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Topic: a fundamental score (?)
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Howard L
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A few hours ago I was humming the intro to Soon It's Gonna Rain and it got me thinking of how The Fantasticks was something like a fundamental musical, "fundamental" in the sense of a string of simple but powerful melodies orchestrated with bare-bones instrumentation (harp, piano, percussion) and wedded to an even simpler boy-meets-girl story and lyrics to match. The show ran off-Broadway for eons before the film adaptation (which I have yet to see). This all, in turn, got me thinking of a film score that I might point out to a movie music neophyte as a fundamental film score along the lines of the above. In terms of paucity of instrumentation, I think the scores to the incomparable Twilight Zone series of yore makes a great primer, especially Fred Steiner's work on A Hundred Yards Over The Rim which I consider to be the single greatest television score ever written, although Herrmann's Walking Distance IMHO is the finest score within that particular series. {Note: please don't even try to understand this apparent contradiction, lord only knows I can't  } In terms of an equivalency to story/lyrics/melody, think of simple story, direction and cinematography underscored with a melodic sound. For me, the first thing that came to mind was E. Bernstein's classic To Kill A Mockingbird, but then I figured it's too great to give it the 'fundamental' moniker in the sense of start-here-and-work-your-way-up. It's way up there at the top! Therefore, I nominate Laurence Rosenthal's wonderful score to The Miracle Worker for all of the reasons stated herein. The fact the production was a film adaptation of a stage play that was originally a live TV drama from the 50s is also just too "fundamental" to pass up. This is just one man's opinion.
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[Message edited by Howard L on 07-21-2003]
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posted 07-20-2003 08:34 PM PT (US) ip
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joan hue
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I think you are right, Howard, to not include To Kill a Mockingbird as
“fundamental.” The story appears simple through the eyes of the children, but it
is a layered, complex story, and Bernstein’s music grows in complexity as
the story unfolds.
I’ve got to find some videos of the Twilight Zones you refer to so that I can indulge
myself via immersion into the music. (I just don’t remember the music to those
episodes. Shame on me.)Taking your descriptors of “fundamental” (powerful melodies, bare bones
instrumentation, simple story) I would nominate Fred Karlin’s Stalking Moon.
The wonderful main theme is mostly a powerful “whistler” and guitars. Karlin varies
and develops the theme and adds some action music, but overall the score is as
simple as the linear narrative of this western. Another one is Michael Gore's Terms of Endearment. Memorable main theme used
as connective tissue for time changes. Simple orchestrations, but it works. The
story, however, I’ve always thought was insightful and complex as it explored the terms “some” loving relationships must be based upon for success or failure.
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posted 07-20-2003 11:09 PM PT (US) ip
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joan hue
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This topic, like Howard's last two topics, "could a (and should a) been a contender!NP A Bridge Too Far
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posted 07-21-2003 10:52 PM PT (US) ip
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James
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I still haven't seen the film (I plan to soon), but I would like to nominate Sir Jerry's wonderful A Patch of Blue as a fundamental score. The movie's story, as I understand it, is rather simple: blind, alienated Elizabeth Hartmann has an emotionally abusive mother, meets Sidney Poitier who becomes her only friend. The melodies in Goldsmith's score are both as simple and as powerful as they come, and his orchestration, while not conventional, is very simple. Most cues consist of a small string section accompanied by piano, harmonica, and/or flute. Other instruments, common and uncommon, make memorable appearances, but regardless of whether or not we're used to hearing them in a film score (or in the same film score) the arrangement of those instruments is quite simple (and beautiful).What do you think? Kirk
NP - Princess Mononoke (Hisaishi) [Message edited by James on 07-21-2003]
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posted 07-21-2003 11:08 PM PT (US) ip
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Howard L
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Captain, that's a very interesting choice in that the simple but utterly marvelous Patch score seems to have a direct precursor in Mr. G's The Big Tall Wish from the aforementioned Twilight Zone and as such, every reason you cite works for both. And the latter also seems to give a hint in what was to come in his Magic in mood, if not specifics. Looks like your nomination hits the "fundamental" mark in both the personal Goldsmith portfolio and the general cinematic scheme of things...which probably shouldn't surprise when you think about it.
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[Message edited by Howard L on 07-22-2003]
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posted 07-22-2003 07:58 AM PT (US) ip
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joan hue
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James, I agree with Howard on A PATCH OF BLUE. That is an excellent example of a fundamental score. Goldsmith has two others that utilize simple melodies with an Americana sound. One is LILLIES OF THE FIELD which is mainly harmonica and guitar. The other is FLIM FLAM MAN. Gotta love that main theme and honky tonk piano.NP Will put on Flim Flam Man
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posted 07-22-2003 01:14 PM PT (US) ip
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jehannum
Non-Standard Userer
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Try The Traveling Executioner too .. I bought this from FSM for reasons of completeness and put off listening to it. I wish I hadn't! I listened to it two days ago and was more pleasantly surprised than by any other soundtrack I've bought.I thoroughly recommend it.
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posted 07-23-2003 07:21 AM PT (US) ip
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Graham Watt
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Howard, an interesting thread. I know what you mean. Laurence Rosenthal's score for THE MIRACLE WORKER is just amazing in its bare bones approach to the bare bones material. By the way, that's an incredible film, and Rosenthal backs it up so so subtley. Greatly intense scoreless scenes too, like when Patty Duke is kicking and scratching whilst being taught table manners. Irwin Bazelon has a section on that score in his book "Knowing The Score".I was going to mention A PATCH OF BLUE before James got in (honest). I think that fits the bill perfectly. With Jehannen's mention of THE TRAVELLING EXECUTIONER and Joan's thumbs up for LILLIES OF THE FIELD, this seems to be turning into a "best of early Jerry" thread. Yes, those scores mentioned are very intimate, but I'm not sure as to how they fit into your (Howard's) original scheme of things. So I just have to stick my oar in and say that, although Jerry Goldsmith's THE STRIPPER isn't in the "bare bones" category, it IS early Jerry, and it IS bloody great! I listened to it just today. Unfortunately the sound was awful, being neither a shoe nor a wader. I really must get the FSM release.
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posted 07-23-2003 03:04 PM PT (US) ip
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Timmer
Standard Userer
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So your saying it's a plimsole Graham?!
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posted 07-23-2003 04:56 PM PT (US) ip
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Timmer
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Or maybe a Wellie?!
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posted 07-23-2003 04:56 PM PT (US) ip
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Timmer
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...or a hiking 'shoe'?!I'll leave while I'm still behind 
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posted 07-23-2003 04:58 PM PT (US) ip
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Graham Watt
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Timmer, Wellie would come closest to what I'm talking about."If it wisnae fur yer wellies
Where wid ye be?
Ye'd be in the hospital
Or infirmary" (Copyright, Billy Connolly, 1979)
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posted 07-26-2003 02:11 PM PT (US) ip
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