Atkins, Irene Kahn

Source Music in Motion Pictures

(Rutherford,Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1983)

Nicely written book that contains an excellent bibliography on film sound.

Bazelon, Irwin

Knowing the Score: Notes on Film Music

(New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1975)

Sections on the art and technique of composing for film as well as interviews with composers.

Bernstein , Charles H

Film Music and Everything Else

( paperback , Turnstyle Music 2000)



Bernstein, Elmer

Elmer Bernstein's Film Music Notebook

(Film Music Society Publication)

Thirteen installments, was originally published by Bernstein himself between 1974 and 1978  issued only to subscribers of Bernstein's Film Music Collection of limited edition recordings



Brand, Neil

Dramatic Notes: Foregrounding Music in the Dramatic Experience

(Luton University Press, Arts Council of England, 1998)

Excellent and unpretentious discussion of the affective power of music. Contains many interviews with composers e.g. George Fenton, Stephen Warbeck, Carl Davis, Judith Weir



Brophy, Philip: (ed)

The World of Sound in Film

(1999) Sidney: AFTRS Publications

A collection of papers presented at the 1998 Cinesonic conference, RMIT, Melbourne.

Howard Shore and Carter Burwell give accounts of the composer's relationship to and power over the rhythm and structure of stories



Brophy, Philip: (ed)

Cinema & the Sound of Music

(2000) Sidney: AFTRS Publications

A collection of papers presented at the 1999 Cinesonic conference, RMIT, Melbourne. The supersonic body popping in Hype Williams video clips.

The jazz portraits of junkies and hipsters by Elmer Bernstein.

The many voices of the cinematized Beethoven.

The global ring of music on the film soundtrack.

The euphoric strains of movie music in your local supermarket.

The psychotic orchestration of Fritz Lang's sound with music.

The movie music sampling performances of David Shea



Brophy, Philip:(ed)

Experiencing the Soundtrack

(2001) Sidney: AFTRS Publications

A collection of papers presented at the 2001 Cinesonic conference, RMIT, Melbourne.



Brown , Royal S.

Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music

( Hardcover, Univ California Press ,1994)

As good as any general survey of film music. Contains interviews with composers as well as analyses of Korngold, Rózsa and Godard



Bruce, Donald Graham

Bernard Herrmann: Film, Music and Narrative

(Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1985)

Analyses of numerous Herrmann film scores. Thoughtful and readable .

Burlingame, Jon

Sound and Vision: 60 Years of Motion Picture Soundtracks

(Watson-Guptill Publications 2000, Paperback )



Burt, George

The Art of Film Music

(Boston, Northeastern University Press, 1994)

Analysis, criticism and appreciation.

Coyle, Rebecca (ed.)

Screen Scores: Studies in Contemporary Australian Film Music

(Sydney, AFTRS, 1997)

Series of compelling articles on a number of Australian film including Shine, Young Einstein and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Danley , Linda ( edit)

Hugo Friedhofer: The Best Years of His Life

(Hardcover, 1999)



Darby, William & DuBois Jack

American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques, Trends 1915-1990

(Jefferson, N.C. McFarland, 1990)

History, analysis, criticism and appreciation.



Davis, Richard

Complete Guide to Film Scoring : The Art and Business of Writing Music for Movies and TV

Berklee Pr Pubns; 2000

Egorova, Tatiana

Soviet Film Music: An Historical Survey

(London, Harwood Academic Publishers, 1997)

I nformative, detailed and readable history from 1917 to 1991.



Ehrenstein, David & Reed, Bill

Rock on Film

(New York, Delilah Books, 1982)

Eisler, Hanns & Adorno, Theodor

Composing for the Films

(New York, Oxford University Press, 1947/ repr. Athlone Press, 1994)

Still as provocative today as when it was first published. Will yield great rewards for anyone who can see beyond its Marxist rhetoric.



Evans, Mark

Soundtrack: The Music of the Movies

(New York, Hopkinson & Blake, 1975/ repr. DaCapo, 1979)

Anecdotal work containing historical sections and brief discussions of Hollywood film composers.

Fordin , Hugh

M-G-M's Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit

(paperback, Da Capo Press 1996)



Flinn, Caryl

Strains of Utopia: Gender, Nostalgia, and Hollywood Film Music

(Princeton University Press, 1992)

Significant because it is the first, and only, work to consider gender in film music. However, it suffers from a great lack of musical justification for it arguments.



Frith, Simon & Goodwin, Andrew

On Record: Rock, Pop and the Written Word

(New York, Pantheon, 1989 / Routledge 2000)



Heming , Roy

The Melody Lingers On: The Great Songwriters and Their Movie Musicals

(Newmarket Press; 1999)



Gabbard, Krin

Jammin' at the Margins: Jazz and the American Cinema

(Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1996)

A provocative series of essays that shed new light on how jazz fits into American life viewed through the cinema. Detailed philosophical and historical arguments.



