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A discussion of film using the score as a metaphor.
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MOVIE MUSIC
MOVIE MUSIC; Lacking CounterpointPublished: May 6, 2001
To the Editor:
Thank you for publishing David Schiff's insightful article ''TakingMovie Music Seriously, Like It or Not'' [April 22). Mr. Schiff makesthe point that film composers rely on successions of short cues,creating a style that translates poorly in the concert hall. Yet perhapswe should recognize that motivic development à la Beethoven is notan appropriate model for a theatrical art like film music. After all,Beethoven experienced little success outside of pure concert music.
Instead, we should look to the leitmotif techniques of RichardWagner, for when John Williams re-established the symphonic stylein the 1970's, he was recalling operas like ''Tristan and Isolde'' andthe ''Ring Cycle,'' not Beethoven's Fifth.
Today's film composers pale before great concert composers not because of their relianceon melody -- Schubert and Wagner basically did the same thing -- but in their avoidance ofcounterpoint. Either because pop-music ''hummers'' lack formal training, or becausedirectors fear too much musical activity will distract viewers from the action onscreen, filmmusic is rarely more sophisticated than a melody and accompaniment. Oscar-winner BillConti's score for ''Rocky'' illustrates the limitations imposed on composers. He buried hismost elaborate music, a four-voice fugue, in the end credits. It's no wonder, then, thatmost concert performances of movie music are just exercises in waiting for your favoritetheme.
Yet it's still possible for good film music to be good concert music. I'm surprised that Mr.Schiff forgot Serge Prokofiev, the Russian composer who wrote compelling scores withoutselling his craft short (as, say, James ''Titanic'' Horner has done by incessantly recyclingthe same ''bad guy'' themes in every movie, many of which he stole from Prokofiev 20years ago). Most Americans have never seen the Russian films ''Lieutenant Kije,'' ''Ivan theTerrible'' and ''Alexander Nevsky,'' yet these films' suites have unapologetically secured aplace in the concert hall repertory.
EVAN FELDMAN
Potsdam, N.Y.
The writer is a visiting instructor at the Crane School of Music at the State University ofNew York at Potsdam.
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