Extended Techniques On Horn and Their

EXTENDED TECHNIQUES ON HORN AND THEIR
USE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM
by
Caitlin Beth McKinney
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for Departmental Honors in
the Department of Music
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas
May 5, 2014
ii
EXTENDED TECHNIQUES ON HORN AND THEIR
USE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM
Project Approved:
Supervising Professor: William Gibbons, Ph.D.
Department of Music
Heather Test, M.M.
Department of Music
Claire Sanders, Ph.D.
Department of History
iii
ABSTRACT
In this paper I seek to explain the various ways composers use the French horn
and its extended techniques in film music dating from the 1930s to the present. I
specifically focus on the techniques of stopped horn, glissandi, trills, extreme upper
register and flutter-tongue. I also concentrate my studies on three film genres; science-
fiction/fantasy, western and horror.

iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................1
FRENCH HORN EXTENDED TECHNIQUES.............................................................................2
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE SCIENCE-FICTION/FANTASY GENRE........13
A Brief History of the Genre.............................................................................................13
Science-Fiction/Fantasy, Music and the “Other”...............................................................18
Example No. 1: The Star Wars Franchise.........................................................................24
The Phantom Menace: Diegesis and Familiarity..................................................24
Return of the Jedi: Drama, Terror and Climax.....................................................24
Example No. 2: Jurassic Park: The Lost World................................................................29
“The Island Prologue”: Main Title Music and the Horn......................................29
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE WESTERN GENRE..........................................31
Definition and Brief History of the Western Film.............................................................31
The Roles of Music in the Western....................................................................................33
Case Study No. 1: Red River (1948)..................................................................................35
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE HORROR FILM................................................37
Definition of the Horror Film............................................................................................37
The Role of Music in the Horror Film...............................................................................38
Example No. 1: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)...... .....................................................42
Example: No. 2: Jaws........................................................................................................45
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................48
APPENDIX A: TABLE OF RECORDINGS.................................................................................49
BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................................................68
v
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
FIGURE 1.1: Correct Position of Hand Inside the Bell to Create Stopped Effect..............5
FIGURE 1.2: Correct Position of the Hand from the Rear to Create Stopped Effect.........5
FIGURE 1.3: Standard Range of the Professional Horn Player..........................................8
TABLE 1.1: Notation and Examples of Extended Techniques in Classical Music...........12
TABLE 2.1: Top Grossing Films of the 1990s (Science Fiction/Fantasy) by year...........18
FIGURE 2.1: Star Wars “Main Title”...............................................................................20
FIGURE 2.2: The Gungan Marching Band.......................................................................26
FIGURE 2.3: The Battle of Endor.....................................................................................29
FIGURE 2.4: The First “Compy” Appears........................................................................30
FIGURE 3.1: Dunson and Matt After the Fight................................................................37
FIGURE 4.1: Frankenstein’s Monster and His Bride........................................................44
FIGURE 4.2: The Shark Devours Quint............................................................................48

INTRODUCTION
The scene is set. Two opposing armies approach each other from across a valley.
The soundtrack begins. The sound of tramping feet accompanies the soldiers' progress, a
chord in the orchestra quickly crescendos, and the tension builds. Zoom in on the hero; a
brass fanfare sounds. Cut to a shot of the villain, and the music drastically shifts. The
tone becomes eerie, with distorted instrumental sounds forming minor or even diminished
chords. It is quickly apparent to whom we, the audience of this film, should throw our
support. Our emotions are heightened as the intensity of the scene grows until finally,
with a triumphant shout from the brass section, the two armies charge forward and
enter battle.
This hypothetical scene exists in any number of films in various genres, yet both
the story and the techniques used to tell it have become tropes in many Hollywood
movies. The joyful entry of the brass to represent the hero and his entourage and the
diminished creepiness of the antagonist appears repeatedly in film music. Tropes are
incredibly common in this genre of music, many of which find their origins in
programmatic orchestral works as well as operas and ballets.
The French Horn in particular (hereafter “horn”) seems to garner many such
stereotypical uses in film. The instrument’s versatility allows it to evoke a wide variety of
emotions in those who are listening, and thus it is as common to hear a soaring horn solo
performing the theme in a dramatic love scene as it is to hear the horns blasting out the
villain's motif in a battle shot. Furthermore, the horn has the capabilities to perform what
are known as “extended techniques,” which include such skills as bells up, aleatoric
2
performances, flutter-tonguing, stopped horn, trills, glissandos (or “rips”), and playing in
the extreme ranges of the instrument.1 Film composers frequently employ the horn’s
extended techniques in their scores, creating a set of tropes that aids the audiences
understanding of the action occurring on screen.
FRENCH HORN EXTENDED TECHNIQUES
The use of the horn’s extended techniques has clear origins in so-called
“classical” music, which correlates to the beginnings of film music as well as styles still
used today.2 Each skill possesses its own unique history of usage within the canon of
classical music, and it is especially important to note the composers who frequently
employed these techniques in their music in order to understand how they became
standard in film music, as such a large number of Hollywood composers have found
inspiration within concert repertoire as well.3 Throughout this paper, I will be exploring
the use of five of the more common extended techniques used in film scores; trills,
stopped horn, glissandi, flutter-tonguing and extended high range.
Perhaps the extended technique with the longest history of usage in classical
music is the trill. This effect is accomplished in one of two ways, either through what is
known as a “lip trill” or through a “valve trill.” Lip trills have been in use far longer than
1
Naturally, these are not the only extended techniques available to horn players, but many of these, such as
the use of mutes and triple-tonguing, are incredibly difficult to observe with the ear alone. Others, such as
multi-phonics and unconventional performing techniques, are exceedingly difficult to locate due to their
infrequent use within the vast canon of film music. Unfortunately, almost all film scores are the exclusive
property of the film studios that commissioned them, and thus are not available for public viewing at this
time.
2
“Classical” here meaning concert music, rather than music from solely from the actual Classical Era.
3
In the days of silent films, classical music was often played or performed to accompany the on-screen
action. Audience expectations dating back from the silent films created an even stronger tie between
classical and film music and also provides yet another reason that the use of horn in film scores so
frequently reflects Romantic Era traditions.
3
valve trills due to the relatively late invention of the valved horn.4 The horn player
performs the lip trill by sliding between two neighboring pitches, using the embouchure
to create the trilling effect.5 The valve trill, by contrast, occurs through the rapid motion
of the valves causing the pitch to alternate between two adjacent pitches. Lip trills are by
far more common in classical music for horn, with valve trills almost always only
performed in the farther regions of the instrument’s range, which prevent lip trills from
being sounding correctly.6 Trills are potentially problematic for composers, as this is a
technique which takes many horn players years to master, with some never actually
learning the skill.
The use of trills traces its origins back to the Baroque era of music (approx. 1600–
1750), when its primary use was for ornamentation in a manner similar to those of the
strings and keyboard instruments. Perhaps the most important implementation of this
technique during this time in music is its use in two famous pieces by George Frederic
Handel (1685–1759): Water Music in F, HWV 348 (1717) and Music for the Royal
Fireworks, HWV 351 (1749). These works were among the first to feature the horn
prominently and as such introduced the possibility of widespread use of the trill.7 As time
passed different composers made frequent use of the trill, both lip and valve. Claude
Debussy (1862–1918) used the technique in several of his pieces including the well-
known La Mer (1905), and Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) employed trills in five of his
4
As opposed to the natural horn, the valved horn makes use of a rotary valve which “opens the way for the
air column through an extra loop of tubing, at the same time blocking the original path, so that the total
tube length is greater than before, and therefore lower in pitch.” The valved horn was not fully accepted by
composers until the early 1900s. Walter Piston, Orchestration (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1955),
212, 231.
5
Alfred Blatter, Instrumentation and Orchestration (New York: Schirmer Books, 1997), 135.
6
I say this from my personal experience as a horn player and conversations with various professionals.
7
At the time these would have been solely lip trills, due to the fact that natural (valve less) horns were still
the only type available.
