 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC
(PineTree Press, 2012)
by Roger L. Hall
This popular book is available
exclusively here on a multimedia DVD
with bonus film music reviews,
music examples and a video program!
Praise from distinguished film composers!
"Thank you for the copy of your film music book. Congratulations and best wishes for success in your future contributions to the film music literature."
-- John Williams, film composer and conductor"I do feel your book is done in a most interesting way. It affords a quick overview of what has not become a very, very broad field. Congratulations!"
-- Elmer Bernstein, late film composer and conductor"Your film music guide should be available to anyone interested in the Golden Age and beyond."
-- John Morgan, film composer/score restorer.
The author is film music historian and critic, Roger L. Hall, and it is now available in an updated edition.
Previous printed editions of the guide are now SOLD OUT.Unlike other books that cover only movie songs or film scores,
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC covers them both.The book is available exclusively on a multimedia DVD and pages may be printed out for use in classroom teaching or for other purposes. It includes past reviews and tributes from the long-running online magazine, Film Music Review.
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC -- available in pdf and Microsoft Word formats.Here are the chapters of the book:
- Prologue: Music Memories at the Movies
- I. Chronology: Film Songs and Scores
- II. Main Title and Themes: Listening to Film Music
- III. Film Scores and Songs from Five Decades - The Top 100
- IV. Top 100 Film Scores of the 20th Century
- V. Comments on Film Music
-- Interviews with Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson
-- The Composer as Commentator: Bernard Herrmann, David Raksin, Dimitri Tiomkin
-- The composer as Critic: Elmer Bernstein
-- The Film Lyricist and Songwriter: Sammy Cahn and Henry Mancini
-- The Movie Critic and Historian: David Thomson and Tony Thomas- VI. Film Music Awards
-- The Academy Awards
-- The Sammy Awards- VII. Bibliography: Where to Find Information
- VIII. Discography: Recommended recordings on LP and CD
- IX. Film Composer and Songwriter Autographs
- X. Film Production: Bellamy's Musical Telephone
- End Credits: About the Author
Additional documents on the DVD include:
--100 film scores and movie songs
--Essential Film Scores and Film Musicals
--Film composers (a selective list)
--Film Music Review News and Tributes
--Film Music Review: Best and Worst CDs of the Year
--Film Music Review: Book and DVD Reviews
--Film Music Review: Index
--Film Music Review: CD Reviews
--Film Music Review: Songtrack Reviews
--The Sammy Film Music Awards
Bonus audio and video:
--Audio:
Music album 1: "Listener's Guide to Film Music"
Music album 2: "Oscar Film Music and The Sammy Awards"
Both albums include film score themes and songs played on Boston radio programs with Roger Hall as guest. Also included are exclusive interviews with two composers about their film music: Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson; and a conversation with lyricist, Sammy Cahn.
--Video:
cable television program with guest, Roger Hall, speaking about movie songs and film scores, with film clips from a 1940s musical (Glenn Miller and His Orchestra) and a 1950s Hitchcock film (music by Bernard Herrmann).
.jpg)
The title page (shown above) with music from the end credits of E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, is boldly signed by film composer, John Williams.
Other autograph illustrations in the book include: Bernard Herrmann, Alex North, Miklos Rozsa, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin.
There are also songwriter autographs by George Gershwin, Jay Livingston, and James Van Heusen, also by lyricists: Sammy Cahn and Ira Gershwin.
The Dedication page has signed photos by two favorites of the author:
film composer and songwriter, Henry Mancini, and lyricist, Johnny Mercer.At the end of the film music guide is a chapter illustrating how music can be used in a short film or play. The author describes his short play, The Musical Telephone. This play was based on a chapter in Edward Bellamy's famous 19th century utopian novel, Looking Backward. The novel was extremely popular in its time and has remained an important book in American literature. One of the things predicted was a "musical telephone," where listeners could hear music 24/7, similar to today's Internet radio. The music used in this play is described and several music examples are included in the book: "SIMPLE GIFTS" (Shaker song) and "THE DARK NIGHT IS ENDING."
This story would make an interesting film since it has both fantasy and sociopolitical elements, with criticism of excessive greed and lack of concern for the poor.
Anyone interested in developing this story for a film can write to:
The Musical Telephone - film treatment
Praise from a film music fan:
"Your book is a masterpiece. I found something new on almost every page!"
-- Howard L
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC (5th edition)
is available by donation only.
To receive this special multimedia DVD,
make a donation of $25 by credit card.
Your donation is payable to the owner of this site,
PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal.
Free shipping is included.
Click on this button to
After you have made your donation,
to insure proper delivery,
please mention the title, A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC,
and send your mailing address to:
Also available separately are three CDs from the American Music Recordings Collection with music by these distinguished composers:
AMRC 18: Aaron Copland On Film Music (16 track - 63:51)
Featured on this disc are excerpts from a rare television program from the 1960s, hosted by Aaron Copland, speaking about his film scores and conducting excerpts with a symphony orchestra. This program was recorded on audio cassette tape and sound levels are lower than usual. This rare television program includes excerpts from these Copland film scores: THE CITY, OF MICE AND MEN, OUR TOWN, and SOMETHING WILD. Also on this CD-R is an exclusive interview in 1980 by Roger Hall with Aaron Copland discussing his film music scores.
AMRC 19: Henry Mancini On Radio (15 tracks - 67:11)
Includes a special radio tribute by Roger Hall from 1989 with some of his early music from television and movies, such as PETER GUNN and THE PINK PANTHER, plus a call-in radio program with Henry Mancini as the guest with some of his film music included.
AMRC 20: John Williams On Radio (22 tracks - 78:59)
Featuring a birthday tribute by Roger Hall to John Williams with examples from a few of his early film scores; also from "A Night at the Movies" concert, and a lengthy interview with John Williams at Tanglewood in Massachusetts.
Read the 80th birthday tribute and Listener's Poll of favorite Williams film scores. Click here.
Best Film Music Releases
.jpg)
.jpg)
Film Composers and Soundtracks
© 2013 PineTree Productions. All Rights Reserved.