Unlike traditional music, film music sources are often difficult to locate and do not follow the patterns that researchers are trained to identify. Although there have been several self-described introductions to the field and articles that summarize the problems and state of research, there is no resource that gathers together all of the basic information that is vital to film music research. In this volume, Jeannie Gayle Pool and H. Stephen Wright address the difficulties scholars encounter when conducting research on film and television music. Intended as a guide for scholars and researchers in navigating the complex world of film and television music, this book provides a detailed taxonomy of film music primary sources and explains how to find and interpret them. The authors tackle the problems of determining film score authorship and working with recordings of film music. A bibliographic essay summarizes the major works and trends in film music research and provides clear pointers to the most important resources in the field. An up-to-date guide to important collections of film music sources and other research materials is also included. Designed to clarify the nature of film music source materials and how they are generated, A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States provides clear signposts for scholars and identifies opportunities for further research.

Unlike sources for traditional music, those for film and television music are often difficult to locate and do not follow the patterns that researchers are trained to identify. Although there have been several self-described introductions to the field and articles that summarize the problems and state of this research, no resource gathers all the basic information. In this volume, Jeannie Gayle Pool and H. Stephen Wright address the difficulties that scholars encounter when conducting research on film and television music. Intended as a guide for those navigating the complex world of film and television music research, this book presents a detailed description of primary sources and explains how to find and interpret them. The authors tackle the problems of determining film-score authorship and working with recordings of film music. A bibliography summarizes the major works and trends in film music research and identifies the most important resources in the field. Up-to-date information about prominent collections of film music sources and other research materials is also included. Designed to clarify the nature of source materials and how they are generated, A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States provides clear signposts for scholars and highlights opportunities for further investigation. Book jacket.

Between 1895 and 1929, more than 15,000 motion pictures were made in the United States. We call these works “silent films,” but they were accompanied by an enormous body of music, including works adapted or arranged from pre-existing works, as well as newly composed pieces for theater orchestras, organists, or pianists. While many films and pieces are lost, a considerable amount of material remains extant and available for use in research and performance. Music for Silent Film: A Guide to North American Resources is a unique resource on North American archives and English-language materials available in for those interested in this repertoire. Part I contains information about archives of primary source materials including full and compiled scores, sheet music, published anthologies of music, interviews with cinema musicians, periodicals, and instruction books. Part II surveys the English-language scholarship on silent film music in articles, book chapters, essay collections, and monographs through 2015. The book is fully indexed for ease of access to these important sources on film music.

The first volume focusing on film music as a worldwide phenomenon

Music has played a critical component in the success of films. This volume compiles over 100 years of writings devoted to the subject of film and television music and its practitioners.

From the neighborhood pianist of silent movie days to the synthesized effects and music video sequences of the 1980s: the great and not-so-great moments in film scoring. Scores from countless films, from Birth of a Nation (1915) through Top Gun (1986), are painstakingly analyzed: how does the score relate to onscreen activity? How does it follow or depart from tradition? How does it represent the strengths and foibles of its composer? The book includes discussion of trend-setting work such as Max Steiner's King Kong (1933--an early instance of music carrying a significant portion of onscreen action), Bernard Herrmann's Psycho (1960, with its unusual, high, scraping strings-only support of the famous shower scene), and Alex North's A Streetcar Named Desire (1951--the first essentially jazz-oriented score), as well as remarks on the work that followed within the resulting trends. Discussions are enhanced by musical reproductions of significant themes and motives. Chapters on 14 individual composers working largely within the United States are given perspective by summary chapters on the silent and early sound years, the decades 1930-1980, and the work of composers outside the United States.

"Film Music: A Very Short Introduction focuses on the most central issues in the practice of film music. What is film music? How is it composed? How does film music work? Why does film music work? The rich and deeply moving sounds of film music are as old as cinema. The very first projected moving images were accompanied by music around the globe as a variety of performers-from single piano players to small orchestras-brought images to life. Film music has since become its own industry, an aesthetic platform for expressing creative visions, and a commercial vehicle for generating increased revenue. The second edition updates coverage to 2022 and includes attention to recent developments in global film music, women in film music, and African -American and minority composers"--