4
symphonies. Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936) included trills in several of his
compositions, notably The Pines of Rome (1924) and Feste Romane (1929).
Programmatic work The Pines of Rome appears in film music at least three times, and its
use is clearly echoed in the film scores produced by John Williams (b. 1932), amongst
others. Finally, Richard Strauss (1864–1949) and Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) made use
of the trill in their works, with it appearing in at least five of Strauss’ works for orchestra
including Ein Heldenleben (1898) and Till Eulenspeigel’s Merry Pranks (1895), as well
as in Stravinsky’s famous work Le Sacre du Printemps (1913).8 (See Figure 1). The
frequent use of extended techniques in programmatic works, meaning those that have a
concrete story provided by the composer, likely suggested similar uses to early film
composers. In late Romantic and early 20th century works such as these, the use of trills
changes from a Baroque ornamentation to a far more dramatic and ominous sounding
near-distortion of the horn players’ sound, especially when performed at louder dynamic
levels.
Stopped horn is another extended horn technique found frequently in both concert
and film music. One of the most challenging skills in the horn player’s repertoire, stopped
horn requires performers to change the position of their right hands inside of the bell. The
right hand is normally placed approximately halfway inside of the bell to control the
intonation of the instrument and to support the player in holding up the horn. To achieve
a stopped effect, performers insert their hands even farther into the bell of the horn,
creating a seal that prevents air from passing through (see figures 1.1. and 1.2). The
alteration raises the pitch by a half-step and drastically changes the tone quality. In softer
8
Strauss’s father Franz was a famous horn player who spent many years employed by Richard Wagner.
5
dynamics, stopped horn creates a “delicate, buzzy coloration” while when performed
more loudly has “an ominous-sounding bite.”9
Figure 1.1 Correct Position of Hand Inside the Bell to Create Stopped Effect
Figure 1.2 Correct Position of the Hand from the Rear to Create Stopped
Effect
9
Blatter, Instrumentation, 147.
6
Composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908) describes the sound of
stopped horn in his Principles of Orchestration as “assuming a wild ‘crackling’ character
in forte passages, tender and dull in piano.”10 Late 19th and early 20th century composers
such as Debussy, Mahler, Strauss and Stravinsky used stopped horn extensively, but the
first known use of this technique occurred in Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde (1856).
Yet another extended technique with origins in the symphonic repertoire is the
glissando. A glissando on the horn occurs when the performer plays the harmonic series
of the instrument in a very quick slur. Composers since the Romantic Era such as Sergei
Prokofiev (1891–1953), Mahler, Stravinsky (see Figure 3) and George Gershwin (1898–
1937) often use glissandos to add dramatic emphasis to their music. This technique is not
unique to the horn, but the sound it creates is very different from the rest of the brass due
to the nearness of the instrument’s partials, allowing for a very smooth glissando. 11 While
trumpets and tuba are very rarely called upon to perform this skill, glissandos are almost
commonplace for the trombone. However, the anatomy of the trombone (e.g. the slide)
causes a trombone glissando to glide between the notes in a far more liquid manner, often
creating a comedic effect. In contrast, the horn lands on each note individually, albeit
briefly, causing a much more dramatic sound which is used in a vast number of film
scores in varying genres.
10
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Principles of Instrumentation (New York: Dover Publications, 1964), 26.
11
Partials here is synonymous to both frequencies and notes. There is a set distance between each partial
available to a horn player, and due to the nature of the instrument the distance between them is much
smaller in the upper register. Thus, the closer the partials the easier it is to move between them. This is one
of the main reasons it is such a challenge for horn players to perform in the upper range of the instrument;
the nearness of the partials allows for a much greater chance of landing on one which is incorrect.
7
Flutter-tonguing is a far less common technique for horns, although it is one that
arises across a wide variety of orchestral wind instruments. Flutter-tonguing is performed
by a rapid vibration of the tongue creating a rolled “r” (similar to that in languages such
as Spanish and Italian) inside the mouthpiece while simultaneously sounding any given
pitch. 12 This creates a distorted tone color, potentially adding tension to any musical
moment. Stravinsky is yet again one of the composers who utilized this tone color in his
orchestral works most often, along with 20th century composer and member of “Les Six”
Arthur Honegger (1892–1955). Aaron Copland also employs the technique, combining
flutter-tonguing horns and trumpets in his third symphony¸ while Richard Strauss adds
trombones as well in both Don Quixote (1898) and Suite from “Le Bourgeois
Gentilhomme” (1917).
The final extended technique I will discuss is performing in the extreme ranges of
the instrument. The standard compositional range for the horn is generally accepted as
being from D1 to C6 (see figure 1.3). However, there are many difficulties present for the
horn player even when performing in this accepted range. Notes in the upper echelons of
the register are far more unstable, again due to the nearness of the instruments partials,
resulting in the increased likelihood of missed or “cracked” notes above G5 in
comparison to those of the middle and lower octaves.
12
A mouthpiece is a “more or less cup-shaped [piece of metal]…” It serves as a medium through which, as
the musician blows air causing his or her lips to vibrate, “these vibrations are communicated to the column
of air enclosed in the brass tube.” Piston, Orchestration, 208.
8
Figure 1.3 Standard Range of the Professional Horn Player
In spite of the instrument’s limitations, some composers have pushed the
boundaries of horn playing beyond this range. Richard Strauss, for example, included not
only a D6 in his piece Sinfonia Domestica (1903) but the even more unusual E6 as well,
(see Figure 7). Others have required horn performers to extend their high register as well.
Charles Ives’s (1874–1954) work “The Fourth of July” from his “Holidays” symphony
(1913) includes a D Flat6, as does Arnold Schönberg’s (1874–1951) Fünf
Orchesterstücke (1909). There are some who have included only the top of the
professional range (C6) in their compositions. Aaron Copland composed in this manner
in three of his pieces, including Appalachian Spring, and other familiar names such as
Mahler, Strauss and Stravinsky frequently also made use of the horn’s stratospheric
register. Even more common is the use of B5 and B Flat 5, which appears in the works of
many of these same composers as well as the likes of Prokofiev and Respighi. 13
The use of the higher end of the range of the horn is a risky endeavor for any
composer, concert or film, as the stability of the instrument decreases progressively the
higher one plays. The same nearness of partials which allows the horn to create such
dramatically pleasing glissandi also causes the performer to miss notes more easily,
especially in the upper register, where the partials are particularly close. For film
13
Gardner Read, Thesaurus of Orchestral Devices (New York: Pitman Publishing Corporation, 1953), 92–
93.
9
composers, the risk is increased tenfold. Costs of renting out studios and recording
equipment means that every hour spent in a recording session is astronomically
expensive. Furthermore, not only is there is minimal time for rehearsal but there is also a
demand for impeccable accuracy, and too frequent use of the upper register can easily
exhaust a performer. These circumstances result in a far more high pressure performance
situation for the horn players who must perform these scores. Despite the inherent risks
involved, the high register of the horn is desirable for its “assertive” and “forceful”
qualities.14 Thus, many Hollywood composers frequently write for this range when
attempting to create drama or tension.
Although I will not be discussing the low register in this paper, it is worth noting
that the low range of the horn appears in both concert and film music.15 Extension of the
low register for horn is far less common than that of the high, most likely due to the tone
problems most players encounter in this range of the instrument. When the performer
plays in the lower range of the horn, the tone becomes fuzzy, indistinct, and far more
difficult to play at any sort of loud dynamic. Regardless of the challenges, some
composers such as Brahms, Mahler (yet again), Strauss, and Shostakovich included
incredibly low notes in their works (see Figure 8). The lowest of these is A1, which
makes an appearance in four of Mahler’s symphonies as well as Shostakovich’s famous
Symphony No. 5.16
14
Marlin Skiles, Music Scoring for TV and Motion Pictures (Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, 1976),
71.
