Charms that soothe: classical music and the narrative film

222 Pages·2003·0.85 MB·english

by  Dean Duncan

Charms That Soothe
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CommunicationsandMediaStudiesSeries
RobinAndersen,series editor
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2. Hy B. Turner, When Giants Ruled: The Story of Park Row, New
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Charms That
Soothe
CLASSICAL MUSIC AND THE NARRATIVE FILM
DEANDUNCAN
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York
2003
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Copyright(cid:1)2003byFordhamUniversityPress
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—
exceptforbriefquotationsinprintedreviews,withoutthepriorpermis-
sionofthepublisher.
CommunicationsandMediaStudies,No.9
ISSN1522-385X
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Duncan,DeanW.
Charmsthatsoothe:classicalmusicand thenarrativefilm/Dean
Duncan.—1sted.
p. cm.—(Communications andmediastudiesseries;no. 9)
Includes bibliographicalreferences(p. )andindex.
ISBN0-8232-2279-9(hardcover:alk.paper)—ISBN0-8232-2280-2
(pbk.:alk.paper)
1. Motionpicturesand music. 2. Motionpicturemusic—
Historyand criticism. I. Title. II. Communicationsand media
studies;no.9.
ML2075.D83 2003
781.5(cid:1)42—dc21 2003011363
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1
First edition
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
1. Interdiscipline and the Place of Classical Music in
Film Studies 9
2. Film Music and the Musical Community 34
3. Sound Montage and Counterpoint Analogies 65
4. Narration, Program, and Narrative 94
5. Interpreting Classical Music in Film 129
6. Summary, Conclusions, and Implications 170
Bibliography 189
Index 203
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Iwouldliketo express my sincere gratitude to the many people
whohavecontributedtothisbook.DrewCasper,RichardJewell,
and David Shepard provided valued direction and support at its
inception.KathrynKalinakwasinstrumental inturninga general
interest in the field of film music into something more urgent,
and hopefully more substantial. Betty and Erik Barnouw offered
muchvaluedadvice,aswellasgivingmegreatexamplesofhon-
orable scholarship and gracious intellectual pursuit.
I am grateful to my many friends at Glasgow University for
their patience and encouragement during the early stages of this
process. The efforts and insights of Sean Cubitt, Simon Frith,
Karen Lurie, and particularly John Caughie are deeply appreci-
ated. I am no less appreciative of support by family and friends
who made our Scottish experience so much more than educa-
tional. We are grateful to the members of the Glasgow Ward for
their fellowship and affection. We treasure the friendships of our
neighbors at the Gartnavel Hospital. We remember with tender-
ness our associations with Scots family members who welcomed
and cared for us so wonderfully.
I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of my col-
leagues at Brigham Young University. Department Chairs Eric
Fielding and Robert Nelson were unfailingly supportive. James
D’Arc, Darl Larsen, Tom Lefler, and Sharon Swenson provided
much needed instruction and guidance, and much valued friend-
ship. Many students also contributed through their vigorous dis-
cussion, enthusiasm, and friendship. They remind me that
research without a teaching component is conspicuously incom-
plete.
Special thanks go also to those at Fordham University Press
for their expertise and efficiency. I owe a special debt to Robin
Andersen, who has worked very hard and selflessly on my be-
half. Felicity Edge, Anahid Kassabian, Robert Oppedisano,
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viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mary-Lou Pen˜a, and Harrison Shaffer have all contributed their
skill and effort to make my work more presentable, and to make
this book better.
Finally, my deepest thanks go to the members of my family.
My parents, Don and Mona Duncan, brought me up in a loving
and enriching atmosphere that I will always remember fondly,
and for which I will always be grateful. They, together with my
parents-in-law, WallaceandAnne Anderson,havebeenunfailing
in their emotional, moral, and material support. I express my
affection for my brother, Scott, my sisters Susan, Lisa, and
Sharon, and for their families. The same goes for my dear broth-
ers and sisters in-law and their families. Most of all my love and
gratitude go to my wife, Sharon, and to our children Caitlin,
Drew, Sarah, Spencer, Mathieson, and Claire. As nice as it is to
participate in scholarly discussions, all these beloved people re-
mind me how much more there is to life than research, and how
glad I am for that fact.
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Charms That Soothe
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