The Art of Film Music (MUS 315)

&

American Movie Music (MUS 250)

Research Resources


Professor Patrick Dorian, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Music Department


Books on 2-Hour Reserve at ESU's Kemp Library
Film Music Web Links
Audio Clips from National Public Radio (npr.org) about Film Music



Books on 2-Hour Reserve at ESU's Kemp Library


Students must have an e-card to take any books or reserve materials away from the main desk area. Books are scanned so the library staff knows who has the item and the time by which it must be returned.


Note: short descriptions of most of the books listed below and links to their inclusion at
amazon.com may be found at:

http://www.filmsound.org/filmmusic/filmmusic-books.htm


Bazelon, Irwin. Knowing the Score: Notes on Film Music


Brown, Royal S. Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music


http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/2860.html



A review of Brown's book on H-Film Discussion Logs by Andrew McAlister of
Emory University (May 10, 1995):

http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-film&month=9505&week=b&msg=fTK4hBkLF6u8o/QPBHV74Q&user=&pw=


Burlingame, Jon. Sound and Vision: 60 Years of Motion Picture Soundtracks

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=2-0823084272-0


Burt, George. The Art of Film Music


Chion, Michel. Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen

http://www.filmsound.org/bibliography/audiovision.htm

http://www.filmsound.org/philips.htm


Darby, William & DuBois, Jack. American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques,
                                                Trends 1915-1990



Davis, Richard. Complete Guide to Film Scoring: The Art and Business of Writing Music for
                        Movies and TV

        http://www.berkleepress.com/berklee/bp_store.taf?_function=product_detail&bp_uid1=BerkleePress50449417


Evans, Mark. Soundtrack: The Music of the Movies


Hickman, Roger. Reel Music: Exploring 100 Years of Film Music
     (781.542 H528r)

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/titles/music/hickman/

(The current course textbook, since the 2006 spring semester.)

 

Hill, John & Gibson, Pamela (editors). The Oxford Guide to Film Studies:
                                                            chapter 5 (pages 43-50) is entitled “Film Music.”

WWW site for Oxford Guide to Film Studies


Karlin, Fred. Listening to Movies - A Film Lover's Guide to Film Music
                    (forward by Leonard Maltin)

http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.
pl?fid=M2b&product_isbn_issn=0534263690&discipline_number=2

info and customer reviews from amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0028733150/qid=1134844571/
sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-7230950-7253415?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

This was the course textbook for several semesters (published in 1994; 448 pages) and, to this day,
it remains a fine resource.

Fred Karlin (1936-2004):
  http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/features/2004/050204.html


Karlin, Fred & Tilford, Ron. Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith (Limited Collector's Edition)

A 94-page booklet that accompanied the 1995 videotape Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith.
Interviews with Goldsmith, his family, and colleagues in the film music industry.

Topics include The Early Years, Television Scores, The Family, Composing, Directors,
Temp Tracks, Spotting, Composing, Orchestration, Electronics, Music Editing,
Recording the Score, Dubbing, Selected Goldsmith Film Scores, Records, Concerts,
Acting in
Gremlins II, The Future, Filmography (Motion Pictures & Television).

 

Kassabian, Anahid. Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary Hollywood Film Music


http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/01/15/books_kassabian.html

https://ecommerce.tandf.co.uk/catalogue/DetailedDisplay.asp?ISBN=0415928540
&ResourceCentre=ROUTLEDGE&RedirectPage=PerformSearch%2Easp&curpage=1


Lack, Russell. Twenty Four Frames Under: A Buried History of Film Music


History of film music with an examination of music's emotional impact on the film audience.
Contains an interesting section on film music and politics.


MacDonald, Laurence E. The Invisible Art of Film Music

Music and Cinema. Edited by James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer

[may be on the reserve list as Music and Cinema without author(s)/editor(s)]

http://www.upne.com/0-8195-6410-9.html


Prendergast, Roy M. Film Music: A Neglected Art

Well written general historical survey of film music. The primary interest of the book is on dissection of individual scores at the notation level. Included in Prendergast's discussion are excerpts from Rosenman's East of Eden, Goldsmith's The Wind and the Lion, Bernstein's The Man With the Golden Arm, Herrmann's Psycho, and others. Prendergast freely uses music theory and terminology throughout, and this text is recommended mainly for musicians and music scholars.



Schelle, Michael. The Score: Interviews with Film Composers


Smith, Jeff. The Sounds of Commerce: Marketing Popular Film Music

            Very readable work examining the emergence and development of the soundtrack album within its economic,
            industrial, and historical contexts. Contains excellent chapters on the music for Goldfinger and
            The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/data/023110/0231108621.HTM


Smith, Steven C. A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/5514001.html



Thomas, Tony. Film Score: The View from the Podium

[may be on the reserve list as Film Score]


Thomas, Tony. Music for the Movies (1997 edition)

Readable account that evenly balances anecdotal and analytical material.
Statements from numerous film composers about their work. Includes discography.


