Jezebel (1938) and Citizen Kane (1941)
Composition–Variation–Deconstruction: A Comparison of Two Philosophies of Film Scoring
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jfm.24725Keywords:
Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, film waltz, Golden Age of film musicAbstract
One of Max Steiner’s most famous film themes is the waltz for Jezebel (1938). In this article, the Jezebel waltz will be analyzed and juxtaposed with Bernard Herrmann’s waltz for the marriage scene in Citizen Kane (1941). This comparison, between two composers of completely different styles, will exemplify the features of the music of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as represented by Steiner, in contrast to the newer aesthetic ideas represented by Herrmann.
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