Gorbman, Claudia

Unheard Melodies : Narrative Film Music

(Indiana University Press, 1987)

The seminal film music book. Contains historical and aesthetic arguments including the movement from silents to sound, Classical Hollywood practice and an analysis of Eisler/Adorno's critique. Zéro de Conduite, Sous les toits de Paris and Hangover Square are also discussed.



Hagen, Earle

Scoring for Films

(New York, E.D.J. Music/Criterion Music Corp., 1971)

Contains detailed technical explanations including click-track charts as well as considering the legal and moral obligations of the composer. Discusses principles for scoring diegetic music and underscoring dialogue.

" Scoring for Films/Includes Compact Disc"

Hoffmann, Charles

Sound for Silents

(New York, Drama Book Specialists, 1970)

Historical and practical account, includes musical examples

Huntley, John

British Film Music

by John Huntley (London, 1947/ repr. Arno Press, 1972)

Sections on history, the British documentary and music recording.

Kalinak, Kathryn

Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film

by Kathryn Kalinak (Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1992)

Offers a clear introduction to basic film scoring aesthetics, such as establishment of characters by way of themes and the heavy influence that Romantic Era classical music had on film scores during Hollywood's Golden Age. Kalinak focuses on Max Steiner's score for The Informer and David Raksin's score for Laura, among others, before showing the classic Hollywood style still at work in John Williams' The Empire Strikes Back.

Karlin , Fred

Listening to Movies: The Film Lover's Guide to Film Music

(Hardcover, Wadsworth Pub Co; 1994)

Beginners guide, an encyclopedia covering every aspect of film scores, including profiles of notable composers and their credits, discussion of basic aesthetic concepts, abundant illustrations, a review section, a discussion of the studio system vs. freelancing etc.

"Listening for Movies" discusses the scores of eight classic films, from The Adventures of Robin Hood (Korngold) to The Magnificent Seven (Bernstein) to The Untouchables (Morricone), with scene timings and orchestral details that again surpass the general descriptions given in some academic works



Karlin, Fred & Wright, Rayburn

On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring

(New York, Schirmer Books, 1994)

A detailed study and analysis of all aspects of film music. Especially useful for composers. Contains an excellent section on the dramatic effectiveness of certain types of orchestration.



Lack, Russell

Twenty Four Frames Under: A Buried History of Film Music

(London, Quartet books, 1997)

History of film music with an examination of music’s emotional impact on the film audience. Contains an interesting section on film music and politics.



Larson, Randall D.

Musique Fantastique: A Survey of Music in the Fantastic Cinema

(Metuchen, Scarecrow Press, 1985)

Study of music for sci-fi, horror and fantasy genres . The book provides a historical survey of this particular brand of score throughout the decades, spotlighting the Universal Pictures monster movies of the 1930's and 40's, the 'alien scare' science-fiction films of the 1950's, Japanese monster movies, low-budget horror films of the 1960's by Roger Corman and the like, and the resurgence of & 'fantastic cinema' in the late 1970's and beyond .

Levy, Louis

Music for the movies

(London, Sampson Low, 1948)

Anecdotal description of Levy's own work for musicals and for scoring dramatic films

Limbacher, James L.

Film Music: From Violins to Video

. (Metuchen, Scarecrow Press, 1974)

Contains short articles on film music by musicians and others as well as an inaccurate list of films and their composers .

Virtually all aspects of film scoring are discussed, grouped into general sections concerning aesthetics, history, animated films, documentaries, the influence of classical music, and so on. The individual essays vary in quality and approach, with some providing mainly historical perspective, while others propose theories on what film music should be; the largest section of essays is devoted to appreciations of individual scores, most of which date from the 1930s through the 1950s.

London, Kurt

Film music;: A summary of the characteristic features of its history, aesthetics, technique; and possible developments

(London, Faber & Faber, 1936/ repr. Arno Press, 1970)

An excellent historical survey dealing mainly with the move from silent to sound film. Contains a penetrating section on the aesthetics of the sound film.

McCarty, Clifford (ed)

Film Music 1

Garland Press 1989, reprinted by Film Music Society

- Gaylord Carter, the Dean of Theater Organists

- "What Were Musicians Saying About Movie Music During the First Decade of Sound?

- "Stravinsky and MGM.",

- Miklos Rozsa's Ben-Hur: The Musical-Dramatic Function of the Hollywood Leitmotiv."

- "The Music of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers."

- "A Conversation with Bernard Herrmann."