Timm, Larry M. The Soul of Cinema  (2003 edition)

http://vig.prenhall.com/catalog/academic/product/1,4096,0130304654,00.html


Reference Books
and Journals in Kemp Library
(not permitted to be on reserve or checked out):


Issues of The Journal of Film Music may be located directly to the right of the main entrance of Kemp Library in the "Current Periodicals" section. They are shelved alphabetically under "J" and there are currently three issues filed together on a shelf. Here are links to the table of contents of each of the available issues:

Vol. 1, No. 4, Winter 2006

Vol. 1, No. 2/3, Fall-Winter 2003

Vol.1, No. 1, Summer 2002
 

Limbacher, James L. Film Music: From Violins to Video (in bookstacks at 782.85 L629f)

           
Contains short articles on film music by musicians and others as well as an
            inaccurate list of films and their composers. Virtually all aspects of film scoring
            are discussed, grouped into general sections concerning aesthetics, history,
            animated films, documentaries, the influence of classical music, and so on. The
            individual essays vary in quality and approach, with some providing mainly
            historical perspective, while others propose theories on what film music should
            be; the largest section of essays is devoted to appreciations of individual scores,
            most of which date from the 1930s through the 1950s.


Hitchcock, H. Wiley & Sadie, Stanley (editors). The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, 1986, (in bookstacks at 781.773 N42n v.2): extensive article in volume 2 (pages 118-125) under “Film music.”


Sadie, Stanley (editor). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, (in bookstacks at 780.3 G919d5 v.6): extensive article in volume 6 (pages 549-556) under “Film music.”


Film Music Web Links

Students please note:
*  Denotes priority web links for class research project



Composers (a representative sampling from Karlin/Wright 2004):

                                       John Barry:                                         http://www.johnbarry.org.uk
                          * Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004):                     http://www.elmerbernstein.com
Contains many interesting sections, including his Keynote Address from the Third Annual
Film and TV Music Conference delivered at the Directors Guild of America in March, 1998.
Mr. Bernstein focuses on the "threats to his beloved industry," and
"called on other composers to take action:"

http://www.elmerbernstein.com/news/speech.html
 
                                  Chris Boardman:                           http://www.chrisboardmanmusic.com
                                     Alf Clausen:                                          http://www.alfclausen.com
                                      Don Davis:                            http://dondavis.filmmusic.com/home.html
                        John Debney:                                         http://www.johndebney.com
                                   Lisa Gerrard:                                          http://www.lisagerrard.com
            *Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004):          http://www.jerrygoldsmithonline.com/index.html
                                  Dave Grusin:            http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Dave%20Grusin.html
                           *Bernard Herrmann:          http://www.bernardherrmann.org  (also see below)
                                  James Horner:                                   http://www.james-horner.com
                                   Mark Isham:                                           http://www.isham.com
                                Laura Karpman:                                   http://www.laurakarpman.com
             * Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957):               http://www.korngold-society.org/
    The official site of the Korngold Society, the organization dedicated to preserving his legacy.
    It includes forums, articles, recording information, and events.
                                 Mark Mancina:                                   http://www.markmancina.com/
                                Mark McKenzie:                                 http://www.markmckenzie.org
                                    Gil Melle:                                            http://www.gilmelle.com/
                                Johnny Mercer:                                    http://www.johnnymercer.com
                            *Ennio Morricone:                 http://www.morricone.de   (also see below)
                                                             (in German; Google will translate: "Translate this page."
                                                                         http://www.enniomorricone.com/   (in Italian)
                              Jerome Moross:                                      http://www.moross.com
                                 Alex North:                                     http://www.alexnorthmusic.com
                              Basil Pouledoris:                                http://www.basil-poledouris.com/
                               Jonathan Price                                http://www.jonathanprice.com/
                                Trevor Rabin:                                          http://trevorrabin.net/
                              Graeme Revell:                                  http://www.graemerevell.com
                                  Jeff Rona:                                   http://www.jeffrona.com/index.php
              * Miklòs Ròzsa (1907-1995):      http://members.iinet.com.au/~agfam/miklos/index.html
   
The Milklòs Ròzsa Society Website, including information about Pro Musica Sana,
the journal of the Milklòs Ròzsa Society.
                                 Nino Rota:                                          http://www.ninorota.com
                               Lalo Schifrin:                                          http://www.schifrin.com
                             Marc Shaiman                                  http://shaiman.filmmusic.com/
                              Howard Shore:                                   http://www.howardshore.com
                             Michael Whalen:                    http://www.michaelwhalen.com/home.html
                              *John Williams:                                     http://www.johnwilliams.org
                           Christopher Young:                            http://www.christopher-young.com
                                Hans Zimmer:                                     http://www.hans-zimmer.com/


* The Bernard Herrmann Society at the University of Bergen (Norway):

           
http://www.bernardherrmann.org/

                    Occasional webcasts of the complete audio of the 3-part, 150-minute radio
                    documentary from 1988:

                                "Bernard Herrmann:  A Celebration of His Life and Music:"
 

"The most comprehensive account of a composer I have ever heard presented in such form . . . "

                            This is how author, producer and film music historian Tony Thomas describes this 1988
                            radio documentary on Bernard Herrmann. Running two-and-a-half hours and containing
                            a wealth of music and interviews, this is a hard match to follow. The documentary was
                            produced for KIOS-FM by Bruce Crawford and Bob Coate from June 1988 through
                            December 1988, and has since become a milestone in the works presenting the now
                            famous composer (along with Steven C. Smith’s biography and Joshua Waletzky’s film
                            documentary). Given the long running time, the documentary is able to follow
                            Herrmann’s complete career from CBS radio to Taxi Driver.

