HOME PAGE

TODAY'S PAPER

VIDEO

MOST POPULAR

U.S. Edition

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Search All NYTimes.com

Movies
WORLD

U.S.

N.Y. / REGION

BUSINESS

Search Movies or Showtimes by ZIP Code

TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE

Log In Register Now Help

HEALTH

SPORTS

OPINION

ARTS

STYLE

TRAVEL

JOBS

REAL ESTATE

AUTOS

More in Movies
In Theaters

Coming Soon

Critics' Picks

On DVD

Tickets & Showtimes

Trailers

ArtsBeat

Awards Season

MOVIE MUSIC

MOVIE MUSIC; Lacking Counterpoint

Published: May 6, 2001

To the Editor:

FACEBOOK

Thank you for publishing David Schiff's insightful article ''Taking

Movie Music Seriously, Like It or Not'' [April 22). Mr. Schiff makes
the point that film composers rely on successions of short cues,
creating a style that translates poorly in the concert hall. Yet perhaps
we should recognize that motivic development la Beethoven is not
an appropriate model for a theatrical art like film music. After all,
Beethoven experienced little success outside of pure concert music.

TWITTER
GOOGLE+
EMAIL
SHARE
PRINT
REPRINTS

Instead, we should look to the leitmotif techniques of Richard

Wagner, for when John Williams re-established the symphonic style
in the 1970's, he was recalling operas like ''Tristan and Isolde'' and
the ''Ring Cycle,'' not Beethoven's Fifth.
Today's film composers pale before great concert composers not because of their reliance
on melody -- Schubert and Wagner basically did the same thing -- but in their avoidance of
counterpoint. Either because pop-music ''hummers'' lack formal training, or because
directors fear too much musical activity will distract viewers from the action onscreen, film
music is rarely more sophisticated than a melody and accompaniment. Oscar-winner Bill
Conti's score for ''Rocky'' illustrates the limitations imposed on composers. He buried his
most elaborate music, a four-voice fugue, in the end credits. It's no wonder, then, that
most concert performances of movie music are just exercises in waiting for your favorite
theme.
Yet it's still possible for good film music to be good concert music. I'm surprised that Mr.
Schiff forgot Serge Prokofiev, the Russian composer who wrote compelling scores without
selling his craft short (as, say, James ''Titanic'' Horner has done by incessantly recycling
the same ''bad guy'' themes in every movie, many of which he stole from Prokofiev 20
years ago). Most Americans have never seen the Russian films ''Lieutenant Kije,'' ''Ivan the
Terrible'' and ''Alexander Nevsky,'' yet these films' suites have unapologetically secured a
place in the concert hall repertory.
EVAN FELDMAN
Potsdam, N.Y.
The writer is a visiting instructor at the Crane School of Music at the State University of
New York at Potsdam.
MOST EMAILED
FACEBOOK

TWITTER

GOOGLE+

EMAIL

SHARE

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

1. Six New Bridal Trends

2. Halloween in Manhattans Most Expensive

ZIP Codes
3. NASA Adds to Evidence of Mysterious
Ancient Earthworks
4. Quentin Tarantino Backlash Continues
Among Police Groups
5. China Ends One-Child Policy, Allowing
Families Two Children
6. Owen Labrie Gets Year in Jail for St. Pauls
School Assault
7. In Heroin Crisis, White Families Seek
Gentler War on Drugs
8.

EDITORIAL

9.

GAIL COLLINS

Gov. Christie, Time to Go Home

Oh, Those Debating Republicans

10. We Mapped the Uninsured. You'll Notice a

Pattern.

Log in to discover more articles

based on what youve read.
Whats This? | Dont Show

2015 The New York Times Company

Site Map

Privacy

Your Ad Choices

Advertise

Terms of Sale

Terms of Service

Work With Us

RSS

Help

Contact Us

Site Feedback