Course Schedule
Week 1Aug 18–22
Unit I: Functions of Film Music, Audiovisual Relationships, and Topic Theory
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings / Key Concepts |
|---|---|---|
| 8/18 Monday | Class Introduction Guiding Question(s): What will this class cover? |
Reading: Syllabus |
| 8/20 Wednesday | Functions of Film Music Guiding Question(s): What are the functions of film music? What does film music accomplish? |
Reading: Various Authors, The Functions of Film Music |
| 8/22 Friday | Diegetic/Non-Diegetic, Source/Score Guiding Question(s): Where is film music? Is film music part of the film? Is film music part of the story? |
Readings:
Key Concepts: diegetic, non-diegetic, source, score
|
Week 2Aug 25–29
Unit I (continued)
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| 8/25 Monday | Audiovisual Relationships & Formal Design Guiding Question(s): How do the film and music work together? How does musical form relate to cinematic form? |
Chattah, Film Music: Cognition to Interpretation (2024), Ch. 3 “LINEARITY Schema” & Ch. 4 “SOURCE-PATH-GOAL & CONTAINER Schemas” |
| 8/27 Wednesday | Audiovisual Relationships & Narrative Meaning Guiding Question(s): How closely do the film and music work together? How does this process create meaning? |
Karlin & Wright (2004), Ch. 10 “Playing the Drama,” pp.129–178; Gorbman, Unheard Melodies (1987), Ch. 1 “Narratological Perspectives on Film Music,” pp.11–19 |
| 8/29 Friday | Topic Theory Guiding Question(s): What are music theory ‘topics’? What are the musical features of film music within given genres and/or situations? |
Chattah (2024), Ch. 7 “Archetypes,” pp.100–115 (optional: Appendix VI) |
Week 3Sept 1–5
Unit II: Music Analysis Methods — Rhythm
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| 9/1 Monday | NO CLASS — LABOR DAY |
|
| 9/3 Wednesday | The Rhythm of Film Music Guiding Question: How do film composers use rhythm, meter, and tempo? |
Karlin & Wright (2004), Ch. 15 “Using Rhythm,” pp.279–296 |
| 9/5 Friday | The Rhythm of Film Editing Guiding Questions: What is editing, and how does it influence our perception of a film? How are editing and film music related? |
Bordwell, Thompson, & Smith, Film Art: An Introduction, Ch. 6 “The Relation of Shot to Shot: Editing” |
Week 4Sept 8–12
Unit II: Music Analysis Methods — Melody / Theme / Leitmotif
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| 9/8 Monday | How Film Composers Use Melody Guiding Questions: How do film composers use melody? What are themes, and how do they relate to stories and characters? |
Karlin & Wright (2004), Ch. 13 “Using Melody,” pp.197–222; Gorbman (1987), “Themes,” pp.26–29 |
| 9/10 Wednesday | Leitmotif Construction and Transformation Guiding Questions: What is a leitmotif? How are themes transformed within films and across series? |
Lehman, Complete Catalogue of the Themes of Star Wars (2023) — franklehman.com/starwars |
| 9/12 Friday | Harmonic Variety Guiding Questions: What kinds of harmony can be found in film music? What kinds of analysis methods are useful for understanding film music? |
Karlin & Wright (2004), Ch. 14 “Using Harmony,” pp.223–278 |
Week 5Sept 15–19
Unit II: Music Analysis Methods — Harmony
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| 9/15 Monday | Neo-Riemannian Theory Guiding Questions: What is Neo-Riemannian Theory (NRT)? |
Lehman, Hollywood Harmony, Ch. 3 “Neo-Riemannian Theory at the Movies,” pp.85–95 |
| 9/17 Wednesday | Neo-Riemannian Theory Guiding Questions: How can we use the tools of NRT to analyze harmonic motion in film music and unpack its relationship to verbal, visual, and narrative features? |
Lehman, Hollywood Harmony, Ch. 3 “Neo-Riemannian Theory at the Movies,” pp.96–126 |
| 9/19 Friday | Post-Tonal Theory Guiding Questions: How are the tools of NRT, set theory, and polychord analysis relevant to film music? |
Heine, Film Music Analysis: Studying the Score, “Post-Tonal Theory and Hollywood Scores: Three Analytical Vignettes,” pp.202–223 |
Week 6Sept 22–26
Unit II: Music Analysis Methods — Timbre / Orchestration
| Date | Topic / Guiding Questions | Readings |
|---|---|---|
| 9/22 Monday | Timbre Analysis Guiding Questions: How does timbre create or suggest meaning in the context of film music? |
Oden, Film Music Analysis: Studying the Score, “Timbre in Film Music: Making Magic through Tone Color,” pp.1–19 |
| 9/24 Wednesday | Orchestration & Orchestrators Guiding Questions: How does orchestration influence our experience of film music? What are orchestrators, and what do they do? |
Karlin & Wright (2004), Ch. 16 “Using Orchestration,” pp.297–332 |
| 9/26 Friday | The Hyperorchestra & Electronics Guiding Questions: How does the orchestration process change with the use of samples, synths, electronics, and mixing? |
Casanelles, The Hyperorchestra: Screen Music and Virtual Music Ensembles, Ch. 5 “Hyperorchestral Aesthetic Frameworks for the Screen Music Composer,” pp.189–239 |
Week 7Sept 29–Oct 3
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — The Wizard of Oz (1939) — Herbert Stothart & Harold Arlen | Genres: fantasy, Golden Age studio (MGM), film musical
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9/29 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 10/1 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 10/3 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 8Oct 6–10
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) — Alex North
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10/6 Monday | NO CLASS — FALL BREAK | |
| 10/8 Wednesday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 10/10 Friday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
Week 9Oct 13–17
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — Psycho (1960) — Bernard Herrmann
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10/13 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 10/15 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 10/17 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 10Oct 20–24
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — Star Wars (1977) — John Williams
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10/20 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 10/22 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 10/24 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 11Oct 27–31
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — Ghostbusters (1984) — Elmer Bernstein
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10/27 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 10/29 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 10/31 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 12Nov 3–7
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — The Matrix (1999) — Don Davis
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11/3 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 11/5 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 11/7 Friday | NO CLASS — PROF. LINDVEIT OUT OF TOWN | |
Week 13Nov 10–14
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — The Dark Knight (2008) — Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11/10 Monday | THIS CLASS WILL BE ON ZOOM — Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 11/12 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 11/14 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 14Nov 17–21
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — How to Train Your Dragon (2010) — John Powell
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11/17 Monday | Historical Background Presentation — Prof. Lindveit; Themes Presentation — Student | |
| 11/19 Wednesday | Harmonic Languages Presentation — Student; Soundworld/Orchestration Presentation — Student | |
| 11/21 Friday | Cue Analysis Presentation — Student; Wrap-Up Discussion |
Week 15Nov 23–24
Unit III: Film Score Case Studies — Elf (2003) — John Debney
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11/23 Sunday | Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performs Elf live-to-picture — Attendance is encouraged but not required. | |
| 11/24 Monday | Discussion of themes, harmonic languages, and orchestration | |
—— Thanksgiving Break —--
Week 16Dec 2
| Date | Topic / Activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12/2 Monday | Possible Guest Speaker — TBD |