15
Horns very rarely perform in the extreme low register without some sort of augmentation from the
trombones and/or tuba, whose low range tends to swallow the lower notes of the horn. As the bulk of my
research has been through listening to recordings, due to the impossibility viewing an original score, I have
decided to only mention the low range of the horn in passing and to forgo any in-depth analysis.
16
Read, Thesaurus, 95.
10
The orchestral origins of these various techniques are particularly significant
given the influence Romantic Era and early 20th century compositions had on film music
of all genres. The fact that stopped horn first appeared in one of Wagner’s operas is
particularly significant for several reasons. The Wagnerian operatic concept of the
leitmotif is still one of the foundational elements of many film scores such as King Kong
(1933), Star Wars and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).17 Secondly, operatic
orchestral music possesses many commonalties with film music, as both are serving to
enhance the drama occurring on stage or on screen. Renowned film composer Howard
Shore even goes so far as to say that his work for the record-breaking Lord of the Rings
trilogy is almost closer in form to an opera than to the standard film score. “Lord of the
Rings” is an opera in concept… It has the complexity and the relationships of what we
think of as opera music, because it so goes beyond what we think of as a film score. A
film score you think of as having just a few characters and it doesn’t always have the
scope of what you think of as opera music. I don’t know if it has to do with drama. I think
it’s an emotional thing.” 18 The close relationship between opera and film explains the
similarities present in the two genres’ application of the horn as well.
Aaron Copland’s (1900–1990) use of stopped horn in several of his most famous
compositions, including Appalachian Spring (1944), and Four Dance Episodes from
“Rodeo” (1942), is also especially telling; Copland’s influence on film music,
17
“In its primary sense, a theme, or other coherent musical idea, clearly defined so as to retain its identity if
modified on subsequent appearances, whose purpose is to represent or symbolize a person, object, place,
idea, state of mind, supernatural force or any other ingredient in a dramatic work.” Arnold Whittall,
“Leitmotif,” Grove Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy.tcu.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/16360?goto=leitmotif&
_start=1&type=article&pos=2.
18
Fred Karlin and Rayburn Wright, On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring (New York:
Routledge, 2004), 141–42.
11
specifically scores written for the western genre, is well-documented. Copland’s
extensive use of this extended technique in his compositions no doubt created a precedent
his fellow Hollywood composers would quickly adopt.

12
TABLE 1.1 Notation and Examples of Extended Techniques in Classical Music
Trill from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Stopped horn, Stravinsky, Rite

of Spring.
Glissando, Stravinsky, Rite of Spring.
Flutter-tonguing from R. Strauss’s Don Quixote.
Bells up technique from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
Extreme high range from R. Strauss’s Sinfonia Domestica.
Extreme low range from Mahler Symphony No. 3.

13
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE SCIENCE-FICTION/FANTASY
GENRE
A Brief History of the Genre
Few film genres feature the horn as extensively as science-fiction/fantasy. From
recent blockbusters such as Avatar (2009) and Lord of the Rings (2001) to older
productions such as The Planet of the Apes (1968), the first Star Wars trilogy (1977,
1980, 1983) and Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), the horn dominates orchestral
film scores with an abundance of melodic content as well as special effects. In order to
understand the compositional use of the instrument, however, it is necessary to discuss
the history of the genre and its music.
The science-fiction/fantasy film has a long and varied musical history. 19 With
lauded composers such as Max Steiner (1888–1971), Jerry Goldsmith (1929–2004), Hans
Zimmer (b. 1957), James Horner (b. 1953), Howard Shore (b. 1946), and of course John
Williams (b. 1932) filling out the ranks of those of have worked in this genre, it is no
wonder that here is a vast library of film scores for both science-fiction and fantasy films.
The science-fiction genre first began to coalesce in the 1930s, with one of the most
famous examples, King Kong, premiering in 1933. Widely acknowledged as having
established the standard “classical film score,” Steiner’s score is highly reminiscent of the
Romantic Era in both orchestration and melodic content.20
19
Timothy E. Scheurer provides a concise definition of the genre: “The Science Fiction film is a film genre
which emphasizes actual, extrapolative, or speculative science and the empirical method, interacting in a
social context with the lesser emphasized, but still present, transcendentalism of magic and religion, in an
attempt to reconcile man with the unknown.” This definition could apply to the fantasy genre as well, with
only the substitution of science with magic or the “fantastic.” It is for this reason that I choose to discuss
these two genres simultaneously rather than dedicating separate chapters for each. Timothy E. Scheurer,
Music and Mythmaking in Film (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Co., 2008), 48.
20
Grove Music Online provides a great summary of the Hollywood classical film score. “[The classical
film score is] essentially a leitmotif-based symphonic romanticism with narrative orientation...” Mervyn
14
As the genre developed, other renowned Hollywood composers began to
contribute to the canon of science-fiction/fantasy film scores. The dawning of the 1950s
saw a rise in the production of science-fiction films, mainly focused on alien life visiting
Earth. No doubt a reaction to the Cold War as well as the “Space Race,” films such as
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), scored by Bernard Herrmann (1911–1979), and The
Thing from Another World, scored by Dimitri Tiomkin (1894–1979) began to dominate
the box office.21 Whether presenting a not-so-veiled criticism (or support) of
McCarthyism or simply entertaining audiences, the growing prominence of the genre
presented film composers a myriad of opportunities for experimentation that other more
conventional genres did not offer. These films tended to focus on the idea of the hostile
alien invasion, and as such their scores were far more avant-garde. Herrmann’s score for
The Day the Earth Stood Still largely abandons the Romantic era sound and instead
features unsettling electronic instruments such as the theremin to represent the alien.22
Other films such as The Thing from Another World (1951) quickly followed suit, and
thus, during this time period, the horn and other traditional orchestral instruments were
less prominent. Science-fiction films of the 1950s also tended to emphasize dissonance as
the main sound of the alien creatures, and not until the friendly aliens of the 1970s
appeared on screen was there a change in this practice.23
Cooke, “Film Music,” Grove Music Online,

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy.tcu.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/09647?goto=Film+Sco
re&_start=1&type=article&pos=2.
21
Philip Hayward, “Sci-Fidelity: Music, Sound and Genre History,” in Off the Planet: Music, Sound and
Science Fiction Cinema, ed. Philip Hayward (London: John Libbey Publishing, 2004), 8-10.
22
Rebecca Leydon, “Hooked on Aetherophonics: The Day the Earth stood still,” in Off the Planet: Music,
Sound and Science Fiction Cinema, ed. Philip Hayward (London: John Libbey Publishing, 2004,) 31-34.
23
Scheurer, Music and Mythmaking, 62.
15
Although the 1960s produced a fewer number of science-fiction films than other
decades, the movies produced during this period created a lasting impact on the genre.
Two of these influential films, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes, premiered
in 1968.24 Numerous studies of the former exist due to the last-minute replacement of an
original score composed by Alex North (1910–1991) with pre-existing concert works
such as Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra (1896); Jerry Goldsmith’s score for
the latter received high critical acclaim, earning him an Academy award nomination for
best original score. Goldsmith’s work for Planet of the Apes saw a blending of
experimentation, especially in instrumentation with the use of ram’s horns and other non-
orchestral instruments, as well as the standard 20th Century musical fare.25 Furthermore,
Goldsmith bends the laws of traditional instruments as well, calling on horn players to
reverse their mouthpieces to create a truly other-worldly sound.26
The late 1970s saw a massive boom in the number of Hollywood science-fiction
films. The end of the decade represented a shift in science-fiction cinema, whose focus
now expanded to feature the concepts of the friendly alien visitor as well as space
exploration. Spurred on by the 1969 moon landing, and with ever-increasing budgets and
advances in special effects, blockbusters such as Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), Close
Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Alien (1979) again revolutionized audience
expectations of the genre. In addition to composing for Alien, Goldsmith also received
the commission for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), the success of which led to a
24
Hayworth, “Sci-Fidelity,” 13-15.
25
Jon Fitzgerald and Philip Hayward, “The Sound of an Upside-Down World: Jerry Goldsmith’s Landmark
Score for Planet of the Apes (1968),” Music and the Moving Image 6, no. 2 (Summer 2013): 36.
