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INTRODUCTION)TO)FILM!MUSIC!

LOUISIANA!STATE!UNIVERSITY!

COLLEGE!OF!MUSIC!&!DRAMATIC!ARTS!

SPRING!2016!

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!instructor!

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Dr.!Blake!Howe!(bhowe@lsu.edu)!

M&DA!274!

!!meetings!

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Mondays,!Wednesdays,!and!Fridays,!10:30–11:20!

M&DA!248!

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!office!hours!

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Fridays,!8:30–9:30,!or!by!appointment!

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!prerequisite!

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In!order!to!enroll!in!MUS!7904,!students!must!have!earned!passed!the!

Music!History!Diagnostic!Exam!or!successfully!completed!MUS!3710.!

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Blake!Howe!/!Film!Music!–!Syllabus!/!2!

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GENERAL!INFORMATION!

COURSE!OBJECTIVES!

As!an!introduction!to!the!history!of!film!music,!this!course!is!organized!around!three!central!

goals:!

• to!explore!the!diverse!relationships!between!image!and!music!in!film!

• to!examine!the!craft!of!soundtrack!design,!particularly!in!the!interactions!between!music,!

sound!effects,!and!dialogue!

• to!study!the!historical!reasons!why!composers!have!used!different!styles!of!music—from!

Romantic!to!jazz!to!minimalism—in!their!film!scores.!

Though!our!focus!is!on!films!made!in!the!United!States!(and!Hollywood!in!particular),!we!will!

also!study!important!film!scores!from!France!(SaintdSaëns,!Satie),!Russia!(Prokofiev),!England!

(Britten),!and!Japan!(Takemitsu).!

Another!important!goal!of!this!course!is!to!acquaint!students!with!the!study!of!primary!sources.!

This!includes!the!direct!analysis!of!film!scores!(through!transcriptions,!shotdbydshot!diagrams,!

and!the!study!of!recording!logs!and!cue!sheets)!and!the!interpretation!of!composer!interviews,!

sketches,!notes,!and!essays.!Secondary!sources!will!be!assigned!to!provide!students!with!a!

general!introduction!to!the!current!state!and!scope!of!film!music!scholarship.!

Finally,!students!will!have!frequent!opportunities!to!make!presentations!and!to!lead!class!

discussions.!They!will!receive!both!instructor!and!peer!feedback!so!that!they!may!track!their!

progress!over!the!course!of!the!semester.!

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COURSE!MATERIALS!

There!is!one!required!textbook!for!the!course:!

• Julie!Hubbert,!Celluloid(Symphonies:(Texts(and(Contexts(in(Film(Music(History!(Berkeley:!

University!of!California!Press,!2011).!!

All!other!assigned!readings!will!be!posted!onto!Moodle.!If!you!would!like!to!purchase!a!textbook!

for!reference!purposes,!the!following!titles!are!recommended:!

• Mervyn!Cooke,!A(History(of(Film(Music((New!York:!Cambridge!University!Press,!2008).!!

• Mervyn!Cooke,!The(Hollywood(Film(Music(Reader!(Oxford!and!New!York:!Oxford!University!

Press,!2010).!

Blake!Howe!/!Film!Music!–!Syllabus!/!3!

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• Kathryn!Kalinak,!Film(Music:(A(Very(Short(Introduction((New!York:!Oxford!University!Press,!

2010).!!

• James!Wierzbicki,!Film(Music:(A(History!(New!York:!Routledge,!2009).!!

• Roger!Hickman,!Reel(Music:(Exploring(100(Years(of(Film(Music!(New!York:!Norton,!2006).!!

• James!Buhler,!David!Neumeyer,!and!Rob!Deemer,!Hearing(the(Movies:(Music(and(Sound(in(Film(

History!(New!York:!Oxford!University!Press,!2010).!!

When!the!instructor!is!not!able!to!provide!students!access!to!a!film,!students!must!arrange!to!

obtain!and!view!it!on!their!own.!With!advanced!planning,!these!films!may!be!streamed!on!Netflix!

and!Amazon!Instant!Video,!or!borrowed!from!a!local!public!library!or!Interlibrary!Loan.!!