                            This presentation contains an interview with producer Bruce Crawford, as well as audio
                            clips of some of the interviews and other segments featured in the radio documentary
.

                                    Radio documentary producer Bruce Crawford's writing about Bernard Herrmann:

                                            http://www.thewag.net/music/herrmann.html

                                    A description/review of this radio documentary:

                                            http://lavender.fortunecity.com/judidench/584/hermann.html


* Bernard Herrmann (from Alfred Hitchcock: Collaborators & Partners in Crime from
                                the "Alfred Hitchcock - The Master of Suspense" hitchcock.tv website):

                                        http://hitchcock.tv/people/herrmann.html


North by Northwest: A Case Study of the Bernard Herrmann Style - David J. Bondelevitch's 3-part
essay on one of the best film scores ever made. It examines the style of the creator of such riveting
scores as Psycho, Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Taxi Driver.

            http://hitchcock.tv/essays/herrmann/bhindex.html

                    Part 1:   http://hitchcock.tv/essays/herrmann/herrcase1.html
                                (click on ""Next" to go to part 2)

                    Part 2:   http://hitchcock.tv/essays/herrmann/herrcase2.html
                                (click on "Next" to go to part 3)

                    Part 3:   http://hitchcock.tv/essays/herrmann/herrcase3.html
                                (click on "Next" to go to Bibliography and Acknowledgements)

                    Bibliography and Acknowledgements:
                                http://hitchcock.tv/essays/herrmann/bhbiblio.html


* Writings about film composer David Raksin (1912-2004):

            By Alex Ross (the music critic of The New Yorker) (obituary):

                        http://www.therestisnoise.com/2004/08/david_raksin.html

            From The Film Music Society (obituary):

                        http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/features/2004/080904.html

            From SoundtrackNet (obituary):

                        http://www.soundtrack.net/news/article/?id=532

            David Raksin Remembers his Colleagues    (Steiner, Korngold, A. Newman, Rózsa, Waxman, Copland,
                                                                               Friedhofer, Herrmann, Tiomkin):

                        http://americancomposers.org/raksin_intro.htm

            An interview with David Raksin at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center 30th Anniversary Gala
            from October 14, 1998. From PBS.org's Live from Lincoln Center Learning Center site:

                        http://www.pbs.org/lflc/backstage/oct14/raksin.htm


* Links to information about Italian film music composer Ennio Morricone:

            The Ennio Morricone Online Community:

                        http://www.chimai.com/

                        Contains links about Ennio Morricone:

                                    http://www.chimai.com/index.cfm?left=screen%3Dlinks

                   More links about Ennio Morricone:

                                     http://pub36.bravenet.com/freelink/show.php?usernum=3017524795


The Journal of Film Music publishes original articles and reviews that address any aspect of film music:

          http://www.ifms-jfm.org/


Film Music FAQ (good for definitions of basic terms used in film music):

         
http://auricle.com/welcome-fmusfaq.html



*Film Music Media Group:    includes Film Music Magazine, Film Music Network, Film Music Institute, and
                                            Film Music Radio -

           
http://filmmusicworld.com/network/index.php

                            Film Music Magazine, a monthly trade publication for professionals in the film and
                            television music business, including news, feature articles, investigative reporting, and
                            an event calendar:

                                          
http://www.filmmusicmag.com/

                                                            FAQ about Film Music from Film Music Magazine:

                                                                        http://www.filmmusicmag.com/faq/


                            Film Music Network lists upcoming film music industry events:

                                           http://filmmusicworld.com/network/index.php


                            Film Music Institute offers professional education courses in Los Angeles, New York and
                            other locations designed specifically for the film and television music industry. Courses are
                            updated every quarter to reflect the latest innovations and knowledge present in the industry
                            about the art, craft, technology and business of music for film and television:

                                            http://filmmusicworld.com/institute/index.php


                            Film Music Radio - Broadcasting the Latest News, Music, and Information about the Film & TV
                            Music Industry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are at least 6 regularly-produced radio
                            programs streamed from this site:

                                           http://filmmusicworld.com/radio/index.php


Film Comment Magazine,
published by the Film Society of Lincoln Center:

            http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/fcm.htm


Soundtrack Collector is a very extensive and complete site devoted to movie music, with a database featuring
detailed record information and discographies, discussion forums, articles, and news:

            http://www.soundtrackcollector.com           


* The Internet Movie Database (IMDb):        http://www.imdb.com/


The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb) is the web's largest movie script resource:      http://www.imsdb.com


