Monday Mail: Talk About Film Music

Moulin Rouge (Photo credit: Pep_Parés)

Q: Watching late-night TV movies has made me aware of the background music written for each film. Can you tell me something about film music?

A: My mother and grandmother told me that in the old silent-film days the screen action was accompanied by a "live" pianist who improvised suitable sounds to match the action, or by a small orchestra that played popular tunes and operatic music.

Few people realize that the first original film music dates back to 1908, when composer Camille Saint-Saens (who wrote, "The Carnival of Animals") penned a film score for "The Assassination of the Duc de Guise."

By the 1920s, film companies began to provide pit orchestras with short mix-match descriptive pieces suitable for the screen action, with such helpful titles as "Help, Help" and "Love's Response," and by the late 20s some music was composed just for certain silent films. Well-known composers such as Erik Satie, Richard Strauss, and Arthur Honneger got into the act as well.

With the arrival of the "talkie," about 1929, an original soundtrack became possible for a whole generation of films, some rather routine, but many with genuine musical interest, written by "serious" composers willing to venture into the new (and well paid!) medium.

The list is long and wonderful but here are a few I've highlighted:

Sergei Prokofiev, "Alexander Nevsky" (1938)

Aaron Copland, "Our Town" (1940)

William Walton, "Hamlet" (1948)

George Auric, "Moulin Rouge" (1953)

Leonard Bernstein, "On the Waterfront" (1954)

By the 1950s and 60s, film composing became a distinct profession in itself, with a whole fleet of specialists providing music for all of the Hollywood and New York studios: Dmitri Tiomkin, Elmer Berstein, Miklos Rosza, and Bernard Herrmann (the chief composer for the Hitchcock films), naming a few here.

Today film music has expanded into new dimensions, combining electronic sounds with instrumental and vocal music (such as in the scores for "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the "Star Wars" series) becoming very much an art form in its own right. This fascinating subject is worth investigating at your local library because film making has indeed gone to a whole new level with 3D and all.

All the best,






"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Monday Mail: Why Didn't Schubert Finish His Unfinished Symphony?

Romanza Andaluza [Diptych] (Photo credit: pablofalv)

Q: No one's been able to tell me why Schubert didn't finish his "Unfinished Symphony." Do you have the answer?

A: I'm sorry to say that I don't think anyone knows the real reason why Franz Schubert didn't complete his Symphony No. 8 in B minor. There are all sorts of guesses and romance stories, but the composer didn't leave a clue behind. I guess all that we know is that Schubert completed two movements and he began sketches for a Scherzo movement. So, probably he either put it aside for other works (and died before coming back to it), or that he temporarily ran out of ideas that matched the high inspiration of the finished movements.

As fine a work as it is, the "Unfinished" waited for 46 years to be published! Schubert finished the two movements in 1822, sent the score to his friend Huttenbrenner, died six years later, got a first performance in 1865, and publication in 1868.

Many of my readers perform regularly with a worship band in a church service.  That means you know about lead sheets, improvisation, modulations and so much more. Looking back, when I was a moderator in the zone community at the Hear and Play website, I spoke with a wonderful musician and friend James Stevens, who is the Professor of Music at Welsh College. For more information   with tons of great music resources, like improvisation handouts and guides, you'll want to visit his website.  James covers a range of improvisation and arranging topics – from how to read a chord chart,  chords for modulation and walking bass lines.

Besides the free improvisational downloads, you'll find two volumes of original piano solos on his wonderful site that can be downloaded as PDF files. I was so surprised to hear from Mr. Stevens recently and so blessed to receive a copy of his latest book, Romanza of the Heart, a set of “romantic piano compositions for relaxation and contemplation.”  I have been playing through the songs and love the heart-warming compositions with such beautiful, flowing melodies.  It's difficult to have a favorite because all of them are beautiful and very enjoyable to play. They’re written for intermediate to early advanced level for young students and adults. Available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes

Thank you, Dr. Stevens. Best wishes and much continued success.

