MUSIC 325 A Su 20: Music In Cinema

Professor: Huck Hodge, DMA Links to an external site. • Office: 325 Music

Email: hhodge@u.washington.edu

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will survey of some of the most representative films and film scores of the last 100 years while laying the groundwork for students to acquire the skills necessary to critically engage with film as a multi-media experience. Special attention will be paid to aesthetic questions arising from the fusion of sound and image as well as the psychological, political and philosophical resonances that result from this union.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will gain exposure to the techniques used in many artistic media that touch on the boundaries of the musicology of film (opera, theater, television, video games, etc.). In addition, they will acquire an understanding of the nature of film music‘s cultural importance, and the degree to which it can shape our emotional, philosophical and political response to cinema. This will enable students to enjoy film-going with a more thoughtful and critical eye and ear than before.

 

EVALUATION

Course grades will comprise the following components:

1. Discussion / Participation / Q&A [5%] We cover a lot of material in this class and you will participate in discussions frequently. To this end you must complete the reading in a timely manner. Each student should prepare at least 3 questions about the readings, films, and online lectures to start things off. To keep things fair, we will use a random number generator to determine which students will be called on to respond with/to questions/prompts in class.
2. Assignment [10%] Masking / Commutation Test 
3. Quizzes [15%] There will be 3 online quizzes given throughout the quarter. These will cover material from the lectures, readings and films.
4. Midterm Project [30%] Using only sound effects create a 2 / 3-minute Musique Concréte composition / story. 
5. Final Project [40%] The final will involve scoring of a brief scene from a short silent film. You must use original or pre-existing (compilation) music AND sound design. You must pay close attention to the interaction of sound and image. You will also write a 3-page (750-word) statement describing how the techniques and ideas presented in class influence your piece.

 The chart for converting percentage grades to the 4.0 scale can be found here. Download  The chart for converting percentage grades to the 4.0 scale can be found here.

 

RESOURCES:

Columbia University Film Glossary Links to an external site.

Examples of Film Sound Techniques (College Film & Media Studies) Links to an external site.

FilmSound.org Glossary of Sound Terminology Links to an external site.

TV Tropes Links to an external site.

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound Links to an external site.

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

WEEK 1

 

6/22: Introduction: syllabus, goals, requirements | The beginnings of cinematic sound, the legacy of the 19^th century, close listening. Diegetic/non-diegetic music, empathetic/anempathetic music.

Reading: New Yorker, Hearing the Movies, Adorno/Eisler, Eisenstein Download Reading: New Yorker, Hearing the Movies, Adorno/Eisler, Eisenstein

New Yorker article online (includes links to musical examples) Links to an external site.

 

CLASS SESSION (zoom video)

 

Play media comment.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

pay particular attention to the sound / music at these points:

1:45 - 2:00, 2:30-2:40

 Play media comment.Force Theme - Star Wars Original Trilogy - Leitmotiv through the Saga
Play media comment.Original Imperial March Star Wars Episode V Empire Strikes Back
Play media comment.Imperial March - Star Wars VI Return of the Jedi - Darth Vader's Death

 

Video Lecture: (AN)EMPATHETIC / (NON)DIEGETIC / ON- or OFFSCREEN?

Play media comment.Apocalypse Now (1979): Ride of the Valkyries

Play media comment.Rivendell Scene 1 - The Fellowship of the Ring

Play media comment.

Pippin's Song Edge of Night (LOTR)

 

Terminology: Diegetic Sound Links to an external site. | Non-Diegetic Sound Links to an external site.

 

6/24: Montage, Mise-en-scène, a crash course in aesthetics, the political psychology of mechanized art. 

Video Lecture: A Crash Course in Ethics and Aesthetics

 

Beethoven's 5th Symphony, 1st movement: Allegro Con Brio Links to an external site.

Video Lecture: The Political Psychology of Mechanized Art

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

Play media comment.The Kuleshov Effect

Play media comment.Eisenstein's 5 Methods of Montage

Play media comment.