The All Movie Guide (AMG) has similar characteristics to IMDb:             http://www.allmovie.com/


Film Music articles, resources, and links from FilmSound.org (click on "terminology" for definitions of diegetic,
non-diegetic, etc.):

           
http://www.filmsound.org/


Welcome to the world of film music:       
http://www.filmmusicworld.com/


Tracksounds! The Film Music Experience. Christopher Coleman's site started in 1998, containing reviews, news,
interviews, forum, and links:

             http://www.tracksounds.com/


Film and TV music directory (part of The Entertainment Industry Directory):

           
http://www.filmmusicdirectory.com/pages/Film___TV_Music/index.html


SoundtrackNet/ - The Art of Film and Television Music. The source for information on composers,
recording companies, retailers, manufacturers, etc. Searchable database, soundtrack reviews and even a
list of release dates:

            http://www.soundtrack.net


Filmtracks Modern Soundtrack Reviews
includes reviews of modern soundtracks, tributes to past and
present composers, auctions for rare soundtracks and information for the serious collector:

           
http://www.filmtracks.com/


Scorereviews.com is a site with reviews, composer information, news, forum, and features. Site encourages
visitors to become members:

            http://www.scorereviews.com/


* Film Score Monthly is the daily supplement to America's leading film music magazine, offering articles, reviews,
composer interviews, and an online store. It is the Online Magazine of Motion Picture and Television Music
Appreciation produced by editor/publisher Lukas Kendall. It started as hardcopy in 1990:


           
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/


                      Contains an excellent page of links:
   http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/links/


The SCORE is the quarterly newsletter published by the Society of Composers and Lyricists (formerly located
at filmscore.org). Visitors can browse the covers of some of the past issues by clicking on the icons:

            http://www.thescl.com/site/scl/section.php?id=4505


* The American Film Institute (AFI) is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the
recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI trains the next
generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the
AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through
AFI's New Media Ventures.

            http://afi.com/


                    * In 2005, AFI distributed a ballot with 250 nominated movie scores to a jury of over 500 leaders
                        from the creative community. The AFI revealed the results of the voting here:

                                    http://afi.com/tvevents/100years/scores.aspx

                                            Here's the ballot of the 250 nominated top scores:

                                                       http://afi.com/Docs/tvevents/pdf/scores250.pdf

                    On June 22, 2004, AFI revealed the top movie songs of all time in "AFI's 100 Years . . .100 Songs,"
                    a three-hour special television event hosted by John Travolta. In the venerated #1 spot was Judy
                    Garland's soulful and iconic rendition of "Over the Rainbow" from the beloved family classic,
                    THE WIZARD OF OZ. Nabbing the rest of the top spots were classics of every kind-from timeless
                    favorites of yesteryear to contemporary tunes - including -

                    "As Time Goes By" (CASABLANCA)                          "Singin' In The Rain" (SINGIN' IN THE RAIN)
                    "Moon River" (BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S)            "Mrs. Robinson" (THE GRADUATE)
                    "White Christmas" (HOLIDAY INN/WHITE CHRISTMAS)
                    "When You Wish Upon a Star" (PINOCCHIO)            "The Way We Were" (THE WAY WE WERE)
                    "Stayin' Alive" (SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER)             "The Sound of Music" (THE SOUND OF MUSIC)

                             http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/songs.aspx


Film Music on the Web (UK):       
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/film/index.htm


Movie Music UK - film scores around the world - edited by Jonathan Broxton - includes reviews, compilations,
composer biographies and interviews, awards, publications, audio clips, and links:

            http://www.moviemusicuk.us/


Daniel Chandler's The 'Grammar' of Television and Film from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (UK) -
Television and film use certain common conventions often referred to as the 'grammar' of these audiovisual media.
This list includes some of the most important conventions for conveying meaning through particular camera and
editing techniques (as well as some of the specialised vocabulary of film production). Very little music information
but excellent film information about camera techniques, sound, lighting, and other topics:

            http://users.aber.ac.uk/dgc/gramtv.html


* Soundtrack Magazine - The Longest Running Premiere Source for Film Music News, Reviews, and Interviews
(from Belgium) (as of December 2005, site was evolving/morphing through several stages):

           
http://www.soundtrackmag.com/


Music from the Movies - The online home of this film music magazine: A very comprehensive site with many good
resources and in-depth composer interviews:


           
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/


* Classical and Opera Music Used in Movies . . . Have you ever wondered what that music in a movie was? Opera
and classical music is used a lot in movies and many people want to know about it. The detailed lists on this site
allow visitors to access the music by 172 composers used in 1092 movie titles (there are over 2300 total entries):

            http://www.bohemianopera.com/classicmovhome.htm


* Naxos.com is a leading classical music label with an extensive listing of "Classical Music Used in Films:"

            http://www.naxos.com/musicinmovies.asp?letter=A


"Best Movies Featuring Classical Music" (May 10, 2001) An informal, personal ranking of films with
classical music in a supporting or leading role:

            http://www.epinions.com/content_1470734468


Classics from the Silver Screen is an index of classical and opera music used in feature films. Entries are sorted by
movie title and composer, and the navigation index is in the left-hand margin. Started in 1997, Classics from the
Silver Screen currently contains over 170 composers, 930 movie titles and 1700 individual classical and opera entries:

            http://pachome2.pacific.net.sg/~bchee/movies.html


Classical Music Used in Films . . . is presented by the Naxos recording label. It lists film titles alphabetically and will
also list the Naxos CD that contains the piece(s) used in the film:

            http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/default.asp?pn=MusicMovies


