Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Are you looking for the perfect movie soundtrack for a productive study session?
My favorite movie soundtrack to listen to is Amélie, composed by Yann Tiersen. Amélie is a French film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, released in 2001. The story revolves around Amélie Poulain, a shy and imaginative young woman with a unique perspective on life. Throughout the story, Amélie searches for love and connection, as she navigates her feelings for a quirky and introverted young man named Nino. The film is known for its visually rich cinematography and imaginative storytelling. It is essentially a celebration of the small joys in life, emphasizing the transformative power of kindness and the magic that can be found in everyday moments.
Yann Tiersen’s enchanting and evocative soundtrack for the film Amélie stands as a testament to the power of music in capturing the whimsy and charm of this cinematic world. The delicate piano melodies, accordion harmonies, and playful orchestration transport listeners into the imaginative universe of the main character. Tiersen’s ability to convey the innocence, romance, and melancholy within the film is truly extraordinary. From the waltz of “Comptine d’un autre ete: L’apres-midi” to the introspective notes of “La Valse d’Amélie,” (my personal favorite) each piece is a musical masterpiece that mirrors the emotional depth and complexity of the narrative.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
One of the most popular movie trilogies of the 1980s, Back to the Future follows Marty McFly, a boy who travels through time in a time machine made out of a DeLorean by local scientist, Doctor Emmett Brown (better known as “Doc”). In the first film, Marty accidentally goes back in time to 1955, and prevents his parents from falling in love. He finds a younger Doc, and they make a plan to get Marty’s parents back together, and then send him back to the future. Throughout the film, you hear a vibrant soundtrack that adds suspense to the story. The composer for this orchestral score, Alan Silvestri, met Back to the Future’s film director, Robert Zemeckis, when he composed the soundtrack for Romancing the Stone (a 1984 Zemeckis film). After the Back to the Future trilogy, Silvestri went on to work with Zemeckis for many, many more years.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Summary:
I find this book called Music in Film captivating and quite thought-provoking. The author acknowledges the rich history of music in cinema, from the early days of devices like the praxinoscope and kinetoscope to the diverse range of musical styles and genres that have been integrated into films. It raises questions about the purpose of music in cinema and the complex relationship between music and film. The author also expresses a desire to provide a comprehensive overview of this subject while avoiding oversimplification.
Why I Like This Book so Far:
As a music & film student, I find this book intriguing for several reasons. Firstly, it recognizes the vast history of music in cinema, going beyond the conventional notion of “the cinema” and acknowledging the diverse influences and traditions that have shaped the use of music in films. This inclusive approach aligns with my own belief in the importance of understanding the diverse cultural and artistic contexts of music in cinema.
Secondly, the book raises thought-provoking questions about the purpose of music in films, such as why music is used to accompany moving images and spoken dialogue, and how it can impact the emotional experience of the audience. These questions resonate with my own curiosity and desire to explore the multifaceted relationship between music and film.
Thirdly, the author’s intention to provide a comprehensive overview of significant examples of music in cinema, while acknowledging the limitations of exhaustive detail, is appealing to me as a student. The book offers a balanced and comprehensive approach to studying the subject, without oversimplifying or favoring certain films over others.
The author finds it difficult to view history solely through the lens of winners and losers, or to solely praise masterpieces while disregarding other works. As a result, unlike some current and past writing on the subject, particularly in France, this book may be perceived as indulgent towards a wide range of films and recent aesthetic trends, which may come across as guilty to some. The author’s aim is to inform readers and engage in thoughtful reflection, without resorting to oversimplification. This doesn’t mean that all films are liked, but I do believe that each film deserves recognition for its artistic ambitions, including the intent to entertain.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Animation as a medium is something that has always intrigued me. Inherently having limits differing from traditional film, animation’s visual spectacle sees itself as a source of disagreement. On one end, you have supporters celebrating the composition of the visuals, but on the other, critics viewing it as a commodification of drawing, reserved for children. Regardless of viewpoint, however, is the music in works of animation. Masters of animation music use the medium in conjunction with what is on the screen for an expressive statement.