October (1928) — The Machine Gun

 

Terminology: Montage Links to an external site. | Mise-en-scène Links to an external site. | (Continuity) Editing Links to an external site.

 

6/26: Alexander Nevsky, A crash course in film theory

Play media comment.Alexander Nevsky (1939) The Battle On The Ice

Alexander Nevsky (MPAA rating: NR) Links to an external site.

 

Alexander Nevsky on TV Tropes Links to an external site.

 

Video Lecture: A Crash Course in Film Theory

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

 

Discussions on Film/Reading | Formalism and Realism | Masking Exercise

Reading: Peter Bürger, Montage (optional) / Jonathan Crary, Modernizing Vision (optional) Download Reading: Peter Bürger, Montage (optional) / Jonathan Crary, Modernizing Vision (optional)

Terminology: Camera Obscura Links to an external site.

Notes: Film Theory Download Film Theory

Zoom Session

 

WEEK 2

 

Video Lecture: Things you need to know about harmony

BLERG!: at 6:32 I meant to say FUNDAMENTAL frequency

 

6/29: Film and desire, psychoanalytic perspectives, the Tristan chord

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

 

Reading: Schopenhauer (var. selections) / Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams (excerpt) Download Reading: Schopenhauer (var. selections) / Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams (excerpt)

Noël Carroll, Vertigo - the impossible love Download Noël Carroll, Vertigo - the impossible love

 

Play media comment.Bernard Herrmann Vertigo Suite, Prelude

Play media comment.Richard Wagner - Tristan und Isolde, Prelude

Stephen Fry - The Tristan Chord Links to an external site.

Notes: Schopenhauer - Wagner - Freud Download Schopenhauer - Wagner - Freud

 

7/1: Video Lectures: Freud

Freud Lecture Manuscripts Download Freud Lecture Manuscripts

 

Reading: Schopenhauer (var. selections) / Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams (excerpt) Download Reading: Schopenhauer (var. selections) / Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams (excerpt)

Noël Carroll, Vertigo - the impossible love Download Noël Carroll, Vertigo - the impossible love

 

Watch: Vertigo Links to an external site.(MPAA rating: PG)

Vertigo on TV Tropes

 

Some appearances of the Tristan Chord in Vertigo (pdf): Download Some appearances of the Tristan Chord in Vertigo (pdf):

Play media comment.

Play media comment.

Play media comment.

Play media comment.

Also: see 1:53:40-50 (Judy as Madeleine)  1:58:55 (The necklace: "There, I'm ready") 1:59:25-35 (Drive to the tower)

Vertigo Shot (Zoom-In/Track-Back)

Play media comment.

 

Video Lecture: Vertigo

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

 

Hitchcock Explains What a McGuffin Is Links to an external site.

Extra Credit: The Mystery of McGuffin Manor - unsolved.pdf Download Extra Credit: The Mystery of McGuffin Manor - unsolved.pdf

Žižek - Our Fear of Falling in Love Links to an external site.

Notes: Freud - Dreams - Beyond Pleasure.pptx  Download Freud - Dreams - Beyond Pleasure.pptx 

 

QUIZ #1 Due by 6:50 pm

 

7/3: Independence Day Observed

 

WEEK 3

 

7/6: Masking / Commutation Test

 

Masking Exercise #1

(sound only)

Play media comment.

(sound + video)

Play media comment.

 

Masking Exercise #2

(video only)Play media comment.

(video + sound)

Play media comment.

 

Commutation Test

 

Requiem for a Dream (commutated)

Play media comment.

Requiem for a Dream (original sound)

Play media comment.

 

The Shining (original sound)

Play media comment.

The Shining (commutated)Play media comment.

