HOWARD GOODALL'S 20TH CENTURY GREATS - BERNARD HERMAN - Assignment Example

Howard Goodalls 20th Century Greats - Bernard Herman Howards video is a great insight into the life and music of Bernard Hermann. It is an excellent documentary made for musicians and non-musicians. Howard analyses how the most significant works of Bernard Herrmann were conceived. Howard’s video covers the entire career of Hermann with a specific emphasis on his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. According to Howard, Hermann is best known for his masterpieces Vertigo and Hitchcock. He completely transformed film music and dragging out of its reliance on the 19th century Vienna sounds and textures and into the contemporary age.

He brought the orchestra up to date with imaginative and unparalleled musical textures and effects. Hermann used electronic instruments to score a sequence of landmark films. In doing this, he did not only deter the film audience off the romantic music it was almost conversant with but he also impacted classical concert. He was unsure of his success. He never received the respect he had a desire in the classical world. However, Herman did more than anyone else to widen the musical tastes of the audience.

He did this in the crucible most significant form, which is the cinema, of the twentieth century (Howard).Herman composed more than simple music to manipulate his audience as most movies scores are intended to (Howard). He created a psychological mood that developed a character unto itself. Living even beyond the images they are established to support. It is interesting to learn about the combination of historic facts and practical demonstration. It is interesting to note that the musical concepts to be observed in the Hitch scores of Hermann always have a heavy focus on internal repetition.

Often, sections of Hermans music will comprise of a short notion that is repeated in various ways. On the one hand, it is applied to disguise this repetition partially, but, on the other hand, to assist the suspense and obsession of mood and cyclic falls found in the Hitchcock. The most remarkable of the repetition strategies comprise of the chromaticism and instrumentation. Chromaticism not only permits Herrmann to repeat short phrases without end, but it also increases the suspense and general mood of the scene.

It is a device of Hermanns landscape, which can be seen as the first of Herrmann’s notable echoes. Herman was evidently able through his collaboration with Hitchcock to connect these films sonically. The allusions betray a more intelligent objective than a simple lack of creativity. The echoes throw thematic designs in the composition of Herrmann and Hitchcock into stark relief often providing an illuminating commentary that the images cannot. These quotations validate the internal steadiness and distinctive persona.

Herrman’s notches counter the simplistic criticism of repetition that is often leveled at the music of films and demonstrates how the technique may be utilized to expand the meaning. The technique might also be used to beyond a personal film. Therefore, it is exactly because of repetition that the work of Hermann for Hitchcock is considered meaningful and efficient. At a close analysis, Hermann’s music for Hitchcock was a sequence of emotional recollections. Work Cited Goodalls, Howard. Bernard Herman Modern Comp. YouTube.