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INAPPRORPIATE!CONTENT:!A!DISCLAIMER!

Some!of!the!films!we!will!study!this!semester!contain!material!that!students!may!find!offensive!

(inappropriate!language,!violence,!sexual!situations,!nudity,!drug!use);!some!films!also!deal!with!

issues!of!race!and!gender!in!ways!that!are!no!longer!acceptable.!If!you!are!not!comfortable!

viewing!such!material,!please!notify!the!instructor!at!any!point!during!the!semester;!

accommodations!will!be!made,!including!the!possibility!of!alternate!assignments.!Please!note!that!

by!including!a!particular!film!on!this!syllabus,!the!instructor!in!no!way!endorses!the!content!or!

themes!therein.!Films!have!been!selected!based!solely!on!their!historical!significance!and!their!use!

of!music.!

Students!should!avoid!screening!objectionable!material!in!their!class!presentations.!

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CLASSROOM!ETIQUETTE!

Students!must!bring!copies!of!all!relevant!readings,!worksheets,!and!handouts!to!class.!Students!

should!also!bring!materials!for!taking!lecture!notes,!including!staff!paper.!Laptop!computers!may!

be!used!as!long!as!the!wireless!function!has!been!disabled.!In!order!to!foster!a!productive!

learning!environment,!students!must!silence!or!shut!down!all!other!electronic!devices.!Per!the!

policy!of!the!University,!no!food!or!drink!is!allowed!in!the!classroom.!

Because!participation!is!graded!heavily,!regular!attendance!is!imperative!to!the!successful!

completion!of!this!course.!Students!who!must!be!absent!due!to!illness,!family!emergency,!or!an!

official!University!function!should!inform!the!instructor!in!advance!and!obtain!all!lecture!notes!

(and!any!other!missed!announcements)!from!a!fellow!student.!

In!order!to!ensure!that!all!students!have!the!opportunity!to!gain!from!time!spent!in!class,!

students!are!prohibited!from!engaging!in!any!form!of!distraction!or!disruption.!(Examples!of!

Blake!Howe!/!Film!Music!–!Syllabus!/!4!

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disruptive!behavior—including!tardiness,!excessive!talking!out!of!turn,!inappropriate!use!of!

electronic!devices,!and!reading!material!not!relevant!to!the!course—are!provided!by!the!Office!of!

Student!Advocacy!&!Accountability.)!Inappropriate!behavior!in!the!classroom!will!result,!

minimally,!in!a!request!to!leave!the!classroom.!The!matter!may!also!be!referred!to!the!Dean!of!

Students.!!

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ACADEMIC!INTEGRITY!

All!students!should!acquaint!themselves!with!the!University’s!Code!of!Student!Conduct.!

Students!caught!cheating,!plagiarizing,!copying,!or!otherwise!violating!the!University’s!policy!on!

Academic!Integrity!will!be!reported!to!the!Office!of!Student!Advocacy!&!Accountability!for!

disciplinary!action.!(They!will!also!receive!a!“0”!on!the!relevant!assignment!or!exam.)!

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DISABILITY!ACCOMMODATION!

Louisiana!State!University!is!committed!to!providing!reasonable!accommodations!for!all!persons!

with!disabilities.!The!syllabus!is!available!in!alternate!formats!upon!request.!

If!you!have!a!disability!that!may!have!some!impact!on!your!work!in!this!class!and!for!which!you!

may!require!accommodations,!please!see!a!staff!member!in!Disability!Services!so!that!such!

accommodations!can!be!considered.!Students!that!receive!accommodation!letters!should!meet!

with!the!instructor!to!discuss!the!provisions!of!those!accommodations!as!soon!as!possible.!There!

is!absolutely!no!stigma!associated!with!any!request!for!accommodation.!

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Blake!Howe!/!Film!Music!–!Syllabus!/!5!

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GRADING!

Performance!in!the!course!will!be!assessed!with!a!letter!grade,!based!on!the!following!weighting!

of!assignments:!

Writing!(45%)!!

Papers!

Sound!Editors:!Interpreting!Interviews!(5%)!