26
Cynthia J. Miller, “Seeing Beyond His Own Time: The Sounds of Jerry Goldsmith,” in Sounds of the
Future: Essays on Music in Science Fiction Film, ed. Mathew J. Bartkowiak (Jefferson, NC:
McFarland, 2010), 213.
16
franchise that continues to this day. As the scope of science-fiction films grew, the size of
the orchestras employed to perform the accompanying music also expanded to the point
that full symphony orchestras were hired, such as the London Symphony Orchestra used
for the Star Wars movies. Proportionally, the horn in film music flourished under these
big-budget regimes, a trend which continues to this day.
Prior to the 1980s, fantasy films had largely fallen by the wayside with some
exceptions such as Jason and the Argonauts (1963), famous for its Ray Harryhausen
created stop-motion special effects, and The Land That Time Forgot (1975). The massive
success of the Star Wars films as well as the release of the first of the Indiana Jones
series, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) saw a boom in the production of both fantasy and
science-fiction films.27 John Williams also scored the Indiana Jones films, whose
“Raider’s March” serves as a perfect example of the bombastic march themes for which
Williams has become famous. 1982 saw the release of yet another successful Steven
Spielberg and John Williams collaboration: E.T. the Extraterrestrial. Trevor Jones’ music
for The Dark Crystal (1982) was originally intended to embody an avant-garde sound
through the use of electronic instruments; however, Jones conformed to the trends of the
time and composed a lush orchestral soundtrack.28 Also produced during this decade
were the films Tron (1982), The Terminator (1984) and The Princess Bride (1987). The
hallmark of the 1980s was a continual blending of the science-fiction and fantasy genres,
in no small part thanks to the blurred generic lines in the Star Wars films.
27
It is at this point that the two genres become inseparable. Star Wars especially had a major impact on this
blending, as it contains both elements of science (the futuristic settings and technology) and magic (the
force).
28
Randall D. Larson, “An Interview with Trevor Jones,” Soundtrack: The Cinema Score and Soundtrack
Archives, last modified June 12, 2013, http://www.runmovies.eu/?p=25.
17
The science-fiction and fantasy genre continued to thrive throughout the 1990s
and 2000s, and to this day many of the top grossing films from these decades belong to
the genre (see Tables 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3). One of the important effects caused by the
success of these films was Hollywood’s recognition of the immense profits to be made
from the soundtracks of such movies. Composer Howard Shore spent several years
touring the world with his project “The Lord of the Rings in Concert,” a pairing of a
projection of the films while a live symphony orchestra simultaneously performed the
soundtrack. By 2007, the Harry Potter soundtracks had sold more than 1.1 million copies
in the United States alone, while the Star Wars “Main Theme” has sold upwards of 2
million copies in the U.S., earning the sales certification of “Platinum.”29 The fact that
many of these incredibly successful films feature traditional orchestral film scores has not
gone unnoticed, and is a strong factor in the recurrence of such film scores.
29
“Harry Potter Charms the Entertainment Industry,” last modiefied August 10, 2007,
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2007/Harry_Potter_Charms_the_Entertainment_Industry.html.
18
Table 2.1 Top Grossing Films of the 1990s (Science Fiction/Fantasy) by year
Year Film Composer

1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Brad Fiedel
1993 Jurassic Park John Williams
1995 Batman Forever Elliot Goldenthal
1996 Independence Day David Arnold
1999 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace John Williams
Table 2.2 Top Grossing Films of the 2000s (Science Fiction/Fantasy) by year
Year Film Composer

2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Brad Fiedel
Stone
2002 Spider-man Danny Elfman
2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Howard Shore
Return of the King
2005 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Elliot Goldenthal
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Hans Zimmer
Man’s Chest
2007 Spider-Man 3 Christopher
Young/Danny
Elfman
2008 The Dark Knight Hans Zimmer
2009 Avatar James Horner
Table 2.3 Table 2.2 Top Grossing Films of the 2010s (Science Fiction/Fantasy) by year30
Year Film Composer

2011 Harry Potter: The Deathly Alexandre
Hallows Part 2 Desplat
2012 Marvel’s The Avengers Alan Silvestri
2013 Iron Man 3 Brian Tyler
Science-Fiction/Fantasy, Music and the “Other”
In her book Unheard Melodies, musicologist Claudia Gorbman states: “Like
lighting, free of verbal explicitness, music sets moods and tonalities in a film; it guides
30
“All-Time Box Office Hits: Domestic Gross, by Decade and Year,” Filmsite, accessed May 3, 2014.
http://www.filmsite.org/boxoffice2.html
19
the spectator’s vision both literally and figuratively.” 31 Aaron Copland similarly says of
film music, “The purpose of the film score is to make the film more effective.” He
elaborates further, stating, “In retrospect, I can see three important ways in which music
helps a picture. The first is by intensifying the emotional impact of any given scene, the
second by creating an illusion of continuity, and the third by providing a kind of neutral
background music.”32 Science-fiction and fantasy films challenge these conceptions of
the role of music by presenting difficulties unique to the genre. Music also bears the
responsibility of signaling the type of film, supplying location and familiarity, and most
importantly causing the audience members to suspend their disbelief.33 These roles are
important to all types of film, but they achieve a special significance in science-fiction
and fantasy. Most importantly, science-fiction and fantasy film music must signify the
presence of the “Other” or the “fantastic,” respectively.
First, the genre of film is often indicated by the main title music.34 This is crucial
especially for the science-fiction movie in informing the audience of the atmosphere.
There are many varying plot-categories that fall under the science-fiction heading, from
friendly aliens to hostile aliens, unknown worlds and known, to future-based films and
robotic components. From decade to decade the focus of these films has shifted;
Hollywood produced both Alien and E.T. the Extraterrestrial within four years of each
other and focus on human encounters with the alien and yet the attitudes towards these
alien life forms are dramatically dissimilar. It falls to the music to signal the audience,
alerting them to the treatment of the “Other” in each film. Jerry Goldsmith’s score to
31
Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies:Narrative Film Music (London: BFI Publishers, 1987), 11.
32
Aaron Copland, Our New Music (New York: Whittlesey House, 1941), 263.
33
Scheurer, Music and Mythmaking, 54–56.
34
Karlin and Wright, On the Track, 73-80.
20
Alien, full of harsh dissonances and eerie vocals, functions perfectly in creating the
atmosphere of terror that is vital to the success of the film, while in E.T. John William’s
score for the first scene uses solo flute and horn accompanied by soaring strings to keep
the audience far more comfortable, despite the presence of an
alien onscreen.35
Furthermore, the main title music is easily divisible into two main categories: the
“quest” or “heroic” type, and the “alien threat type.” The former style of scoring
emphasizes the hero of the film, and is obvious in most early science-fiction/fantasy
movies. Most often filled to the brim with leaping intervals such as perfect fourths and
fifths, these main themes tend to create a sense of yearning or lifting in the viewer,
especially when scored for brass instruments, which in turn creates a sense of the
warrior/hero mentality.36 The famous main theme for Star Wars (see figure 2.1) is a
perfect example as it begins (after three repeating triplets) with a leap of a perfect fourth
and then another of a perfect fifth. Factor in the triumphant shouting of the trumpets in
this theme and the connotations are clear: heroism and militancy will dominate this film.
Figure 2.1 Star Wars “Main Title.” 37
35
John Williams, “Far From Home/E.T. Alone” from E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, MCA, 2002, MP3.