* The Film Music Society is a non-profit organization for the preservation of film and television music. It is a unique
and comprehensive cyber-center for film and television music, offering up-to-date news and event information,
multiple resources for research in the history of film and TV music, an extensive composer photo gallery, and an
excellent "resources & links" section (especially links to composers). The society endeavors to present and promote
the film and television music contributions of past, present and future composers, arrangers and musicians via scholarly
articles and reviews on their website:


            http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/

                      The Film Music Society's "News & Events" column and "Past Features" column
                      (month-by-month and 2005 archive, 2004 archive, 2003 archive) are interesting and informative:

                                     http://filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/news_events.html


Film & TV Music Resources (includes info on composers) at the University of Washington Music Library:


           
http://www.lib.washington.edu/music/film.html



Film Music Review:    E-zine with news about film scores and links to rare and unusual film music and its uses:

            http://hometown.aol.com/musbuff/page2.htm


Filmtracks:    Reviews of modern movie soundtracks:

            http://www.filmtracks.com/


mFiles Film Music:    Film music information, articles, reviews and composers (from the UK):

            http://www.mfiles.co.uk/film-music.htm


Soundtrack Express:    Tom Daish's movie soundtrack reviews, composers, and links:

            http://www.soundtrack-express.com/


* Movie Music: The Definitive Performances (from Sony Music). Includes historical timeline descriptions, short audio clips, and performer listings from 1929-1998 from the Sony Music catalog:

            http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/SoundtrackForACentury/ns4/genre/movie.html


Film Score Rundowns is Bill Wrobel's extensive cue-by-cue analysis of classic film, television, and radio scores:

            http://www.filmscorerundowns.net/


* Filmsite.org, also known as GreatestFilms.org (written by Tim Dirks):

            http://filmsite.org/   or   http://greatestfilms.org/

                    Since mid-1996, an award-winning, unique resource for classic film buffs and all who are interested
                    in films. Includes interpretive and detailed plot synopses, review commentary, an unparalleled wealth
                    of film reference material, and historical background for hundreds of classic Hollywood/American and
                    other English-language films in the last century.

                            Includes: "101 Film Score Milestones (1933 - 2001)" from 'Film Comment' magazine:

                                                    http://www.filmsite.org/101filmscores.html

                                                                        and

                                          "America's 100 Best Film Soundtracks as selected by 'Entertainment Weekly' magazine:"

                                                    http://www.filmsite.org/100soundtracks.html

                                                               and much information about such films as:

                                                                        Fantasia:    http://www.filmsite.org/fant.html

                                                                                                and

                                                                        To Kill a Mockingbird:    http://www.filmsite.org/toki.html

                                                                                and hundreds of others.


* The Film Music Discussion List of Indiana University, Bloomington:

FILMUS-L is an unmoderated mailing list devoted to discussion of dramatic music for films and television. Among
the topics discussed are current and past film scores, film music composers, technical and aesthetic aspects of film
scoring, film music history and criticism, and recordings of film music. It was started in 1993 by H. Stephen Wright,
Associate Dean of Public Services at Northern Illinois University. He wrote a detailed chapter about FILMUS-L
entitled "Film Music on the Internet: The Origin and Assessment of FILMUS-L" on pages 199-212 in
Film Music 2: History, Theory, Practice published in 2004 by


        The Film Music Society, located in Sherman Oaks, CA:

                
http://www.lsoft.com/SCRIPTS/WL.EXE?SL1=FILMUS-L&H=LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU

                            It contains such interesting discussions as a "Rip-Off List" in which participants carefully
                            correlated passages from film scores to other works that they considered "alleged sources":

                           
https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A2=ind9304&L=filmus-l&F=&S=&P=437  ("the list")

                            https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A1=ind9304&L=filmus-l#29  (discussion about Horner)

                           
https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A1=ind9304&L=filmus-l#47  (other points discussed)


Google Usenet Groups: rec.music.movies is a USENET newsgroup (completely unsupervised!!) that includes various
links to composer sites and discussions/questions about film music:

        http://groups.google.com/groups?q=rec.music.movies&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en


H-Film, a member of H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences OnLine Discussion Network Email List Group. H-Film
encourages scholarly discussion of cinema history and uses of the media. H-Net is an international interdisciplinary
organization of scholars and teachers dedicated to developing the enormous educational potential of the Internet and
the World Wide Web. Their edited lists and web sites publish peer reviewed essays, multimedia materials, and
discussion for colleagues and the interested public. Diverse bibliographical, research, and teaching aids are available.

