Lecture 5 and 6: Erich Wolfgang Korngold Flashcards
1
Q
The Émigré composer
A
- Nazis force out many of Europe’s artists and intellectuals
- Erich Korngold, Dimitri Tiomkin, Franz Waxman, Ernst Gold, Hans Salter, Bronislau Kaper, Miklos Rozsa
- most were composers trained in the traditions of European art music (Romantic era)
- these traditions (operatic) were transplanted into Hollywood during the 1930s
2
Q
American composers of the 1930s
A
- Herbert Stothart = composer of Wizard of Oz
- Alfred Newman = head of music at 20th Century Fox (composed fanfare of 20th Century Fox), from a family of composers
3
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Facts
A
- 1897 - 1957
- born in Vienna
- childhood prodigy, son of noted music critic
- grew up at the feet of Viennese musical greatness
- teachers included Strauss and Mahler
4
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A
- 1934 = interpreter of Felix Mendelssohn’s (mid 19th century) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream has a lot of song lyrics written into the play
- as Shakespeare rose to prominence, composers began to take on the challenge of writing music for the songs
- studio system wanted to make a film version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Korngold was the most revered interpreter, came to supervise the music
5
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Contract
A
- he is offered a contract to join Warner Brothers and turns it down
- but, he returned several times over the next few years to do scores
- only one of the major composers that didn’t sign a long term studio contract
6
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Transition to Hollywood
A
- in 1938, Warner Brothers shoots The Adventures of Robin Hood
- Korngold says that it is too much of an action film for him
- he is getting ready to return to Europe when he learns that Hitler has marched the German army into Austria
- everything has been taken from his family, about to be shipped off to an internment camp
- Erich was able to get his family out, and headed to America
- called back WB for the Robin Hood movie
7
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Later years
A
- remained in Hollywood, died in 1957
- disappointed that he was never able to regain his position as a serious composer
- tries to return to Europe after the war and reassert his career in operas, and with orchestras
- however, musical taste in Europe had moved on and his work was considered old fashioned
- freelanced, composed only 19 film scores in 12 years
- one of the composers that created the style that informs how film composers work
8
Q
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Style
A
- wrote in a 19th century romantic style (like Wagner and Strauss)
- focused on extended melodies
- phrased the drama = in the middle of playing the action, and playing the emotions
- captures the key moments
- less choppy than Steiner
- makes use of the overture at the beginning of the film (lays out the most important themes)
9
Q
The Sea Hawk - Plot Summary
A
- 1940
- set in the time of Queen Elizabeth (1585)
- Spain has the Armada (massive Navy)
- England is threatened by Spanish invasion
- English navy has the Seahawks = small, very fast ships, that look for Spanish ships, operated almost like pirates
names of the - Errol Flynn played Captain Thorpe
10
Q
The Sea Hawk - Analysis (Scene 1)
A
- opening credits = uses an overture, heroic/love/heroic (ABA format)
- heroic theme = brass fanfare (military, Queen)
- love theme = strings
- heroic theme will have a clear beat, while the love theme is allowed to ebb and flow
- a lot of scale passages used in this scene (harp)
11
Q
The Sea Hawk - Analysis (Scene 2)
A
- phrases the drama = sets mood and parallels the battle
- drops under dialogue, hits the thrown knife, drops pacing under the retreat
- blending of source and score with the sounding of the retreat
- different from King Kong (Korngold knows what he’s doing)
12
Q
Technicolour
A
- developed as early as 1916 (colour films were not new)
- problem = Technicolour is a completely different system (much more expensive and complicated)
- films that were made in colour were specific choices (eg. historical costume drama, fantasy land)
- films of a more regular approach would just use black and white
- for a lot of filmmakers, black and white is the preferred medium
13
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Overture)
A
- 3 distinct themes
- 1st theme, 2nd theme is almost a variation of the 1st theme, big change for 3rd theme
- blends source music and score as the credits end and the movie begins
- how this affects suspension of disbelief is a big job for the composer
- 1st theme = almost comedic, march theme (Merrymen theme)
- first two themes are based on a march
- 3rd theme = love theme, played on strings , major 6th interval
14
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Saxons in Peril)
A
- Saxons in Peril theme sounds like a cry or plea, often heard when we see the persecution of the Saxons
- the music starts before the transition to the next scene
- Robin Hood theme = short, heroic/fanfare (secondary theme)
- very short theme, especially for Korngold
- very awkward/hard to sing, usually mixed in with what is going on
15
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Little John)
A
- this theme will be used when main characters join the merry men
- first heard with Little John → French Horn (operatic link to hunter/woodsman)
- history of the French Horn = thought to been a hunting horn
stylistic bend of source music - Korngold works in the lute for comedy
- hitting the action during the dual (Mickey Mousing)
- woodwind “water” theme = alternating between notes, the instruments that are played is constantly changing
- concludes with merry men theme
16
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Friar Tuck)
A
- similar to Little John scene
- initial theme play primarily on bassoon and muted trumpet (comic)
- sword fight = same theme as Little John battle, more exciting
- doesn’t carry any sense of danger
- hitting the action for comedy
- woodwind “water” theme again
- concludes with merry men theme
17
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Marion and Robin I)
A
- quiet variation of the Peril theme as Marions sees the Saxons
- two themes during Marion/Robin dialogue
- second theme is from the opening credits
- first theme is new = sounds like a love theme (strings, 6th interval)
- transition to the second theme = also played by the strings
18
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (Marion and Robin II)
A
- love theme 1 = big kiss, strings, moment of spectacle, music swells, idealized love
- love theme 2 = quiet solo cello, much more intimate
- solo instruments (dependent of context) can draw you in, make the scene more intimate
19
Q
Robin Hood - Analysis (King Richard)
A
- love theme 2 (from opening credits) gets most dramatic statement with the reveal of Richard
- in the opening credits, it is talking about Richard being kidnapped and that is when the theme appears
- love theme 2 = love of country
20
Q
Robin Hood - Historical Significance
A
- came at the end of the economic depression of the 1930s
- many films at this time often carried a simple message = if we work together, we can overcome our problems
- this is why the main theme = Merry Men
21
Q
The Sea Hawk - Historical Significance
A
- small group of brave captains that take over the Spanish armada
- at this time, the Battle of Britain is occurring
- Germans decide to bomb Britain, and only a small number of spitfires standing in their way (similar to The Sea Hawk)
- the British version had a prologue in order to inspire the people of the British isles
22
Q
Movies from the 1930s
A
- the Great Depression
- Depression era films were often spectacular or escapist
- The Adventures of Robin hood, Lost Horizon, The Wizard of Oz
- Lost Horizon = plane crash in the Himalayas, find themselves in the fantasy land of Shangri-La, where no one gets older
23
Q
Characteristics of an action sequence
A
- a full symphonic orchestration (emphasizing brass and percussion)
- loud dynamics
- passages of quick notes
- irregular and hard accents (syncopation)
- occasional motivic references