Silent!Film!Music:!Recording!Review!(5%)!

King(Kong:!Analyzing!the!Soundtrack((10%)!

Fantasia:!A!Reception!History((10%)!

Report!on!Contemporary!Composer!(15%)!

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For(some(papers,(the(final(grade(will(be(the(average(of(the(grade(of(the(first(draft((before(receiving(instructor(comments)(and(the(grade(of(the(final(draft((incorporating(instructor(comments).(((

Presentations!/!Participation!/!Participation!(55%)!!Presentations!(30%)!

!!!!!MinidPresentations!(15%)!

!!!!!Final!Presentation!(15%)!

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Class!Preparation!and!Participation!(25%)!

!Class(preparation(includes(informal(writing(assignments(or(worksheets,(participation(in(class(discussions,(and(completion(of(reading(and(viewing(assignments.(It(also(includes(matters(of(classroom(etiquette,(such(as(bringing(all(materials(to(class,(silencing(electronic(devices,(and(arriving(to(class(on(time.((Class(preparation(will(be(assessed(at(about(five(unannounced(points(throughout(the(semester.(If(you(are(absent(without(a(valid(excuse,(your(grade(for(that(assessment(will(be(zero.(((

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Letter!grades!will!be!assigned!based!on!final!percentages,!according!to!the!following!rubric:!

A+! 97–100%! ! C+! 77–79%! ! Grades!will!not!be!“rounded!up.”!For!

example,!89.7%!=!B+.!

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There!is!no!extra!credit.!

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No!late!assignments!will!be!accepted,!

except!in!cases!of!family!emergency!or!

severe!illness!(provable!only!by!a!“doctor’s!

note”).!In!these!circumstances,!please!

contact!the!instructor.!

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A! 93–96%! ! C! 73–76%! !

Ad! 90–92%! ! Cd! 70–72%! !

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B+! 87–89%! ! D+! 67–69%! !

B! 83–86%! ! D! 63–67%! !

Bd! 80–82%! ! Dd! 60–62%! !

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! ! ! F! below!59%! !

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Blake!Howe!/!Film!Music!–!Syllabus!/!6!

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COURSE!SCHEDULE!

Information!on!reading,!viewing,!and!writing!assignments!for!each!class!meeting!will!be!updated!

on!the!course’s!Moodle!webpage!throughout!the!semester.!!

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UNIT!I:!INTRODUCTION!TO!THE!SOUNDTRACK!

1/13 1/15

Audio–Vision Michel Chion on hearing/viewing film, “masking” and “forced marriage” exercises, and “added value.”

1/20

Rendering the Soundtrack Sound links (advance, delay, etc.). Diagramming sound effects musically.

1/22 1/25

Music and Film Narrative Diegetic and non-diegetic music, onscreen and off-screen space. Topics and other musical stereotypes.

1/27 1/29

Sound Editors Presentations on interviews with contemporary sound editors.

2/1

Opening Credits Close readings of great title credit sequences, from film (Vertigo to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and television (The Simpsons).

2/3

Montage Narrative strategies, editing techniques, and musical function. Close readings of great montage sequences, including Battleship Potemkin to Up.

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UNIT!II:!MUSIC!FOR!SILENT!AND!EARLY!SOUND!FILMS!(1894–1930)!

2/5 2/12

Silent Film Music: Reading and Creating Cue Sheets Encyclopedias of silent film music (Ernö Rapée). Reading the cue sheet for Edison Studios’s Frankenstein. Joseph Carl Breil’s Birth of a Nation.

2/15

Original Scores and Synchronization Saint-Saëns’s L’Assassinat du Duc de Guise vs. Satie’s Entr’acte.

2/17

Vitaphone! History of sound technology, from Edison’s Dickson Sound Experiment. Sound-on-disc vs. sound-on-film. Don Juan and The Jazz Singer.

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UNIT!III:!“CLASSICAL”!SCORES,!IN!RUSSIA!AND!HOLLYWOOD!(1930–50)!

2/19

Eisenstein and Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible.

2/22 2/24

Erich Korngold Gorbman’s model of the Classical Hollywood score. Motives and topics. Music for swashbucklers: The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood.

