Moving Pictures

Film makers have known of the power of music from day one. Even before they'd figured out the technology of including sound on film, organists were hired to accompany the playing of silent movies. The great big band leader, Count Basie, got his start in the music business playing for the movies.

These days, movie producers pay big bucks to add a level of emotion that is not possible with visuals alone. There is a long line of outstanding composers that have either written for the movies or have made a career of writing for the movies.

John Williams is likely one of the best known names in the movie soundtrack business with titles like Star Wars, ET, Jaws, and Indiana Jones on his resume, it is unlikely that you can't sing at least one John Williams theme. There have been many composers that have been known for their concert writing that have also written for film. Dmitri Shostakovich is one of the most famous early composers for film. Much of what he wrote for film hasn't been heard by western ears but is slowly being discovered in Russia. He explored the role of the composer in the film process. In todays world, most composers write to an already formed visual product. Shostakovich wrote the music to an opera that he wanted to present as an animated film. The music existed first and he asked an animator to produce the film to his completed music.

John Philip Sousa, known as the March King, thought along the same lines. He wrote music that he hoped would be used by movie producers. To my knowledge, it was never used, but he did create some highly visual music that is a delightful departure from his prolific march output.

Come to Evergreen Cultural Centre on May 9th or Kay Meek Centre on May 15th to hear PSWE perform the music of some of these and other incredible composers for film.