36
37
21
The second role of music in the science-fiction/fantasy film, as in other genres, is
to provide the location or setting of the story. A large number of movies in this genre take
place in exotic locales. Planet of the Apes (2001), for example, establishes the strange
nature of its backdrop through the blending of intense percussion and synthesized music,
which on its own can relate to the music of Earth, but is simultaneously odd.38 Earlier
films such as Forbidden Planet (1956) also employ avant-garde electronic music to
create a sense of the alien on screen.39Another example of the importance of music in
establishing setting is the 1990 Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands. Alexander Binns
discusses the topic at length, arguing that Danny Elfman’s choice of using rich orchestral
music to represent fantasy in a movie split between a spooky and obviously “fantastic”
castle and the hyperbolic 1950s suburb allows the viewer to “construct spaces of fantasy”
as well as to hear the obvious differences in the two settings. 40
Another reason music is so vital to the science-fiction/fantasy film is the necessity
of creating (or denying) a sense of familiarity and thus comfort in the audience. The
strange settings present in these movies inherently possess their own cultural identities
and therefore musical traditions, yet many films strictly adhere to the sounds of Brahms,
Mahler, Wagner and Strauss, all of which are part of the Western music world. The
reason why is simple; were audiences suddenly confronted by sounds that do not fit their
perception of music in some way, they would be intensely discomfited. Furthermore, the
38
This is of course vital to the film, as the “surprise” ending is that the supposed alien planet is actually
Earth all along.
39
Rebecca Leydon, “Forbidden Planet: Effects and Affects in the Electro Avant-garde,” in Off the Planet:
Music, Sound and Science Fiction Cinema, ed. Philip Hayward (London: John Libbey Publishing, 2004),
61-63.
40
Alexander Binns, “Music and Fantasy Types in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands,” in The Music of
Fantasy Cinema, ed. Janet K. Halfyard (Sheffield, UK: Equinox Publishers, 2012,) 41-47.
22
emotional signifiers that have accrued over time would be utterly meaningless; a
composer would have to create an entirely new musical language which the viewer would
not necessarily understand.
An example of a composer creating this familiarity is the famous “Cantina Band”
scene from Star Wars. Several main characters of the film enter the “Mos Eisley Cantina”
on a completely foreign planet (Tatooine), and, naturally a diegetic music source
emanates from the so-called “cantina band.” On a planet with a cultural history utterly
different from that of Earth, one could reasonably expect new instruments, tonal centers,
musical styles, etc., and yet the band’s music falls reasonably within the common genre
of jazz. Instead of entirely new instruments, a simple mix of synthesizer, steel drum and
big-band instruments such as the saxophone and clarinet is presented to the ear, despite
the made-up instruments on screen. The purpose of this deception is to keep the audience
relatively comfortable with the scene unfolding before them; after all, this is the setting
where we first meet heroes Han Solo and Chewbacca. The jazzy nature of the cantina
band’s performance further enhances the setting as well, relying on the trope of jazz
being a feature of bars, particularly those which can draw a shady sort of patron.
Music in the science-fiction/fantasy film is also critical to the far subtler task of
assisting in the audience’s “suspension of disbelief.”41 Viewing any film requires
audiences to immerse themselves to a certain extent. Science-fiction and fantasy films
provide even more difficulties due to their very nature; they are inherently
“unbelievable.” Strangely, it is actually the addition of unrealistic elements, such as non-
41
The concept that “when audiences are truly engaged in a fiction, they come to believe, in a way, or half-
believe, that the fictional characters and goings-on are real.” Steven Sanders, Philosophy of Science Fiction
Film (Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2008), 138.
23
diegetic music, which tend to assist viewers in becoming fully involved with the film.
The prevention of distractions caused by special effects sequences, impossible
occurrences, etc., can be almost eliminated by the presence of appropriate scoring. This
goal is accomplished mainly through techniques that either consciously or subconsciously
heighten emotions; one example is the “stinger” chord, able to make audiences jump out
of their seats and presenting the threat of danger or even of violence.
The most important function of film music in this genre, and one that frequently
enlists the help of the horn, is that of representing the “Other.” Whether the “Other” is
alien life, magic, or a combination of the two, responsibility often falls upon the score to
alert the audience to both the nature of the “Other” and its presence. Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) offers an example: the movie opens with a shot of a normal
street sign and an owl perched atop it. After a few seconds of the owl flying away down
the street, a man emerges out of the gloom. He is dressed rather strangely, but before
much time has passed the camera pans away to show a cat and a very ordinary looking
house. The old man reappears and holds up a strange device, and with it seems to suck
the light out of all the streetlamps lining the avenue, providing the audience’s first visual
cue that something out of the ordinary or “fantastic” is happening. From the very first
fade-in, however, the music has been providing signals to the viewer, indicating the
presence of magic in the scene. Bells, chromatic strings in the upper register and the oboe
(often used to create suspense and mystery in both concert and film music) dominate
these first minutes of film.42 The bells prevent the old man (later revealed as one of the
guiding figures for the hero, Harry Potter) from seeming menacing or sinister, while the
42
Skiles, Music Scoring for TV, 71.
24
chromaticism present in the upper strings simultaneously create an atmosphere of
abnormality, again signaling the presence of magic to the viewer’s subconscious.
Example No. 1: The Star Wars Franchise
Having established the basic functions of music in the science-fiction/fantasy film
genre, it is possible now to focus more specifically on the role that the horn and its
various extended techniques often performs. I begin my various examples with an in-
depth focus on two of the Star Wars films: The Phantom Menace (1999) and Return of
the Jedi (1983). I have chosen to analyze these two films out of the six in the series for
several reasons; first, and most simply, The Phantom Menace and Return of the Jedi
feature the horn and its abilities more extensively than any other Star Wars film. Second,
choosing one film from each trilogy allowed me to track any evolutions to John
Williams’ compositional style and leitmotifs throughout the series, especially since there
was a sixteen year gap in between the release of the two films.43
The Phantom Menace: Diegesis and Familiarity
I begin with analyzing two separate tracks from the 2000 re-release of the
Phantom Menace soundtrack known as the “Ultimate Edition.” The first track is “The
Flag Parade,” which occurs in the story as the opening ceremony to the podracing
tournament. The music for the cue is diegetic to the film, and strangely features many
traditional Earth-bound orchestral instruments, especially the horn. Similar to the
“Cantina Band” scene, the purpose of using instruments familiar to the audience is to
43
The most significant change I noticed throughout was simply Williams reducing his use of the extreme
register of the horn by the time he composed the score for The Phantom Menace. Outside of these two
particular films, it’s interesting to note the dramatic increase of Williams’s horn use in between A New
Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and then Return of the Jedi. The first two pale in comparison to the sheer
amount of horn as well as the more challenging music featured in Episode VI.
25
allow the recognition of tropes associated with such instruments, thus keeping the
audience comfortable and allowing them to recognize the celebratory nature of the scene.
One of these tropes is the horn glissando. The distinguishing element of this particular
track is the subtle suggestion that, in this case, the horn is functioning as a quasi-diegetic
instrument. The “rips” (another term for glissando) in use here are highly reminiscent of
ram’s horns and other primordial instruments before the development of the modern
orchestra. The inclusion of the small rips in the main theme for the scene represents the
importance of the technique for establishing the dominant sound of the action about to
occur.
This technique of using the orchestral horn as a diegetic instrument despite
possessing no visual evidence on screen appears in the final scene of the film, a cue
called “The Parade.” A marching band precedes a joyful ceremony consisting of an alien
race known as the “Gungans.” This band is seen only for a brief moment on screen, but
in that time it is possible to see a collection of percussion instruments as well as an
animal horn, which indeed is related to the orchestral horn, but when the instrument is
played on scene the sound produced is quite different from the glissandos occurring in the
score. The use of rips in this manner is in obvious timbral contrast to the music created by
Williams over a decade earlier for Return of the Jedi, in this case providing a
simultaneous sense of setting when combined with the other musical elements of the
scene as well as allowing the audience to retain a modicum of familiarity despite the
foreign locale.
26
Figure 2.2 The Gungan Marching Band
Return of the Jedi: Drama, Terror and Climax
Return of the Jedi, despite occurring last in the overarching story line of the Star
Wars series, is representative of John Williams’s “brassiest” period of film composition.
Superman (1978) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) both feature the expansive brass
fanfares for which Williams quickly became known. As such, his score for the Return of
the Jedi makes extensive use of all the brass instruments, but perhaps none more so than
the horn.