If you have the time, be sure and head over to his site for Free Improv Downloads

Blessings,





"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

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Earth Moves for Carole and Daria Sings

Earth Day Movement

The height of hippie and flower-child culture in the United States, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Protest was the order of the day, but saving the planet was not the cause. War raged in Vietnam, and students nationwide increasingly opposed it...  As a result, on the 22nd of April, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. For more information, read about Earth Day History

 Daria's World Music

When I reflect on Earth Day, I always think of Daria's World Music and Carole King's "I Feel The Earth Move." Remember that one? If you're not familiar with Daria, please visit Celebrate Earth Day and Music from the Andes. She's always having a giveaway, providing coloring pages and tips on how to make beautiful musical instruments like the Turtle Rattle mentioned above.

Also, you can purchase her MP3s:
We've Got the Whole World In Our Hands
Daria Sings For Earth Day

I posted the chords to one of my favorite James Taylor songs awhile back. It was Carole King who wrote You've Got A Friend

I Feel The Earth Move

I feel the earth - move - under my feet

I feel the sky tum-b-ling down - tum-b-ling down

I feel my heart start to trem-b-ling -

Whenever you're around

  This song became a huge hit in 1971 from Carole King's Tapestry album.
I Feel The Earth Move

Chords and Lyrics

Intro: Cm7

         Cm7        
I feel the earth move under my feet

           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down

          F7
I feel my heart start to tremblin'

Cm7                   Bb7+
Whenever you're around

D#7+           Cm7
Ooh baby when I see your face

 F7                    G7
Mellow as the month of May

D#7+                Cm7
Oh darlin' I can't stand it

          F7             G7
When you look at me that way

         Cm7        
I feel the earth move under my feet

           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down

           F7  
I feel my heart start to tremblin'

         Cm7         Bb7      Ab     G7     /F F# G Bb /
Whenever you're around

Cm7    Cm7      

Cm7    Cm7
    
Cm7    

Cm7        GUITAR & PIANO SOLO

Cm7    Cm7




D#7+                Cm7
Ooh darlin' when I'm near you

         F7              G7
And you tenderly call my name

    D#7+                Cm7
I know that my emotions

     F7                    G7
Are something I just can't tame I just got to have you baby


Cm7    Cm7       מעבר

         Cm7        
I feel the earth move under my feet

           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down tumbling down 
         Cm7        
I feel the earth move under my feet

           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down tumbling down 

          Cm7
I just lose control
  Cm7
IN TO MY VERY SOUL
 Cm7
I GET HIGH AND FALL ALL OVER AL OVER ALL OVER AL OVER
 Cm7
I feel the earth move under my feet
           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down tumbling down
  Cm7
I feel the earth move under my feet

           Cm7
I feel the sky tumbling down tumbling down ... 

Learn TO Play: Shout To The Lord 

You may be interested in the worship song by Hillsong.  

Oh, how I have played it many times.

One of my musician relatives lives in Australia. He is on their team, so proud! 

Shout to the Lord

C        G 

         
my jesus  my saviour
Am              G        F
lord there is none like you
            C/E  F      
all of my days  i want to praise
Am                   B    F/A  Gsus G
the wonders of your might-y love 
C         G          
my comfort  my shelter
Am        G         F
tower of refuge and strength
          C/E      F         C/G
let every breath  all that i am
Am             B   F/A  Gsus  G
never cease to wor-ship you

   chorus
C             Am          F            F/G   G
shout to the lord all the earth let us sing
C         Am         F          Gsus   G
power and majesty praise to the king
Am                         F   
mountains bow down and the seas will roar 

And here is the song in the Key of A.

Verse
A            E
My Jesus my Saviour
F#m             E             D
Lord there is none like You
              A/C#  D            A/C#
All of my days   I want to praise
         F#m                 G  D/F#  E
The wonders of Your mighty   love

A              E
My comfort my Shelter
F#m          E              D
Tower of refuge and strength
                A/C#   D        A/C#
Let every breath   all that I am
F#m                G   D/F#   E
Never cease to worship   You

Chorus
A                 F#m
Shout to the Lord
           D              E
All the earth let us sing
A                F#m
Power and majesty
D                 E
Praise to the King
F#m
Mountains bow down
              D
And the seas will roar
            E      D            E
At the sound of Your name
A           F#m
I sing for joy
            D                  E
At the work of Your hands
     A          F#m
Forever I'll love You
    D            E
Forever I'll stand
F#m                               D
Nothing compares to the promise
    E         A
I have in You

Blessings to you,
 





"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King