2/29 3/2

Max Steiner Mickey-mousing and thematic transformation. The Informer and Casablanca.

3/4

Franz Waxman Experimental techniques and the horror film. Bride of Frankenstein and Rebecca.

3/7

Interpreting King Kong A discussion of student papers on Max Steiner’s score. Previewing music and the documentary film, by way of Britten and the GPO films (Coal Face and Night Mail).

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UNIT!IV:!ANIMATED!FILMS!AND!DOCUMENTARIES!(1930–50)!

3/9 Copland and the Advocacy Film Copland’s response to Hollywood. The soundscapes of The City.

3/11

Virgil Thomson’s Coded Quotations in The River Hymn quotation and The River. Film music as coded messaging.

3/14

Looney Tunes Carl Stalling. Cartoon composition as pastiche. The return of film funning.

3/16 3/18

Disney, Silly Symphonies, and Fantasia Silly Symphonies as precedent. Image–sound relationships, click tracks, and animated choreography.

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UNIT!V:!STYLISTIC!DIVERSITY!(1950–90)!

3/28 3/30

Hitchcock and Herrmann Vertigo and Psycho. The falling out over Torn Curtain as a sign of changing times.

4/1

Epic Film Ben-Hur: its antecedents, its successors.

4/4

Kubrick and the Art of Adaptation Quotations of classical music. Stanley Kubrick: 2001 and The Shining. Terrence Malick: The New World and The Tree of Life.

4/6 4/8

4/11

Jazz, Rock, and Popular Music in Film Presentations on individual films scored by Elmer Bernstein, Henry Mancini, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and others.

4/13

Takemitsu and the Sounds of Silence Japanese film music. Musique concrète. Films: Woman in the Dunes, Kwaidan, and Ran.

4/15

Film and Musical Minimalism Philip Glass and Koyaanisqatsi. Other minimalist scores (Glass, Nyman, Adams).

4/18 4/20

John Williams and the New Classicism The musical thematics of Star Wars.

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POSTLUDE:!CONTEMPORARY!COMPOSERS!

4/22 4/25 4/27 4/29

Contemporary Composers Student presentations.

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INTRODUCTION TO FILM MUSIC

DR. HOWE, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS

This semester, you will complete six major assignments, including in-class presentations and

written essays:

x a presentation and written report on a contemporary sound designer

x a written review of a performance of silent film music

x a written analysis of the sound design in King Kong x a written reception history of Fantasia x a presentation on a jazz, rock, or pop score from the 1950s and 60s

x a presentation and written report on a contemporary film music composer

1. SOUND DESIGNERS (PRESENTATION AND WRITTEN REPORT)

1. Browse the chapters of Vincent LoBrutto, Sound-on-Film: Interviews with Creators of Film Sound

(Westport, CT, and London: Praeger, 1994). Sign up to present and write about one of the sound

designers/editors profiled and interviewed in the book.

2. Prepare a short, five-minute presentation on your sound designer. You should organize your

presentation into three sections; suggested timings are in brackets:

• basic biographical information on your sound designer, including a selective

filmography [less than 1 minute]

• a description of at least two illuminating passages in the interview, including what they

reveal about sound design in general and/or your sound designer’s style in particular [3 minutes]

• a brief clip from one of the films that your sound designer worked on, exemplifying your

earlier arguments (be sure to tell your audience what to listen for) [1 minute]

• a brief conclusion [less than 1 minute].

For the purposes of this project, do not use a PowerPoint slideshow or a handout. Speak

extemporaneously; do not read. You will be graded on content (30%), clarity (30%), delivery style

(30%), and your ability to fit your presentation within the allotted time (10%).

3. Write a short, 500-word paper on your sound designer, using the same organization as your presentation. Cite the LoBrutto text using The Chicago Manual of Style. You will be graded on content (30%), grammar/punctuation (30%), organization of ideas (30%), and correct use of citation style (10%).

Presentations will be held in class on 1/27 and 1/29.

Papers are due on 1/27 at 10:30 a.m., and should be submitted on Moodle.