The cue “The Pit of Carkoon/Sail Barge Assault” appears in the film as one of the
film’s antagonists, Jabba the Hutt sentences Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo
and Chewbacca to death. The Pit of Carkoon houses a dangerous creature known as a
“sarlacc,” which Jabba uses to execute his victims in a slow and torturous manner. The
heroes are able to overcome their guards, freeing themselves and sending the evil Jabba
to his death. The music accompanying this scene features horn extended techniques
27
typical to a dramatic battle sequence in films such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture
(1979), Avatar (2009) and Planet of the Apes (2001), featuring several glissandos and the
upper register of the horn to create a forceful effect. There is, however, one moment in
particular that is unique among the various recordings I investigated; at 3:01, the horns
perform a glissando that culminates not only on a trill, but on a B Natural 5. Scoring for
the horn in this upper register is a distinct risk for any composer, but when one combines
this device with a dramatic trill following the glissando the feelings of suspense and
excitement rise to new heights. Therefore, Williams’s use of the horn in this setting
assists in the suspension of disbelief in the scene through its simultaneous heightening of
both the action on-screen and the audiences’ emotions.
Another example of the instrument’s use demonstrates the stark contrast in
atmospheres created through the horn’s ability to glissando. In the music for the “Battle
of Endor”—the culminating battle sequence of not only the trilogy but of the Star Wars
franchise itself—the horn permeates the entire scene with shrill glissandos and parts
scored in the upper register. The track begins with a very percussive passage in the
winds and timpani with a low string ostinato. The motif travels around the orchestra and
blends with other themes such as the “Darth Vader Theme,” but as the motif develops, it
most frequently repeats in the horn section. The horns, however, are restrained, remaining
in a relatively comfortable register despite the loud volume required. The tension
continues to build throughout the track, exploring the Darth Vader theme and its
associated sounds further until finally the horns yet again state the theme in full. At 4:36
into the track, a forceful stopped horn note follows an unnatural-sounding trombone
glissando, marking the increased chaos occurring on the actual moon of Endor as the
28
Ewoks rescue Han and Leia, but it is not until 4:51 that the horns demonstrate their
prowess in a series of quarter note rips up to G5. The glissandos create a rather jarring
effect that serves the score by drawing the listener into the story and consequently
assisting in the suspension of disbelief. The horns begin to dominate the melody, trading
off with the trombones, but as they move progressively higher it becomes clear that the
ensuing battle is not going well for the Rebel Alliance.
As opposed to the use of the upper register in The Phantom Menace representing
uncontainable joy, the horns here exist for the sole purpose of creating a sense of
impending climax. The trill at 5:35 continues this trend, as does the repeated use of B Flat
5 throughout the next minute of music. An abundance of diegetic sound from the screen
in the form of (laser) gun shots, screams and other battle sounds enhances the atmosphere
of urgency growing as the ground battle between the Ewoks and Rebels opposite the
Empire’s forces gains momentum. As such, it is necessary to have the horns performing
in this upper register simply to be heard over the action! The pattern of the music serving
the drama continues through the rest of the sequence, and as one of the Empire’s starships
crashes into another, the horns shriek out yet another B Flat 5. The on-screen action
returns to the ground battle, with a staggering eleven glissandos within twenty seconds.
Continued rips in the horn section saturate the next several minutes of film, but as the
focus shifts to the battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader the range of the rips
lowers, and gradually the score quiets into a tone of patient menace rather than the
chaotic valor present in the rest of the scene. The score for the Battle of Endor is
representative of many composers’ use of the horn in both action and battle scenes,
marking a dramatic increase in the role assigned to the horn and its extended techniques
29
for not only the rest of the decade but which extends into current science-fiction/fantasy
productions. Many other cinematic creations make use of the horn in a similar manner,
ranging from Jerry Goldsmith’s work for The Mummy (1999) to James Newton Howard’s
recent music for The Hunger Games (2012).
Figure 2.3 The Battle of Endor
Example No. 2: Jurassic Park: The Lost World
“The Island Prologue”: Main Title Music and the Horn
John Williams’s soundtrack for Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997) has no
track specifically entitled “Main Theme,” but in its place is the “Island Prologue,” which
serves the same essential function of setting the tone for the film. What is most
interesting about this cue is Williams’s use of the horn’s extended techniques to create an
atmosphere of sheer and utter terror.44 The film begins with a horrifying scene in which a
passel of tiny dinosaurs eat a small girl alive. The accompanying music reflects the terror
44
John Williams, “Island Prologue,” from Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Geffen, 2012, MP3.
30
of both the girl and her parents, and in the course of doing so Williams pushes his horn
section to the absolute limit.
Figure 2.4 The First “Compy” Appears
As the audience begins to learn that these tiny, harmless looking dinosaurs actually do
pose a threat, the horns break through the thick musical texture with brassy stopped notes
(1:11, 3:00) but it is when the young girl’s mother arrives on the scene that Williams calls
upon the most dramatic range used in any of his science-fiction/fantasy films: a horn
glissando culminating on a C Sharp 6. In my research it was rare enough to find horn
music reaching C Natural 6, but in no other recording except The Lost World did I find
anything which reached above the high C. Furthermore, at the exact moment of the
glissando reaching to the high C sharp all diegetic sound cuts out, not returning until
several seconds later when the mother screams in horror. With the camera focused on the
31
mother’s shocked and terrified face, this particular rip produced by the horns
demonstrates the vastly darker tone Williams takes in the Jurassic Park sequel.45
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE WESTERN GENRE
Definition and Brief History of the Western Film
Before exploring the roles of both music in general and the horn specifically in
the Western genre, it is first necessary to provide a working definition of the term
“Western.” There are many possible interpretations of what films fall into this category,
among which are films that are actually set in the Western or Southern United States,
films which fit the “Western Spirit,” those which feature cowboys (a profession not
limited to the West). Furthermore, there is a question of chronological setting; can films
be Westerns if set outside of the standard 19th century allocation? Hidalgo (2004), for
example, breaks several of these guidelines from the start. Although the setting of the
film is indeed located in the Western United States for a brief amount of time, the vast
majority of the movie is set in the Middle East. Hidalgo also pushes the chronological
setting to its limit, as it is set in 1890, the very outer reaches of the 1800s. When one
questions the ability of an animated film to fit within the western genre despite the
predominance of live-action films of this nature another quandary arises.46 Perhaps the
best definition ignores the setting, the style, or even the subject matter of the genre and is
instead reduced to three simple objects necessary to film; “the clothes on your back, your
45
Jurassic Park: The Lost World, directed by Steven Spielberg (1997; Universal City, CA: Universal
Studios, 2012), DVD.
46
The 2011 animated feature Rango is arguably one of the most Western movies produced in the last
decade. In fact, one of its guiding forces is a mysterious character known as “the Spirit of the West.”
32
gun, and your horse.”47 These three characterizing necessities represent all that the
Western claims to represent. First, “the clothes on your back” signifies the ability to work
by the sweat of one’s brow that is a hallmark of all cowboys, whose independence, self-
reliance and oftentimes downright stubbornness allows them to support themselves in a
land oftentimes seemingly hell-bent on their destruction. The Western often features the
land as well, with the cinema presenting sweeping shots of the landscape during main
title, chase, and many other scenes. Second, no Western would be complete without the
inclusion of a firearm of some sort, preferably a revolver or a shotgun. This is simply
another representation of the cowboys’ independence; the gun allows them to enforce
their own laws and protect themselves from both man and beast, whether for good or for
ill. The horse, in turn, can be a manifestation of the tender side of the outwardly rugged
Western hero. The unbreakable bond between a cowboy and his horse is a focal point in
many westerns (including and especially Hidalgo.) Thus, the most accurate definition of
a Western is one that highlights the importance of being self-made, independent, and yet
fiercely loyal, regardless of where the film takes place. It is important to remember,
however, that whether the story takes place in the “Old West” or in the Arabian Desert,
the harshness of the land is critical to the hero’s struggle.
