Lewis Milestone directed “The Red Pony”, a western film that was popularized in 1949. Viewers commented on the film’s acting and direction during previewing. One problem. The audience was hysterical! The audience was laughing at the film, which was based on the sufferings of ponies. The audience was then a laughing stock. The audience was actually making fun of the film’s music. They did what? Aaron Copland, a well-known American composer and film musician, was approached by the group to rewrite the film’s accompaniment. It was evident that the film’s release caused audiences to stop laughing and instead focus on the moving story and reminiscing about their experiences in the wild west. Aaron Copland changed the music, and managed to change people’s reactions.
Music theory refers to a set rules and laws that are based on music. These laws can be applied in many ways. It provides the basic knowledge of how to combine notation, time signatures, and key signatures. If done correctly, composers are able to create beautiful and profound pieces. This can have a significant impact on how we perceive our surroundings. It is the reason why Chopin, Beethoven and Bach are still revered, despite their centuries-old works. The film is amplified by music theory when it applies to film. This increases the emotional output of certain scenes, characters and locations. Films like “Jaws”, Star Wars, and Disney movies have this iconic feel. Emotions were what made certain songs and scenes stand out in these films. First, I will discuss the composition of the music. These techniques include leitmotifs and major triad use. I then will talk about John Williams, who was the first composer that I studied. I will discuss his compositions for films and the common methods he uses to write his music. Then, I’ll analyze Jurassic Park’s piece “Welcome to Jurassic Park”, which he wrote for the 1993 film Jurassic Park. I will dissect it and discuss key details and audience reactions. Next, I’ll introduce Yojiro Nada, lead singer of Jrock band Radwimps. John Williams is a composer of different music styles, so I will describe his artistic style. Then, I will introduce his piece music, “Sparkle”, which is a japanese animation song.
Musical Techniques
Harmonic devices are used by composers to create the “identity” of music for films. Harmonic devices are notes and intervals that are used in combination with the melody to create harmony. It is basically the combination of two different pitches. There are many kinds of harmonic devices to create harmonies. Each one is capable of enriching the music and giving it tone, the musical term that expresses emotion. First, let’s understand the scales and what notes they are. Music theory can be described as notes naming them by the letters A-G. When combined they create scales ranging from the lowest pitch to the highest.
These notes are arranged differently in different scales. These notes can have sharps or flats added to them to give expression. A sharp can elevate a note and a flat can decrease it. You can create harmonies with different notes that convey different emotions. A Diatonic harmony is a harmonies that are only made from the key notes of the song. All the notes of music in B major will correspond to the B, C, D and E scales (F, G, and B).
A Chromatic harmony is the opposite. The scales in which the notes are taken come from music that isn’t being played. Chromatic harmonics can add color to music. It is also known as chromatic. It can amplify the emotion of music when used. Harmonies may be either consonant or dissonant. It is the playing time that classifies the harmony as Consonant or dissonant. The perfect fifth interval is Consonant. An augmented fourth interval can be Dissonant. A Consonant harmony often sounds balanced and stable, with all the notes playing perfectly.
Due to its imprecise sound, a Dissonant Harmony can be used as tension- and suspense-creating instrument. Jazz and similar music are a common source of dissonant harmonies. Conversely, classical music like Shostakovich Fugue (A Major) can contain consonant harmonies.
Composers have a tool that allows them to express emotion and tone through music, thanks to all the different harmonies. But composers also benefit from musical phrasing. Music can be used to express emotions, so it should be broken down in “sentences and “phrases”. It is best to keep the idea going and to pause before moving on to another. This is what is known as “phrasing” in music. It shows how musical notes are played together. These musical thoughts typically last four measures and end in a cadence. These cadences are used to punctuate phrases with music. They are composed of two chords at either end.
There are four types. The perfect cadence is 1. This is the cadence that ends the music. This movement is built around the 5th to 1st chord of the scale. If you were playing in F minor, the C major chord would go to the F main chord. Perfect cadences, which are commonly used in orchestral musical music, would consist of repeating the progression of the perfect chords before reaching a grand conclusion. The plagal cadence is next. It is used as a final note in a musical composition, similar to the perfect cadence. It moves instead of going from chord 5 to 1, but from chord 4 to 1. This makes it easier to transition from chord 5 to 1, and creates a gentler conclusion than the perfect rhythm.
This cadence also goes by the name “amen cadence” as it is commonly used in hymns. The imperfect cadence is next. The imperfect cadence is the opposite of the perfect or plagal cadence. It’s a comma. The imperfect cadence is a way to end a musical sentence, while the first two complete it. This happens when you move from one chord to the next on the scale. The cadence would be imperfect if somebody played “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, but didn’t play the last chord.
The interrupted cadence ends the series. This chord shifts from chord 5 into chord 6. It surprises people who don’t expect a perfect chord. The perfect cadence starts at chord 5. Therefore, the audience expects the first chord to be the one. The 6th chord can add a new dimension to the music by adding color and tone. The unique thing about the interspersed cadence is that you can play it in two keys. You can play it in the major key. This means that you can start from chord 5, a major, and end at chord 6, a minor. You can also play it in chord 5, which is a major chord. Chord 6 is a minor chord. However, chord 6 will be a major one. You can make the interruption more dramatic by changing the key signature. Music composers have two most important tools: harmony and tonality. Music can be used to express many emotions and stories when it is done correctly.