          http://www.h-net.org/~film/


MUSIC-AND-MOVING-PICTURES  is an electronic forum for discussion of the aesthetics, practices & techniques
used in making music for moving images (including film, tv, computer graphics, virtual reality simulation, etc.).
Practitioners, film theorists, musicians, and any other interested persons are welcome.

          http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/MUSIC-AND-MOVING-PICTURES.html


Philip Tagg is a scholar and professor of musicology in the Music Department at the University of Montreal. His
course materials contained within his Online Texts contain considerable information about film music:

          http://tagg.org/texts.html#Kursmat


Kay Dickinson's 2000 article "Pop, Speed and the 'MTV Aesthetic' in Recent Teen Films" (aka "
Pop and Speed:
Compilation Soundtracks and the 'MTV Aesthetic' ")
included in an on-line refereed journal of film studies "Scope"
in June 2000. "Scope" comes from the Institute of Film Studies, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. This
article was also published as a chapter in the book Movie Music, The Film Reader, edited by Dickinson and
published in 2002 by Routledge Publishing. Dr. Dickinson is a member of the faculty of the Department of
Media and Communications, Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London (UK)
:

          http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/film/journal/articles/pop-speed-and-mtv.htm


Australian Philip Brophy's 1991 article "The Animation of Sound: The Animatic Apparatus, The Symphonic Experience &
The Cacophonic Destruction." Includes a discussion of classical music (The Sorcerer's Apprentice and
The Rite of Spring) in Disney's 1940 animated film "Fantasia."
This article was published in the book "The Illusion of Life: Essays on Animation," Power Publications, Sydney,
Australia, 1991:

          http://www.philipbrophy.com/projects/sncnm/AnimationSound.html


Australian Philip Brophy's The Secret History of Film Music, a series of 15 monthly articles on 20th Century music and
film scores, published in "The Wire" (issues 158-174) in London, UK in from April, 1997 through August, 1998:

          http://philipbrophy.com/projects/scrthst/index.html


George Wastor's History of Music in the Silent and Early Sound Movies:

            http://web.archive.org/web/20021203084535/users.otenet.gr/~nexus7/filmmusien.htm


Filmmuziek.be offers a search engine for film music reviews:  "
Film Music Search is a high quality and fully
independent search engine that includes direct links to the best reviews available on the internet. Currently 13,870
reviews are included.


            http://www.filmmuziek.be/search.cgi


Cinemusic features film music and soundtrack news, reviews, features, and links:

            http://www.cinemusic.net/


Reel Classics: The Classic Movie Site, a
comprehensive site dedicated exclusively to Classic Movies. It comprises
over 2500 pages and more than 3 gigabytes of content -

            http://reelclassics.com/

                        Classic movie musicians:

                                    http://reelclassics.com/Musicians/index.htm


Monstrous Movie Music (Recordings): a CD series. The company's goal is to re-record the scores from science-fiction, fantasy, and horror films of the past in a manner that's as faithful as possible to the original movie studio versions:

            http://mmmrecordings.com/index.html

                        Links to composers of monster movie music:

                                    http://mmmrecordings.com/Composers/composers.html


Soundtrack-Express:  Tom Daish's site from Guernsey, Channel Islands in the UK. Contains reviews of soundtracks
organized by composer:

            http://soundtrack-express.com/composers.htm


CYBERSPACE MUSIC RESOURCES: An Introduction to Online Resources for Music Research:


           
http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/cam/cmr/

                        Including information on film music resources:

                                    http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/cam/cmr/film_music.htm


Stores that Specialize in Selling Film Soundtracks
(from the Nov/Dec 2003 issue of
Film Comment magazine):


Aron's is not a specialty store like the below listed Footlight, but Aron's has the best selection of film music in Los Angeles, with a soundtracks department operated by a collector (phone:  323/469-4700):

            http://www.aronsrecords.com


Footlight is the place to go in New York City for new and used soundtracks and Broadway cast
recordings. They also have extensive LP vinyl holdings (phone:  212/533-1572):

            http://www.footlight.com


Screen Archives Entertainment is a mail-order soundtrack source with a big back stock and also
all the current releases (phone:  540/635-2575):

            http://www.screenarchives.com


Sound Track Album Retailers (STAR) has been a major source for soundtracks and
Broadway Show discs for over 30 years (phone:  717/351-0847):

            http://www.soundtrak.com

MovieMusic.com - Order soundtracks online from an extensive catalog of  4,622 movie soundtracks. Also, more than 5,409 CD reviews and comments written by thousands of fans:

            http://moviemusic.com/


Audio Clips from
National Public Radio (npr.org) about Film Music

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and the surrounding region is served by
National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate WVIA-FM (89.9 FM) from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.
On and around the ESU campus, a stronger WVIA-FM signal may be received at 94.3 FM
(transmitted by a repeater/booster on the top of one of the ESU dormitories)

Listen to the below clips using RealPlayer or your favorite media player.
The length of each segment is in parenthesis (XX:XX) at
the end of the program description.
Click on the link and then click on the audio "listen" icon.