 

Watch: 2001: a Space Odyssey Links to an external site. Links to an external site.(MPAA rating: G)

Reading: Nietzsche, Zarathustra / Birth of Tragedy (excerpts) Download Reading: Nietzsche, Zarathustra / Birth of Tragedy (excerpts)

Notes: Schopenhauer Nietzsche Kubrick Download Schopenhauer Nietzsche Kubrick

 

2001 on TV Tropes Links to an external site.

 

Play media comment.Richard Strauss — Also sprach Zarathustra (Sunrise)

Play media comment.György Ligeti, Requiem — Dies Irae

Play media comment.György Ligeti, Atmospheres

Play media comment.2001: Dawn of man / space station docking with Alex North score

 

zoom session Links to an external site.

 

7/8: Discussion: 2001: a Space Odyssey 

Notes: Schopenhauer Nietzsche Kubrick Download Schopenhauer Nietzsche Kubrick

 

Video Lecture: Nietzsche - The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

 

2001 on TV Tropes Links to an external site.

 

Video Lecture: 2001: A Nietzschean Odyssey

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

 

 

7/10: Masking / Commutation Test Assignment DUE

Musique Concrète  

Reading: Chion, Audio-vision (excerpt) / Schafer, The Tuning of the World (Ch. 9) Download Reading: Chion, Audio-vision (excerpt) / Schafer, The Tuning of the World (Ch. 9)

The Concept of „Sound Object“ (objet sonore) by Pierre Schaeffer Links to an external site.

 

Play media comment.

Once Upon a Time in The West (1968) | opening sequence (audio only)

Play media comment.

Once Upon a Time in The West (1968) | opening sequence

Play media comment.Pierre Schaeffer - etude aux chemins de fer

Play media comment.Steve Reich - Come Out (Original Ver.).mp3

Speech to song demonstration Links to an external site.

Play media comment.Huck Hodge - Pools of shadow from an older sky, IV. In lost Venetian air (2011)

 

WEEK 4

 

7/13: Continue Discussion of Musique Concrète

 

Play media comment.Hildegard Westerkamp - Türen der Wahrnehmungen (Doors of Perception) (1989) Part II

Play media comment.Francis White - Walk Through resonant Landscape No. 2 (1992)

Bazin and the Phenomenology of Film

Read: Divining the real: the leaps of faith in André Bazin’s film criticism Links to an external site.

 

Terminology: Deep Focus Links to an external site. | Cinema Verité Links to an external site.| Long Take Links to an external site.

 

zoom session Links to an external site.

 

7/15: Watch: Elephant (Google Drive link) Links to an external site.

(MPAA rating: R for disturbing violent content, language, brief sexuality and drug use - all involving teens)

Reading: Jordan, The Ecology of Listening while Looking (optional) Download Reading: Jordan, The Ecology of Listening while Looking (optional)

 

Elephant on TV Tropes Links to an external site.

 

Video Lecture: On the intensity of experience — Cage, Schaeffer, Bazin, Van Sant

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

QUIZ #2 Due by 6:29 pm

 

7/17:  Midterm Projects DUE || Midterm Party!

 

WEEK 5

 

7/20: Classical aesthetics

Video Lecture: Classical aesthetics — what is really real?

Lecture Manuscript Download Lecture Manuscript

Read: Plato, Republic, bks, VII/X / Aristotle, Poetics (optional) Download Read: Plato, Republic, bks, VII/X / Aristotle, Poetics (optional)

 

7/22: Mulholland Drive

Watch: Mulholland Drive (rent online) Links to an external site.

Links to an external site.(MPAA rating: R for explicit nudity and sexual situations, strong language, violence and disturbing images)

Links to an external site.

Reading: Miller, Monstrous Maturity on Mulholland Drive Download Reading: Miller, Monstrous Maturity on Mulholland Drive

Freud, The Uncanny (optional) Download Freud, The Uncanny (optional)

 

Mulholland Drive on TV Tropes Links to an external site.

 

Mulholland Drive / Club Silencio Scene

Play media comment.

 

7/29: Final Projects Due by 5:00 pm

QUIZ #3 Due by 6:29 pm