This book piques my interest for its breakdown of the works of these very artists, auteurs like Hisaishi have created works so fitting they have become indelible from what is on the screen. Sublimity is unequivocally achieved because of these scores, I often reflect most heavily on the sounds I heard from an animated feature, extending beyond even the most dogmatic of views on what a film “should be”. Editor Rebecca Coyle’s shared admiration for the often-ignored musical elements of these songs is something I was delighted to discover, as the focus of animated films are naturally on the animation itself. But this doesn’t mean music in animation should be marginalized, making this book all the more interesting as it is devoted to animation music. Stylistically, music drive themes in film more subtly than dialogue or visuals–– saturating the viewer in a soundscape is a pivotal role–– and throughout my life, recognizing the importance for these composers made any film an enriching watching (and listening) experience.
Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Naron (class of 2023) and features music from assorted movie soundtracks.
Movie Music
Some movie soundtracks have left a deep impression on me with their impressive music. The music in movies is usually carefully crafted by artists to match the main theme. The music often sounds even more powerful, carrying the memory of the story in the movie. Here is a short list of music from popular movies that left an impression on me:
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
If you’re any fan of Disney, or of musicals, there can be a 95% guarantee – if not 100%, that you have heard of Alan Menken. Menken, born in 1949 in Manhattan, is a composer and songwriter who has worked tirelessly since 1972 to give the American public and worldwide audiences the pleasures of listening to his incredible musical abilities, writing songs for some of our favorite Disney movies, musicals, and shows.
Just the sheer variety of different types of films/musicals and the musical talent to be able to write completely original songs with varying styles is incredible. And all of them were absolute hits. This incredible discography is beyond fascinating. Just imagine – currently in New York, Little Shop of Horrors is playing again Off-Broadway. Aladdin is on Broadway. The Little Mermaid live action remake is coming out in 2023. The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s live-action remake is in the works. That is four – yes four – pending or active projects that have Menken’s name attached to them.
Parsons Music Library has had the privilege to house the Alan Menken Songbook, with scores for piano, voice, and guitar. Some of his most popular pieces are held in this 188 page score.
Songs that are included are “Sante Fe” (Newsies), “Somewhere That’s Green” (Little Shop of Horrors), “Proud of Your Boy” (Aladdin), “Go the Distance” (Hercules), “A Change in Me” (Beauty and the Beast) and a variety of other classics.
As you play, listen, or read the scores for all 28 songs included in the songbook, you can feel the different styles and the creativity needed to write songs for such Disney-esque plots. Nothing Disney has come out with has ever been less than imaginative – it takes an even more imaginative person to bring those creative tales to life through song. And that is all achieved through Menken’s song writing abilities.
Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a collection of Bollywood music from the 2000s curated by Music Library student assistant Kiran (class of 2024). Editor’s Note: since Bollywood songs are often from films, I’ve linked to some titles that are available to check out in the library catalog so you can see them in their full context if you want!
Bollywood music has always been a staple of my childhood. On my way home from school, my grandmother would put in a CD with over her favorite songs and we would listen to new ones every day. I love how upbeat it is and the variety of instrumentation used. It is so different from Western music, but just as good in my opinion. These songs are from the early 2000s to 2010.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Danny Elfman is such a prolific composer, known for commonly working alongside filmmaker Tim Burton. Arguably, the best and most diverse collection of his work can be found in his music for the 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” His score explores a variety of styles, from Bollywood to the sugar-pop of the 1960s. While the piano score struggles to capture all of the complex work and sound behind the “Main Titles” (Elfman at his prime, in my opinion), it does an excellent job providing a solid basework for solo playability. The piano adaptation for the “Finale” is perfectly captured and successfully leaves what it intends to bring – a feeling of finality and completion at the end of a wild ride.
Lata Mangeshkar is the best-known and respected female singer in the history of Indian film music. She is probably best known as a playback singer for Bollywood films. Playback singers often record songs for use in films.
