.
• 1990s onward: Incorporation of jazz, rock, orchestral, and sequenced styles.

Impact of MIDI and Technology

• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) developed in 1983 to connect synthesizers with digital information.
• First mass-market digital synthesizer, Yamaha DX-7, released in 1983, enabling complex sound generation.

Composing Timeline and Collaboration

• Music composition timelines vary, often exceeding the typical six-week range depending on production delays.
• Each musical piece, called a cue, serves as a supportive underscore in the film, with a collective score comprising multiple cues.
• A spotting session, crucial in post-production, involves composers, directors, and editors discussing music placement to enhance storytelling.

Spotting and Music Integration

• Spotting determines where music should be, its emotional impact, and aligns with dramatic situations.
• Effective spotting is a skill developed through experience, ensuring music enhances rather than distracts.

Music Editor's Role

• Music editors play a vital role in synchronizing music with film, requiring advanced software skills and excellent musical knowledge.
• They manage detailed timing notes and support the composer throughout the creative process.

Working Styles in Composition

• Composers use varied approaches, from traditional spotting to non-traditional methods involving sequencing.
• Collaboration with orchestrators, engineers, and studios is essential for successful music integration in films.