2. REVIEWING SILENT FILM MUSIC

Performances of silent film music have become increasingly common in recent years. In some

venues, historical accuracy is paramount; other venues seek a blend of historical and modern

styles. You have two options for this assignment:

x You may write a review of a recorded performance of silent film music. For example, you

might choose to review Martin Marks’s historically informed accompaniments in the Treasures from American Film Archives: 50 Preserved Films, vol. 4 (available on DVD in

public libraries and in the music library reserve stacks), or Ben Model’s scores for silent

films, posted on YouTube. You may also choose to review Philip Glass’s score for Tod Bowning’s Dracula (also available on DVD). You must first confirm your choice with the

instructor.

x You may write a review of music in The Artist (2011). Does the score adopt practices of

the silent film era? Is it anachronistic in other ways?

Your short essay should be about 500 words, written in the style of a newspaper review and

aimed at a general audience. For this assignment, you do not need to conduct any external

research. I am most interested in your own responses to these performances.

Grades will be based on content (30%), grammar/punctuation (30%), organization of ideas (30%),

and fulfillment of word count (10%).

Reviews are due on 2/17 at 10:30 a.m., and should be submitted on Moodle.

3. SOUND DESIGN IN KING KONG

In his history of film music, Mervyn Cooke describes Max Steiner’s score for King Kong (1933) as

“his most important achievement, one that almost single-handedly marked the coming-of-age of

nondiegetic film music: it established a style and technique of scoring that was not only much

imitated during the Golden Age, but continues to be reflected in mainstream narrative scoring

practices to the present day.”1 Your task for this essay is to analyze the function that Steiner’s score plays in both the film’s narrative and its overall sound design.

x Prepare an analysis of sound design within each of the film’s three major settings: the opening in New York, the action of Skull Island, and the return to New York. What

sound elements (dialogue, sound effects, diegetic music, nondiegetic music) dominate

the soundtrack in each locale? What happens to the sound during the transitions between

these settings?

x Once you have analyzed these sequences, begin to interpret them: Why was the sound

track designed in this way? How might choices in sound design influence the themes of

King Kong?

x Limit your expository material to only a few sentences. You may safely assume that your

reader has already seen the film.

You do not need to conduct any outside research for this project. I am most interested in your

own ideas and interpretations, as supported by the evidence of the film. Your essay should

contain between 1,000 and 1,250 words.

1 Mervyn Cooke, A History of Film Music (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 88.

TIMELINE

This short paper will undergo a series of revisions before final submission to the instructor.

March 4 at 6:00 p.m. Students submit a draft of their paper to their writing

partner on Moodle, using the Workshop application.

March 6 at 3:00 p.m. The writing partner returns a copy of the draft (again,

using the Workshop application), with comments and

suggestions for revisions.

March 7 at 10:30 a.m. The paper is due to the instructor via Moodle. Late

papers will not be accepted.

March 9 The papers will be returned with comments and an

initial grade.

March 11 at 10:30 a.m. The final draft is due to the instructor via Moodle. Late

papers will not be accepted.

GRADES

The papers that you submit to the instructor will be graded according to the following rubric:

40% content (sophistication of analysis, historical inquiry, etc.)

40% prose (clarity, grammar, punctuation, formatting)

20% organization of ideas (structure: introduction, conclusion, thesis, etc.)

Three grades will be recorded for this project, weighted evenly:

x first draft (75%) and peer review (25%)

x second draft (graded by instructor)

x final draft (incorporating comments from the instructor)

4. THE RECEPTION HISTORY OF FANTASIA

Your task for this exercise will be to write a brief “reception history” of Fantasia, exploring the mixed critical reaction that the film received upon its premiere. Begin by reading the seven short newspaper articles listed below, available on Moodle.

x Limit introductory and expository material to only a few sentences. Assume your reader has seen Fantasia but has not read any of the articles that you will cite.

x You are free to choose the “angle” of your essay. Here are some sample questions that your thesis might answer:

Why did music critics respond so negatively to the film? What aspects of the film did other critics single out for praise? Why? What were critics’ favorite and least favorite sequences of the film? Why?

x Include direct quotations. Cite at least three articles. Use properly formatted footnotes, and append a bibliography.

x Your essay should contain at least 1,000 of your own words. (Long quotations do not count toward this total.)