The Indian Hindi-language film industry is referred to as Bollywood and is based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and is one of the largest centers of film production in the world. The word is a portmanteau of “Bombay” and “Hollywood”. The most popular commercial genre of Bollywood is the masala film, which freely mixes action, comedy, drama, romance, and melodrama along with musical numbers. Masala films can generally be considered musicals. Indian cinema has been the largest producer of musicals in the world since the 1960s, when it exceeded America’s musical film output. Playback singers record songs for the film soundtracks, and the actors lip-sync said songs for the cameras.
Poster for the 1947 Hindi film Aap ki sewa mein which features an early example of Mangeshkar’s work
Lata Mangeshkar is said to have recorded more film songs than any other singer. She has recorded songs in over a thousand (!!) Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Marathi, Hindi and Bengali.
Music really has been the driving force in Mangeshkar’s life. Her father Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar was a classical singer and theatre actor. She received her first lessons in music from her father and was performing as an actress in her father’s plays by the age of five. She is the elder sister of singers Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar, all accomplished musicians and singers in their own right.
In 1942 when Mangeshkar was 13, her father died of heart disease and Lata immediately joined the Bollywood film industry as an actress-singer to help support her family.
Here is a Youtube clip from Azaad a 1955 film which features Mangeshkar’s voice:
Lata Mangeshkar has received many awards and honors during the course of her career. India’s highest award in cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, was bestowed on her in 1989 by the Government of India. She also has been awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor.
In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded “not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages” between 1948 and 1974. (The actual number of songs she has recorded is a matter of some dispute. Regardless, she is certainly ONE of the most recorded artists in the world.)
Here is a Youtube clip of the song “Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam” (“My love, when I saw you then I realized” per Google translate) sung by Mangeshkar and Kumar Sanu from the 1995 Bollywood film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (transl. The Big-Hearted Will Take the Bride, per Wikipedia):
In addition to singing, Mangeshkar has composed music for five films and also produced four films. Her career spans over seven decades now and she has only recently begun to show signs of slowing down (a bit) at the age of 91. Her influence on Indian film and popular music is profound.
Here is a small sampling of library resources concerning Lata Mangeshkar, Bollywood, and Indian popular music:
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
With the 92nd Academy Awards freshly behind us, I’ve been thinking about my favorite film soundtracks. For me, a driving factor of what makes a movie memorable or great is its music –either score, soundtrack, or both. I love when I hear a song that I recognize during a scene, which I can dance or sing along to in my seat. On the other hand, I also love when movies introduce me to music. The only reason I loved the songs “Hungry Eyes” and “Be My Baby” so much as a kid was because of the movie Dirty Dancing.
My parents showed me Dirty Dancing at a young age, probably because I was a dancer whose first childhood dream was to be a Broadway star, and it instantly became one of my favorite movies. The soundtrack, which features songs spanning multiple decades, made an already wholesome and fun movie even more enjoyable. Even as a child, I could feel the nostalgia that it portrayed, as it features 50’s and 60’s pop hits like “Love is Strange” and “Stay” that instantly transport the viewer to a summer in 1963. Naturally, a distinctly 80s sound is also incorporated in songs like “She’s Like the Wind” sung by lead actor Patrick Swayze himself, a man of apparently many talents. And of course, many of these songs are used in dance scenes, following Baby and Johnny’s journey from frustrating rehearsals to final performance.
There are many iconic movie scenes that will be forever associated with their respective songs, or vice versa. Think: “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” with Judd Nelson’s fist in the air at the end of The Breakfast Club, or “Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon” in Uma Thurman’s apartment in Pulp Fiction. But undoubtedly one of the most commonly known and referenced music/movie scene pairings is “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” from the final dance scene in Dirty Dancing –with extra emphasis on the achievement of Baby’s lift that happens right as the song climaxes. This is the kind of flawless, emotional moment that makes the right fusion of a scene and a song selection one of my favorite aspects of film. It’s also one of the many moments that made the Dirty Dancing soundtrack go multi-platinum.
