A Conversation for John Williams - Film Composer
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Steve K. Started conversation Aug 14, 2002
As a hobbyist making computer animated shorts, I have an interest in "Movie Music" as one element of the process. I attended a lecture by Prof. Art Gottschalk at Rice Universtiy's Shepherd School of Music. He gave a very complete overview of the field, and recommended a book "The Art of Film Music" by George Burt, '94. The book is a wealth of information, including detailed music theory for those so inclined (in a separate font for those not so inclined). An example is the opening credits of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", music by Alex North. "The continuing alternation of harmonies (between an Ab "tall" chord and a C major cluster) in this cue results in a feeling of ambivalence where time - as gauged by a clock - is momentarily suspended." Good stuff.
The book does quote John Williams, "... the best directors are musical. I think part of what they do is musical. The art of editing film is in my mind a musical art."
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Pyrex Muse of Unbreakable Space-age Wonder Glass, Student of Life, Keeper of the Seven Keys of Ventuslor Posted Aug 26, 2002
How true....
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