Area Of Study 3 (Film Music) Flashcards
Includes "Batman Returns", "Psycho" & "The Duchess" + WL
What is the context of “Batman Returns”?
Who: Danny Elfman What: Dark orchestral film score Where: Hollywood How: Orchestra and children's choir Why: For second installment of Batman franchise When: 1992
Describe the melody of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Batman horns at 1, Penguin choir at 3
Penguin strings at 11, augmented at 14
Describe the harmony of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Pedal at 1, before tone cluster at 6
Dom 7th at 45, before open fifths at 47
Describe the tonality of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Plagal at 2, then semitone shift at 4
Key shift at 7, with F to A min tertiary
Describe the rhythm of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Augmented at 7, before flurry at 21
False relation in 3/8 meter at 13
Describe the texture of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Thick horns, with pedal at 1
Changes, with octave unison at 22
Describe the sonority of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 1”
Batman Returns
Sinister organ at 1, before choir at 3
Infant celesta at 11, then pizz at 42
Describe the melody of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
Thirds at 3, then Batman bass at 12
Syncopated at 12, with falling vocals at 48
Describe the harmony of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
Tonic maj seven cello motif at 1
C maj stabs at 25, then first inversions at 96
Describe the tonality of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
D min at 1, before change to Bb min at 11
Exposed tonality by open fifth at 85
Describe the rhythm of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
Interpolation at 11, before cross rhythms at 16
Triplets at 25, before diminuition at 27
Describe the texture of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
Additive at 1, before tonic pedal at 11
Swelling dynamics at 57, after octaves at 19
Describe the sonority of “Birth Of A Penguin Part 2”
Batman Returns
Stopped horns at 12, before mute trumpet at 20
Flutter tongued flutes, with tam tam strike at 97
Describe the melody of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
Oom pah at 13, becomes orchestral at 89
Quick xylophones at 85, then bass motif at 19
Describe the harmony of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
E min and C# maj in first inversion at 10
Chaotic dim 7ths at 34 and 70
Describe the tonality of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
Unprepared tertiary key change at 13
Whole tone scales at 43 and 77
Describe the rhythm of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
Triplets fight flurry at 60, then sextuplets at 69
Rhythmic displacement at 92
Describe the texture of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
Layers at 1, with piano octaves at 26
Contrary motion at 71, then sus chords at 73
Describe the sonority of “Batman VS The Circus”
Batman Returns
Trumpet lip trill at 50, then oboe vibrato at 56
Prominent percussion at 26, after high gliss at 25
Describe the melody of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
Comic pizz idea at 1, before Penguin cello at 6
Penguin waltz at 20, then fanfare finish at 53
Describe the harmony of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
Open fifth at 26, before falling thirds at 29
Aug chord at 51, then cresc cluster at 52
Describe the tonality of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
C min, with sweep gliss to G at 1
Perf cadence at 46, then C min descent at 47
Describe the rhythm of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
Waltz at 20, then augmented Penguin at 26
Quadruple feel at 40, with rushing flurry at 44
Describe the texture of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
Monophonic Q&A phrases at 1
Bass clarinet and harp interplay at 40
Describe the sonority of “Rise And Fall From Grace”
Batman Returns
Pizz strings at 1, then arco bass at 2
Flute trill at 46, before vibraphone descent at 51
WL: “Back To The Future” by Alan Silvestri
Back To The Future
Syncopated low brass, two note motif
Suspense key change transition from fanfare
WL: “Closing In” by John Williams
Catch Me If You Can
G harmonic lines, with C# passing tones
Alto sax solo has rhythmic displacement
WL: “Jill’s Theme” by Ennio Morricone
Once Upon A Time In The West
Homophonic with key ascending a semitone
Wordless singer with oboe and horn solos
WL: “Maze Runner Theme” by John Paesano
Maze Runner
Triplet crotchets VS straight quavers
Accented unpitched percussive sounds
WL: “It Was Me” by Tyler Bates
Watchmen
Falling and rising C min arpeggio, with flat seven
Marching quavers with gunshot bass drum
WL: “We Got Company” by Wendy Carlos
Tron
Dissonant strings and synth hinting A min
Electric whistles with fast quaver passages
WL: “Transformations” by Danny Elfman
Spiderman
Conjunct dissonant and maj/min alternations
Pizz and arco juxtapose texture density
WL: “Kiriko And Little Boy” by Michiru Oshima
Godzilla VS Megaguirus
Lilting scale with falling fifth in A min
Warm clarinet solo with thick lush strings
What is the context of “Psycho”?
Who: Bernard Herrmann What: B&W string score Where: California How: Muted string orchestra Why: For psychological horror thriller When: 1960
Describe the melody of “Prelude” and “The City”
Psycho
Steiner motif at 5, then stepwise line at 37
Retrograde idea at 4
Describe the harmony of “Prelude” and “The City”
Psycho
Dissonant maj triads at 21
Half dim and dim 7th chords at 1
Describe the tonality of “Prelude” and “The City”
Psycho
Avoids a tonal centre
Tonally ambiguous throughout
Describe the rhythm of “Prelude” and “The City”
Psycho
Bass pulses at 5, with relaxation at 37
Feeling of pulse in quadruple time
Describe the texture of “Prelude” and “The City”
Psycho
Homorhythmic Hitchcock chords at 25
Octave doublings in lush eight parts