The history of the Western film is nearly as varied as that of the science-
fiction/fantasy film. Some of the most famous silent films easily fall into the category of
Western, including The Great Train Robbery (1903), which on its own set many of the
stereotypes still seen in the genre today such as “a shoot-out and a posse pursuit.”48 While
47
“Western Movies,” Filmbug, accessed March 16, 2014.
http://www.filmbug.com/dictionary/westerns.php.
48
Kristopher Spencer, Film and Television Scores, 1950–1979: A Critical Survey by Genre (Jefferson, NC:
McFarland and Co., 2008), 127.
33
the Western rose in prominence during the 1920s and 1930s, it was not until the 1940s
and ‘50s that the style of film would reach the zenith of its popularity. Featuring
superstars such as John Wayne, Tex Ritter, Gene Autry, James “Jimmy” Stewart and Roy
Rogers, the epic nature of the films combined with a distinct “Americanness” allowed
Western cinema to appeal to the masses of the American public.
The “cast” of Western film composers is no less star-studded than that of its
actors. Aaron Copland, largely credited for establishing an American sound both in
concert pieces and works for film, composed for such movies as The Red Pony (1949)
and Of Mice and Men (1939). Dimitri Tiomkin, Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Elmer
Bernstein and Jerome Moross further served to maintain the popularity of the genre. 49
The Roles of Music in the Western
To begin with the obvious, Western films often use scores in a similar fashion to
the science-fiction/fantasy genre in the establishment of a setting. Music for main title
sequences achieves the sense of place in a unique blend of traditional orchestral scoring
and folk or “theme” songs. The most prominent Western cinematic work to do this was
High Noon (1952), scored by Dimitri Tiomkin. The song “Do Not Forsake Me, O’ My
Darlin’,” became an instant phenomenon and set the tone for decades of films later
released with the same model of orchestral performances in addition to “pop” tunes. 50
Although these popular songs served to establish the generic American Western setting,
Hollywood composers instead used broad, sweeping orchestral themes to represent the
all-important landscape of the Western film. Musicologist Kathryn Kalinak describes the
49
Spencer, Film and Television, 127-129.
50
Kathryn Kalinak, introduction to Music in the Western: Notes from the Frontier, ed. Kathryn Kalinak
(New York and London: Routledge, 2012), 8.
34
phenomenon as “a primal connection between American music and the geographic space
of the West…. The West, with its wide open spaces and mythic archetypes (the cowboy,
the famer, the pioneer)…came to stand for the quintessential American identity in
music.”51 Music to represent the topography of America was often full of leaps and
bounds to represent not only the canyons, mesas, hills and valleys present in the
director’s concept of the Old West, but the hopefulness of the American dream itself.52
This technique was a perfect solution for providing placement and setting to the viewer.
Another reason for the importance of music in the Western is the representation of
the “Other.” In contrast to the science-fiction film, the “Other” in this case is no monster
derived from the imagination but is rather a historical fact. Depending on the individual
movie, this can be the stereotypical Native American antagonist, the land itself, or
another group of frontiersmen in the form of outlaws or rustlers. Whoever the “Other” is,
their representation in the score for the film prepares the audience for the appropriate
reaction to its presence on screen. For example, The Searchers (1956), directed by John
Ford and scored by Max Steiner, begins with a main title theme resplendent with brass
and tom-tom clearly foreshadowing the involvement of the “Indian” threat. Dances with
Wolves (1990), scored by John Barry, takes a different approach. The opening theme
features several solo instruments beginning with trumpet and moving to horn over a pedal
tone in the low strings while the violins provide a countermelody. The overall impression
this creates is of a regal nobility tempered by that typical “American” sound which
51
Kathryn Kalinak, How the West Was Sung: Music in the Westerns of John Ford (Los Angeles, CA:
Berkeley University Press, 2007), 52.
52
Kalinak, Music in the Western, 3.
35
permeates the Western genre.53 Rather than the tom-tom, the viewer now hears the
sounds of a snare drum to represent conflict, emphasizing the militant American rather
than the Indian. As the music shifts into a minor key, it becomes evident that the conflict
in the film will erupt not from the Native Americans but rather from the United States
military. This represents a dramatic role reversal in terms of the “Other,” and yet within
the first several minutes of film the score has signaled this transformation quite clearly.
There is another significant deviation from the concept of the “Other” presented
in the science-fiction/fantasy film. In the Western film, there is one consistent antagonist
who is rarely absent; the hero himself. One of the characterizing features of the genre is a
constant inner struggle within the so-called “Cowboy Hero” between the his civilized
side, that which makes him the hero and is representative of the settled frontier, and his
darker anti-self, which consists of the skills and lessons he has learned from the
wilderness in which he has learned to survive.54
Example No. 1: Red River (1948)
Dimitri Tiomkin’s score for Red River, a Howard Hawks film featuring an all-star
cast including John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and Harry Carrey, is not as famous as his
compositions for High Noon (1952) and The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), but it is a
score which typifies the musical methods used in many Westerns of the 1940s and 1950s.
Tiomkin himself stated, “[In] my opinion, [Red River] is a classic movie.”55 Moreover,
Red River also is representative of the Western genre’s use of the horn as well.
53
Beth E. Levy, Frontier Figures: American Music and the Mythology of the American West (Los Angeles,
CA: The Regents of the University of California, 2012), 246-261.
54
Scheurer, Music and Mythmaking, 150-151.
55
Film Music: From Violins to Video, ed. James L. Limbacher (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1974), 60.
36
A glissando in the horn appears almost instantly in the main titles for Red River,
offering a myriad of subconscious cues to the viewer in a variety of ways. In this moment
the horn functions both as a fanfare and as a dramatic device used to arouse an excitable
feeling in the audience. Furthermore, as this technique occurs a grand total of eight
seconds into the film, the rip in this scene also serves as an identifying device for both the
genre and the tone of the film. The dramatic glissando is a trope heard repeatedly in
Westerns, its quick upward motion functioning to simultaneously lift the story and the
rest of the score in a similar fashion to the upward motion of fourths and fifths common
in both science-fiction and action/adventure cinema. It is also possible to interpret the
horns in the main title sequence as a call to battle, harkening back to their historical use
as communication devices in both battles and “the hunt.”
Another interesting moment in Red River occurs in the final moments of the film,
particularly in the section of score entitled “The New Brand.” Yet again, the horn
employs an extended technique within the first several seconds of music, this time in the
outer echelons of the register. At this point in the movie, Dunson (the main character and
archetypal conflicted hero-cowboy) arrives and begins a “fight to the death” with his
unofficially adopted son, Matt. Despite various intrusions by hostile Native Americans in
Red River, who mainly function as a plot device, the “Other” in this cinematic work is
none other than our hero himself, Dunson. Giving in to his darker, desperate and vengeful
inner self, Dunson has sworn to kill one of the only people he loves in the world over a
simple act of defiance. After Dunson repeatedly fires his gun at Matt, narrowly missing
him each time, and, when this fails, beating him violently, Matt throws his first punch. At
this precise moment the horns begin their steep climb to a flutter-tongued B Natural 5.
37
The scoring here does not bode well for the outcome of the fight, as several seconds later
the horns perform a gut-wrenching glissando, again into the upper register of the
instrument. Another rip occurs moments later as the battle between the two cowboys
grows more intense. The horn shrieks Tiomkin’s score for this scene are not only
maintaining the audience’s interest, but are also functioning as a representation of the
internal struggles that threaten to lead Dunson and Matt to their deaths. The “Other” here,
unlike in the science-fiction/fantasy and horror cinematic works, lies within even those
we, the audience, identify as “good.” Rather than an alien and human conflict, we instead
are experiencing a massive battle between man and his moral center.