Archived in reverse chronological order -

172 programs are described below:
158 contain audio links, 15 do not
 
2007: 12 programs 2006: 15 programs 2005: 23 programs 2004: 31 programs 2003: 17 programs
2002: 14 programs 2001: 11 programs 2000: 22 programs 1999:   9 programs 1998:   7 programs
1997:   7 programs 1996:   4 programs
 
2007
 

 
Elfman's DVD Picks: Movies' Unforgettable Music

NPR Morning Edition

 
Date: October 22, 2007
Danny Elfman has created the music for dozens of movies and TV shows, from Tim Burton's Batman to The Simpsons. But when NPR asked the film composer to name his favorite movies to watch, he couldn't quite decide. "I realized I can't make a list. It's an impossible thing," Elfman tells Steve Inskeep.

Elfman wanted to include a Stanley Kubrick film, but he couldn't choose between Dr. Strangelove, a light-hearted movie about the nuclear destruction of the world, and The Shining, the Jack Nicholson horror classic ("Heeeeeere's Johnny!"). "How could one decide? The Shining was always one of my favorites. I loved the way [Kubrick] used the music in it, although it wasn't an original score. And Dr. Strangelove is just one of the best movies ever made on every level."

So it's no surprise that Elfman is drawn to movies in which music leaves a strong impression. (5:56)


 

 
Famous Movie Western Marks 55-Year Anniversary: High Noon

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday

 
Date: July 22, 2007
On July 24, 1952, the movie High Noon premiered in New York City. On Tuesday, 55 years will have passed since the western opened. Musically, its score and title song set the tone for years.

The song High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me) was a hit across genres. Movie music maven Andy Trudeau talks to Liane Hansen about the song and score. (12:53)


 

 
Oscar-Nominated Scores: Notes On a Scandal

79th Annual Academy Awards, held in 2007: Oscar-Nominated Film Scores

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday

 
Date: February 25, 2007
Five composers will compete for film music's biggest prize at Sunday night's 79th annual Academy Awards. NPR's movie-music expert Andy Trudeau has been listening carefully to all of the nominees for Best Original Score. He takes Liane Hansen through the last of this year's list of five: Notes on a Scandal, with music composed by Philip Glass. Known for his minimalist style in Oscar-nominated soundtracks for Kundun and The Hours, Glass shifted gears for this project, Trudeau says.

A film about an art teacher who has an affair with a student and the sinister secret that is shared between friends, Notes on a Scandal allows this score to reach moments of crescendo. Glass varies the music by contrasting fast notes played by low strings with longer notes for higher strings and then complements each with a shifting bass line. The result is a soundtrack brimming with melodic writing and a moody oboe theme. (12:37)


 

 
What's Behind Oscar-Worthy Sound Editing? (not a film music research topic)

NPR Day to Day

 
Date: February 21, 2007
The best sound editing award at the Oscars may not be the sexiest category, but every filmmaker would say good sound is an essential part of a movie. Sound editor Lon Bender, who nabbed an Academy Award a decade ago for Braveheart is nominated this year for his work on Blood Diamond. He talks with Alex Chadwick. (7:58)

 

How Hollywood Makes Noise (not a film music research topic)

NPR Morning Edition

Date: February 20, 2007
Without sound, a movie is just celluloid and sprockets. But often there are too many distracting noises to capture the perfect effect. Sound is usually added in post-production. One of the places where filmmakers go to add sound is Todd-AO Studios in Santa Monica, Calif. The facility has a Foley stage, where "human effects" such as footsteps, body punching, eggs frying and dogs running are recreated.

For snapping bones? Twist spaghetti. It makes great cartilage. Celery or bok choy are good for breaking bones. Use a wet chamois cloth to make the gushy sound for blood.

Jeffrey Wilhoit and James Moriana have been working on Todd-AO's Foley stage together for 20 years. It's a crowded, dusty, workroom filled with car doors, old chains — the kind of junk you might find at a garage sale. They're following in the footsteps of movie pioneer Jack Foley, who perfected sound effects in the first talking pictures. A major part of his work was re-creating an actor's footsteps. That's still the case today. (7:18)


 

 
Oscar-Nominated Scores: Labyrinth and German

79th Annual Academy Awards, held in 2007: Oscar-Nominated Film Scores

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday

 
Date: February 18, 2007
One of the Oscar nominees for best score comes from a long line of well-known composers. Another is a relative newcomer to American audiences. NPR's movie-film expert Andy Trudeau takes Liane Hansen through two of this year's five nominees for Best Score: Thomas Newman for The Good German and Javier Navarette for Pan's Labyrinth.

Newman is no stranger to the Oscar lineup. The son of Alfred Newman, one of Hollywood's most celebrated film composers, his previous works include American Beauty and Road to Perdition. Both soundtracks were recognized for their popular currents and quirky orchestrations. But Steven Soderbergh's The Good German is a period film and Newman has created a 1940s soundtrack — filled with grand gestures of golden age — to go along with it. It's a darkly-colored score featuring a sweet, solo violin rising over the orchestra and distinctively plotted marches.