John Williams
John Williams is a well-known film composer, pianist, conductor, as well as a pianist. His famous music has been used in films such s the Star Wars films and Indiana Jones Films. It is impossible to create emotional effects in film scenes without appropriate music. Williams is an expert in manipulating tone and texture to match every gesture or mood that an actor or set could express. John Williams was interviewed by Oscar on 21 July 2014. He spoke about his views on “Films being in touch with the humanity of the characters.” Music unites entire peoples. Music unites entire religions. “I don’t think anyone of us understands how that works.” Williams’ method to creating music is based on the universal understanding that music is a form or language.
Analysis of “Welcome to Jurassic Park”. Williams was fascinated by the sight of multiple animals come to life 65 million years after they had been extinct. Williams’ scores for this film were full of mystery and overwhelming enthusiasm. Gary Rydstrom was Gary Rydstrom’s sound designer. He was responsible for creating the sounds of dinosaurs.
Williams took this and made it part of his music. He performed the act in an animated arrangement with the orchestra, breaking away from traditional musical variations. This created a weathered effect. Williams’ mood was brightened by this.
The film’s theme song, “Welcome to Jurassic Park”, emphasized two moods: fear and joy. This is the most famous of all the movie’s themes. It is a passive theme. It has a soft and appealing tone. This theme evokes strong memories of meeting dinosaurs in the park. For example, the Brachiosaurus (long-necked dinosaur) that we first meet at the beginning. When the main convoy guests arrive at this massive creature, the song is heard for first time. The string section is the one that leads the sequence. It expresses the timeless elegance and gentle highs, which meet the divine presentation of the screen.
This simple 3-note repetition is used to build this song: Bb, A, and then back Bb again. This is also known to be a neighbor-note figure. It can create embellishing sounds. The Bb is the first note on the scale this song is on. This makes it tonic. The piece has a tranquil feel, but the melody keeps returning to the Bb. This gives the feeling that one is in awe at seeing something. This is evident in our scene with the Brachiosaurus. The song is melodic in that it moves from one note or another in a matter of seconds. However, it also jumps in thirds at times. The song feels easier to follow and even singable. The song can be described rhythmically as a hymn because the melody and harmonies are in sync, making the same notes. This creates an arrangement that is not counterpuntal but melodic, which gives the song a positive and profound feel, reminiscent our characters’ reactions.
The harmonies are built on three chords. All major: I, IV AND V. These are the main sources of the piece’s emotional drive. There are certain chord combinations that can produce the emotions Radwimps leader Yojiro YojiroNoda YojiroNoda has described. A rock artist is the last option when it comes to choosing a music composer for a movie. He answered the question “Radiohead”, “Elliot Smith”, Hiromi Uehara and John Frusciante are my favorite artists.” Female singers are my favorite. It’s because I can’t be. I also like neutral and genderless music.” This would imply that his way of creating music is heavily influenced both by jazz and hip-hop.
John Williams and Noda would have two very different musical styles. Williams prefers slow starts and stops, thematic and sweeping orchestras. Noda prefers to strumming an electric guitar and the pounding of drums. It would be odd to see rock music alongside the japanese romance. His music would be more like an action-oriented anime with a fast-moving plot and suspense. Yojiro Nada was able to make the music work while still keeping it in line with what was going on screen. This is illustrated in “Kimi No Na Wa” and “Your Name,” both 2016 anime.
The scene could depict a train ride through Japan’s countryside. A person would expect a broad sounding track that mimics the majestic beauty of Japan. Noda used his rock style to music in scenes like “Zense Zense Zense Zense”, which was played alongside more mundane tasks like cutting tomatoes or filling up a coffee machine. I felt chills while listening to the heavy, drum-heavy track and watching. This may be because Makoto Shinkai, the film director, and Yojiro Nada worked simultaneously on music and animation during “Your Name”. Whatever the music meant, it was reflected in the scenes onscreen. Sharp cuts between different actions and people were made with a frantic feel accompanied by drum beats at exactly the same moment.
Akin to a music clip, Yojiro Noda combined his rock music with “Kimi No Na Wa”‘s flowing pacing. This song is the most memorable and was also featured in the film. It’s not rock, however. It isn’t modern, however.
This masterpiece has been dubbed Noda’s greatest work. Summary of Makoto Shikai’s “Kimi No Na Wa”.
Before analysing the music, we must understand the context within which it is being played. “Kimi No Na Wa” tells the story of two teenage girls who come together by trading their bodies. They do it for no apparent reason. The audience soon discovers that the rivers of space and time are what separate them. Mitsuha is a country girl who lives in Itomori, Japan’s Hida area. Taki, a city-boy and artist who works in a small cafe. They have never met. Taki stands as a spectator, watching as the comet soars over Tokyo. Mitsuha is having a party with her village when the comet breaks off pieces and sends it hurtling towards her village. The scene ends, and transitions to animation and sharp cuts, with Noda’s Zense Zense Zense.
The song ends and they find out that they have switched bodies. They did not know each other, but developed a close friendship and began to exchange notes after their switch. They decide to stop switching for any reason. Taki’s view is the only one that we can see for any length of time.