Film Music 2: History, Theory, Practice

(Film Music Society Publication)

Includes a broad scope of material from the 1940s to the present. Essays are devoted to the documentary scores of Golden Age composers Virgil Thomson and Aaron Copland; opera films





MacDonald , Lawrence E

The Invisible Art of Film Music

(paperback, Ardsley House Pub1998)

( Hardcover, 1991)





Mancini, Henry

Did They Mention the Music: The Autobiography of Henry Mancini

( Cooper Square Pub dec 2001)

Mancini, Henry

Sounds and Scores: A Practical Guide to Professional Orchestration

( Warner Bros Pubns; Bk & CD edition 1999)

A master of orchestration shares some of his secrets .



Manvell, Roger & Huntley, John

The Technique of Film Music

(London, Focal Press, 1957/ repr. Hastings House, 1975)

A very detailed review of film music. Contains analyses of many scores including: 2001, Henry V, The Best Years of Our Lives and The Devils as well as numerous statements by film composers about their own techniques and preferences.

Marks, Martin Miller

Music and the Silent Film: Contexts and Case Studies, 1895-1924

(New York, Oxford University Press, 1997)

Contains very detailed analyses of The Birth of a Nation and Entr'acte as well as sections on music in the American silent film and a discussion of the research materials available on film music.



Morgan, David

Knowing the Score

(Harper paperback, Harper Entertainment; 2000)



Marmorstein, Gary

Hollywood Rhapsody: Movie Music and Its Makers

( Hardcover, Schirmer Books1997)



Mundy, John

Popular Music on Screen: From the Hollywood Musical to Music Video (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1999)



Palmer, Christopher

The Composer in Hollywood

(London, Marion Boyars, 1990)

Discussion of American film composers. History and criticism

Dmitri Tiomkin: A Portrait

(London, T.E. Books, 1984)

Chronological discussion of Tiomkin' s work. Includes a complete filmography as well as analyses of Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train, and Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Prendergast , Roy M

Film Music: A Neglected Art - A Critical Study of Music in Films .

(New York: New York University Press, 1977. 2nd edition, paperback, 1992)

Well written general historical survey of film music. The primary interest of the book is on dissection of individual scores at the notation level. Included in Prendergast's discussion are excerpts from Rosenman's East of Eden, Goldsmith's The Wind and the Lion, Bernstein's The Man With the Golden Arm, Herrmann's Psycho, and others. Prendergast freely uses music theory and terminology throughout, and this text is recommended mainly for musicians and music scholars. Chapter of the book on-line: "The Aesthetics of Film Music"



Previn, André

No Minor Chords

(London, Doubleday, 1992)

Reminiscences of Previn's life and work at MGM studios.

Raksin, David

David Raksin Remembers His Colleagues: Hollywood Composers

(The Stanford Theatre Foundation 1995 )

A collection of essays written by Mr. Raksin in association with a festival of classic film scores at the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, California in April 1995



Reay, Pauline

Music in Film: Soundtracks and Synergy

(Wallflower Press, 2004)

A brief history of the development of music in film from the silent era to the present day. This book explores how music operates on a narrative, emotional and cultural level.



Romney, Jonathan & Wooton, Adrian (eds.)

Celluloid Jukebox: Popular Music and the Movies Since the 50s

(London, BFI Publishing, 1995)

Collection of essential articles on popular music in film. Contains interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Ry Cooder and Wim Wenders among others, as well as a good filmography.



Rona, Jeff

The Reel World: Scoring for Pictures

Backbeat Books; Paperback 2001



Rózsa, Miklós

Double Life: The Autobiography of Miklós Rózsa

( London, Midas Books, 1983)

Sabaneev, Leonid

Music for the films: A handbook for composers and conductors

(trans. Pring, S.W., London, Pitman, 1935)

One of the earliest books published about film music. Very interesting in historical terms

Schelle , Michael

The Score: Interviews with Film Composers

(Silman-James Press; paperback, 1999)



Skinner, Frank

Underscore

(New York, Criterion Music Corporation, 1960)

Practical manual for composing for films. Slightly dated but good.

Smith, Jeff

The Sounds of Commerce: Marketing Popular Film Music

(New York, Columbia University Press, 1998)

Very readable work examining the emergence and development of the soundtrack album within its economic, industrial, and historical contexts. Contains excellent chapters on the music for Goldfinger and The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.



Smith, Stephen C.

Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann

(Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1991)

Excellent biography providing a real insight into the character of the man .



Thomas , Tony

Music for the Movies

(2nd updated edition, paperback, Adventures Unlimited Press; 1997)

Readable account that evenly balances anecdotal and analytical material. Statements from numerous film composers about their work. Includes discography.



Ulrich, Allan

The Art of Film Music: A Tribute to California's Film Composers

(Oakland Museum 1976)

A tribute to Elmer Bernstein, Ernest Gold, Lyn Murray, David Raksin and Fred Steiner . The interviews and statements by the composers are not offered anywhere else.







Useful book