Pan's Labyrinth is a dark fantasy with music by Javier Navarette. This story of innocence and evil, set in 1930s Spain at the end of that nation's civil war, comes through in a moody, textured soundtrack. Navarette responded to the innocence and drama of the story, centered on a little girl's fantastic daydreams, by making a lullaby at the heart of the score. The theme emerges throughout the film and gets richer and more impassioned in expression as the story progresses. Navarette has been composing in Spain for 20 years, and until now, most of his work has been for release in Europe. Pan's Labyrinth is steeped in Spanish culture, yet the musical references are very subtle. (14:23)


 

Oscar-Nominated Scores: Babel and The Queen

79th Annual Academy Awards, held in 2007: Oscar-Nominated Film Scores

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday

Date: February 11, 2007
This year's crop of Oscar-nominated musical scores offers a glimpse into a diverse array of styles and genres. NPR's movie-film expert Andy Trudeau takes Liane Hansen through two of the nominees: Gustavo Santaolalla for Babel and Alexandre Desplat for The Queen.

Santaolalla won best score last year for his work on Brokeback Mountain. But the music in Babel, which draws from a variety of cultures, has a much different feel. Babel is a soundtrack that redefines what is meant by the genre, says Trudeau. With no theme or any of the other benchmarks that are used to judge a score, it often feels more like an improvisation. The result is a "personal soundtrack" that arose from an intense collaboration between Santaolalla and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

French composer Alexandre Desplat's lean, orchestral music for The Queen conveys the somber, resolute Elizabeth II and the British royal family's response to the death of Princess Diana. Restraint becomes a major emotional element of the music. Yet as Trudeau points out, there's more to the soundtrack than mere pomp and circumstance. (13:59)



Hitchcock's Music Scores Big on Suspense

NPR Weekend Edition Saturday

Date: February 10, 2007
Hailed as the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock knew that music can convey emotion in ways images cannot. The soundtracks to many of his films take on a role of their own, becoming deeply compelling characters. American Studies professor Jack Sullivan examines the celebrated director's relationship to sound in his new book, Hitchcock's Music.

Hitchcock's fruitful and sometimes volatile collaboration with such composers as Bernard Herrmann (Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest) and Miklos Rozsa (Spellbound) created some of the most gripping scores of all time. Sullivan tells Scott Simon about some favorite musical moments, notes Hitchcock's fondness for waltzes and discourses on how his use of music has influenced generations of filmmakers. (11:37)


Morricone Recognized for Impact on Movie Music

(also includes a sidebar: The Top 10 Scores of Ennio Morricone
by )

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday


Date: February 4, 2007
Forty years ago, an Italian composer rode into America with the soundtrack for a western titled A Fistful of Dollars. His name was Ennio Morricone. His music had a way of sticking in the ear. It was a bit classical, a bit pop and a lot of it was just plain unusual.

Today, some 400 film scores later, Morricone remains a busy man. He's earned five Oscar nominations over his long career, without a single victory. But he's guaranteed one this year. For only the second time in its history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is giving a lifetime achievement Oscar to a film music composer.

Film-music buff Andy Trudeau speaks with Rebecca Roberts about Morricone's work. (8:38)


This Time, Morricone Is an Oscar Lock

(also includes a sidebar: The Top 10 Scores of Ennio Morricone
by )

NPR All Things Considered


Date: February 3, 2007
Forty years ago, an Italian composer named Ennio Morricone rode into America with the soundtrack for a Western titled A Fistful of Dollars. Since then, Morricone has composed the music for hundreds of films. Morricone's music has staying power, and the composer remains busy. He's earned five Oscar nominations over his long career — but never a victory.

This year, Morricone is guaranteed an Oscar: For only the second time in its history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is giving a lifetime-achievement Oscar to a film-music composer. (7:39)


Appreciating the Music of Ennio Morricone

NPR Fresh Air

Date: February 2, 2007
A Fistful of Music, a box-set of composer Ennio Morricone's music, was recently released by Rhino records. This interview originally aired on Sep. 28, 1995. (6:04)

 

History of Westerns with Christopher Frayling: Leone & Morricone

NPR Fresh Air

Date: February 2, 2007
Ennio Morricone, who composed music for the Sergio Leone films, will be awarded an honorary Oscar at this year's Academy Awards. Cultural historian Christopher Frayling is the author of Once Upon A Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio Leone. The book chronicles the history of the spaghetti western. This interview originally aired on Aug. 1, 2005. (13:24)


2006
 

The James Bond Title Songs Never Say Die

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday

Date: November 12, 2006
Theaters around the country await the latest addition to the James Bond collection: a new version of Casino Royale.

It's being promoted as all new -- a new Bond (Daniel Craig), a new angle, new stunts, new "Bond girls." Yet in one way this new James Bond film will also prepetuate a much older Hollywood tradition: The theme song. (10:02)

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