Production Challenges
Speculative Reduction: The Danger(s) of Not Considering Context
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Christine Evans-Millar
Compiled soundtracks – those containing both pre-existing and original score music — are ubiquitous in contemporary cinema. Directors are often celebrated (and occasionally berated) for constructing hybrid soundtracks that transcend genre and stylistic boundaries. However, although compiled soundtracks are comprised of disparate musical works, each instance of music is not heard in isolation but rather is part of an integrated whole. Therefore, to provide meaningful analysis and critique of compiled soundtracks, it is absolutely vital to consider the soundtrack in entirety. While this line of reasoning seems relatively straightforward, the challenge for students and researchers is that no standard or recognised frameworks for compiled soundtrack analysis exist. What prevails is the practice of Speculative Reduction — isolating specific musical moments without placing music in the context of the aggregated soundtrack. This paper will demonstrate the inherent limitations of non-contextual soundtrack analysis by offering examples of Speculative Reduction relating to the films of Wes Anderson. In addition, it will offer a new, more holistic and empirically evidenced framework for the investigation of compiled soundtracks suitable for interdisciplinary researchers (with limited musical backgrounds) for the examination and critique of film music.
At the Heart of Creativity: John Cranko and His Genius in Two Cities
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Bruce McCormick
What circumstances are necessary for the optimal transmission of an artist’s ideas? Creative genius is often associated with a singular individual, but what surrounds and supports an artist can be just as vital to the successful production of work. South African choreographer John Cranko is known for transforming Stuttgart, Germany from being the home of a respectable, regional ballet company into a ballet capital of international standards. He did this while leading the company from 1961 until his untimely death in 1973. Between 1968 and 1972 however, he was also the chief choreographer of the Ballet of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, and his time there was devastating. This paper will examine the relationship between Cranko and the management, collaborators and dancers in each theater in search of reasons why the transmission of his creativity was disastrous in Munich while it flourished in Stuttgart. Drawing from my interviews with Cranko’s dancers, friends and colleagues, I aim to shed light on this clear rift. I argue that although Cranko’s creative genius was present in both cities, a lack of managerial trust, a politicized working environment and an absence of willing collaborators led to a loss of artistic voice and personal desperation.