TIMELINE

This short paper will undergo a series of revisions before final submission to the instructor.

March 16 at 6:00 p.m. Students submit a draft of their paper to their writing partner on Moodle, using the Workshop application.

March 17 at 6:00 p.m. The writing partner returns a copy of the draft (again, using the Workshop application), with comments and suggestions for revisions.

March 18 at 10:30 a.m. The paper is due to the instructor via Moodle. Late papers will not be accepted.

March 21 The papers will be returned with comments and an initial grade.

March 28 at 10:30 a.m. The final draft is due to the instructor via Moodle. Late papers will not be accepted.

GRADES

The papers that you submit to the instructor will be graded according to the following rubric:

35% content (sophistication of analysis, historical inquiry, etc.)

35% prose (clarity, grammar, punctuation, formatting)

20% organization of ideas (structure: introduction, conclusion, thesis, etc.)

10% citations (proper formatting of footnotes and bibliography)

Three grades will be recorded for this project, weighted evenly:

x first draft (75%) and peer review (25%) x second draft (graded by instructor) x final draft (incorporating comments from the instructor)

SOURCE READINGS K. B. “‘Fantasia’ Puts Disney in Foremost Ranks of U. S. Choreographers.” Daily Boston Globe (23

February 1941): B32. Barry, Edward. “Is ‘Fantasia’ New Art Form?—Yes and No.” Chicago Daily Tribune (2 March

1941): G3. Crowther, Bosley. “Yes, but Is It Art? A Long-Haired Discussion Is Provoked by Walt Disney’s

Novel ‘Fantasia.’” New York Times (17 November 1940): 141. Downes, Olin. “‘Fantasia’ Discussed from the Musical Standpoint—Sound Reproduction Called

Unprecedented.” New York Times (14 November 1940): 28. Downes, Olin. “Disney’s Experiment: Second Thoughts on ‘Fantasia’ and Its Visualization of

Music.” New York Times (17 November 1940): 143. Griffith, Richard. “Critics of ‘Fantasia’ at Loggerheads.” Los Angeles Times (26 November 1940):

15. Schallert, Edwin. “‘Fantasia’ Acclaimed as Film Masterpiece.” Los Angeles Times (30 January

1941): 9. Tinée, Mae. “‘Fantasia’: Great Music Buried in Orgy of Color and Sound, Movie and Music

Critics Find.” Chicago Daily Tribune (20 February 1941): 13.

5. JAZZ, POP, AND ROCK SCORES

On Moodle, sign up to watch and present on one of the following films:

• The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), score by Elmer Bernstein

• Sweet Smell of Success (1957), score by Elmer Bernstein

• Jailhouse Rock (1957) [various popular songs, performed by Elvis Presley]

• Touch of Evil (1958), score by Henry Mancini

• Elevator to the Gallows [Ascenseur pour l’échafaud] (1958), score by Miles Davis

• Anatomy of a Murder (1959), score by Duke Ellington

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), score by Henry Mancini

• Goldfinger (1961), score by John Barry

• The Graduate (1967), with songs by Simon & Garfunkel

• The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (1968), score by Ennio Morricone

• Easy Rider (1969) [various popular songs]

• American Graffiti (1973) [various popular songs]

• Chariots of Fire (1981), score by Vangelis

Your presentation should introduce the film, its composer, and his music to the class. Include the

following in your presentation:

• a brief introduction to your topic

• information about the composer, including a representative quote from a primary source

[put the quote in the PowerPoint presentation]

• a description of the composer’s music for the film that you have studied [list three main

features in a PowerPoint presentation]

• a brief clip, no more than 90 seconds, preceded by directions on what to listen for

• a brief conclusion.

The presentation should last 10 minutes, plus time for audience questions.

You are encouraged to speak extemporaneously, with the assistance of notes or an outline. You

will be graded on content (25%), clarity (25%), delivery style (25%), your PowerPoint

presentation (15%), and your ability to fit your presentation within the allotted time (10%).

Your presentation will be videotaped, and part of the assignment will be to write a brief

reflection (250 words) evaluating your performance. (This will count toward your “class participation and preparation” grade.)

The presentation will be held in class on 4/6, 4/8, and 4/11.

6. CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS Your final project of the semester will consist of a class presentation and short essay on a contemporary film composer. For this project, you will need to read at least one major interview or profile of your composer (this will serve as your primary source material) and watch at least two films scored by your composer. I have suggested some interviews with composers that are available online, in the Celluloid Symphonies anthology, and in other books on reserve in the music library. 1. On Moodle, sign up to work on one of the following composers:

• Carter Burwell (see David Morgan, Knowing the Score: Film Composers Talk about the Art,

Craft, Blood, Sweat, and Tears of Writing for Cinema [New York: HarperCollins, 2000], 57–71)

• Danny Elfman (see Randall D. Larson, “Danny Elfman: From Boingo to Batman (1990),” in Celluloid Symphonies: Texts and Contexts in Film Music History, ed. Julie Hubbert [Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 2011], 443–51)

• Michael Giacchino (see Alex Ross, “The Spooky Fill: The Man behind the Avant-Garde Sounds of Lost,” The New Yorker [17 May 2010])

• Jonny Greenwood (see Alex Pappademas, “Radiohead’s Runaway Guitarist,” New York

Times [9 March 2012], and “An Interview with Jonny Greenwood,” Nialler9) • James Horner (see interviews on YouTube and other sources online, including Daniel

Schweiger, “James Horner Hearing the Music of His Avatar” Venice [December 2009]) • Cliff Martinez (see interviews listed on his personal website) • Thomas Newman (see “Thomas Newman on His Film Music (1999)”, in The Hollywood

Film Music Reader, ed. Mervyn Cooke [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010], 245–56) • Rachel Portman (see Christian DesJardins, Inside Film Music: Composers Speak [Los

Angeles: Silman-James Press, 2006], 196–204) • A. R. Rahman (see interviews on Youtube and many blogs, e-journals, and newspapers,

including Peter Culshaw, “Interview with AR Rahman, the Composer behind the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack” The Telegraph [6 February 2009])

• Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (various YouTube interviews, and Miguel Isaza, “The Sound and Music of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Designing Sound [5 January 2012])

• Gustavo Santaolalla (see interviews on YouTube and other sources online, including Michael Martin, "Oscar-Winning Gustavo Santaolalla Talks Artistry," National Public Radio [8 October 2009])

• Howard Shore (see Royal S. Brown, Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music

[Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 1994], 334–42; and Philip Brophy, “Composing with a Very Wide Palette: Howard Shore in Conversation (1999),” in Celluloid Symphonies: Texts and Contexts in Film Music History, ed. Julie Hubbert [Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 2011], 465–71)

• Hans Zimmer (see interviews on YouTube and many blogs and e-journals, including Rick Florino, “Interview: Hans Zimmer Talks Inception Score” ArtistDirect [12 July 2010])

2. Your presentation should introduce the composer and his or her music to the class. Include the following in your presentation:

• an introduction that immediately states your composer’s relevance to contemporary film music (include only essential biographical data)

• three main features of your composer’s musical style, supported by representative passages from source materials (interviews, reviews, commentary) [put these quotes in a PowerPoint presentation]

• two brief clips, no more than 90 seconds each, preceded by directions to your audience on what to listen for

• a brief conclusion. The presentation should last 15 minutes, plus time for audience questions. You should use a PowerPoint slideshow to organize your presentation and to reinforce your main points. You are encouraged to speak extemporaneously, with the assistance of notes or an outline. You will be graded on content (25%), clarity (25%), delivery style (25%), your PowerPoint presentation (15%), and your ability to fit your presentation within the allotted time (10%). 3. Write a short, 750-word paper on your composer, using the same format as your presentation. Cite your source materials using The Chicago Manual of Style. You will be graded on content (30%), grammar/punctuation (30%), organization of ideas (30%), and correct use of citation style (10%). (This paper will not undergo a process of peer review.)

The presentations will be held in class on 4/22, 4/25, 4/27, and 4/29.

The papers will be due on 4/22.