Figure 3.1 Dunson and Matt After the Fight
USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE HORROR FILM
Definition of the Horror Film
The horror film genre is another which requires some sort of explanation before
analyzing for the simple reason that the horror film has a close cousin of the thriller
38
genre. I propose that the horror film is not merely one which frightens viewers and keeps
them in suspense, the very definition of a thriller, but rather is one in which fits several
parameters: it must provoke an intense reaction in the viewer it must contain a conflict
with an “Other,” and this “Other” must threaten any type of societal norm.
The intense reaction necessary for the horror film is the easiest to analyze; viewer
response to a successful horror film is usually either fear or disgust (or a combination of
the two). The concept of the “Other” in this genre, however, is far more difficult to
define. The “Other” can be insanity within oneself, a ghost or demon, a monster, a
murderous human or even an alien. The actual character of the “Other” is far less
important than the role it fulfills: threatening the protagonist in some form or fashion.57
Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963) is horrifying not simply because seemingly normal
birds are suddenly attacking people (although that idea is indeed terrifying) but because
the unexplained phenomenon represents an upsetting of the societal hierarchy wherein
man dominated beast, made all the more frightening by the fact that birds are such a
common feature of our daily lives.
The Role of Music in the Horror Film
For many movie-goers the on-screen action and visuals are rarely the most
horrifying part of cinema. Carol Clover, author of Men, Women, and Chain Saws:
Gender in the Modern Horror Film illuminates what truly terrifies an audience: “Some
viewers claim that they are more disturbed by the ‘music’ of horror movies than the
images ad that they cover, not their eyes but their ears in the ‘scary parts.’” 58 Music (and
sound design) in the horror film serves to “undermine the audience’s feelings of security”
57
58
39
in every imaginable way. 59 Whether through the use of well-known classics, as is the case
in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), which featured the exclusive use of pre-existing
works, or the abandonment of traditional instrumentation in a fashion similar to the
science-fiction/fantasy film, music is critical in the audience’s perception of horror. Thus,
the most obvious role of music in the horror film is to serve as a tool of
emotional manipulation.
One of the ways composers manipulate the viewer is through the use of the
ubiquitous “stinger chord.” Also known as “hitting the action,” this technique is simply a
dramatic accent, often unexpectedly, within the score, designed to provoke an intense
emotional reaction in the audience. A related method of emotional manipulation is the
“red herring.” An extension of the stinger technique, in the case of the red herring the
music builds and increases tension to a highly dramatic point, then immediately stops the
music with an accent on the last chord. Specifically, the accent occurs at the climax of
both the music and the on-screen action in which something “does or doesn’t happen.”60
Often, the character on screen will hear a noise, look down a hallway or behind a door,
and instead of seeing the threat the music is clearly suggesting will see either nothing or
something harmless. The audience then relaxes, only to be startled all the more when the
threat arrives, usually within seconds of the actual stinger. The red herring technique is a
traditional device used in other genres of film as well, but within the score for the horror
it finds special preeminence. Such devices assist in the suspension of disbelief on the part
59
K.J. Donnelly, The Spectre of Sound: Music in Film and Television (London: British Film Institute,
2005), 88.
60
Karlin and Wright, On the Track, 164–65.
40
of the viewers as well, making it quite difficult to extricate themselves from the story
unfolding before them.
Music in the horror film also assists in the identification of the conflict occurring
on screen. Many of the driving tensions used for horror films fall into three basic
categories:
1. Normality vs. abnormality
2. Social Order vs. Social Disorder
3. External vs. Internal61
As such, the music for the horror film will often splits into a duality of character: there
must be, as Scheurer describes, “music to underscore the normal, stable or functional and,
on the other hand, there must be musical motifs that signify the abnormal, unstable or
dysfunctional.”62 Identifying the type of conflict is necessary as it allows the audience to
further identify the source of the “Other,” and furthermore allows the music to reflect the
specific type of threat. Each conflict necessarily comes with its own set of musical tropes
and identifying stereotypes, and this in turn reflects in the use of the horn and its
extended techniques. A composer will not score a “slasher flick” in the same manner as a
psychological horror, nor a science-fiction/horror combination exactly like a
paranormal/demonic film.
The music of the horror film is also important for the identification of setting, as
with any other genre of film. Much of this occurs in the main title music itself, which will
attempt to induce an atmosphere of fear or at the very least dread. Identifying the sub-
61
This list is taken from a combination of Timothy Scheurer’s and Andrew Tudor’s lists of types of horror
films. Scheurer also includes life vs. death and health vs. disease, but in my opinion these can fall under the
three basic categories listed above.
62
41
genre and source of the “Other” is again critical for the composer, as this too will
influence the scoring of the location. Any music for this purpose will also reflect at least
one of the internal conflicts a horror film must present: that of the social order vs. social
disorder. Many horror films begin their film in a setting considered normal, often a
suburb, city or some other location typifying the American experience. The composer, in
order to reflect the utter conformity of the primary setting, creates a score using diegetic
music in a fashion similar to Edward Scissorhands. The secondary setting, that in which
evil and the “Other” are dominant, will turn reflect the music of the monster itself. This
monster represents a deviation from all that is normal and “good” in society, a mutation
which is frequently the result of societal failure, whether the culprit be distorted family,
lack of schooling, etc. The scoring for the aberration must, therefore be in its turn a
mutation of normal musical sounds.
One of the most frequently employed devices for the representation of the “Other”
in the horror film is dissonance. The use of such harmonic clashes creates a link between
the horror monster and the science-fiction alien, and indeed the two are inextricably
bound. Especially in older films such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and
Frankenstein (1931), the music produced for the monster of the horror genre will be even
more violent, saturated with crashing cymbals and distorted brass. The dissonance of the
monster leads to the extended use of atonality within the film score as well, further
removing any sense of comfort the audience may yet possess. 63 Another technique for
scoring the monster is the use of driving, percussive rhythms. Composers frequently use a
rhythmic device reminiscent of a heartbeat: two quarter notes followed by a brief moment
63
42
of rest. John Williams famously utilizes this devices in his score for Jaws (1975), with
the added tension provided by the alternation of a minor second interval between the two
beats. Dynamics are also vital to the portrayal of the monster in horror. The stinger and
red herring are of course effective, but without the stereotypical steady increasing of
dynamic level to heighten the tension both would not achieve the desired reaction. Jerry
Goldsmith’s music for The Omen (1976) frequently employs slowly building dynamics to
increase the growing suspense of the film; the cue “The Fall” begins only with soft piano
and high strings, but as the demonic character of Damien becomes more frenzied the
music follows suit. The track continues to rise in dynamic level until finally climaxing
with frantic winds and percussion accompanying a choir (who at this point are practically
screaming rather than following traditional singing practices) as the boy pushes his
mother over the rails of a balcony.
Example No. 1: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Franz Waxman (1906–1967), the composer for The Bride of Frankenstein, has
long been heralded as one of the most important contributors from Hollywood’s Golden
Age, not only to the horror genre but to film music as a whole. His scores proved “just
how effective original film music could be as instrument both of both terror and of
suspension of disbelief.64 In a similar vein to King Kong and other films from the 1930s,
Waxman’s music for Bride of Frankenstein makes frequent use of leitmotifs to represent
both characters and concepts, and enhances the film by including what was at the time an
unusual number of dissonances. Described as embodying “sometimes aggressive
modernism, up-to-date references to popular idioms, novel sonorities and structural
64
Cooke, History of Film, 98.
43
resourcefulness,” Waxman somehow conquered the prevailing urge of Hollywood in this
decade to compose scores relatively devoid of dissonance.65
The score for The Bride of Frankenstein has been touted for its innovative use of
the whole-tone scale as a primary harmonic method, but what has passed unnoticed are
some of the tropes which Waxman’s music helped standardize, particularly regarding the
horn in horror film.66 Waxman himself believed that “the first and foremost principle of
good scoring is the color of orchestration. The melody is only secondary.” 67
Instrumentation, therefore, was clearly no mere accident in the case of this composer,
making his use of the horn crucial to the history of the instrument in film.
At this early point in film’s history, the instrument had not become the
powerhouse of movie music that it has today. Despite the absence of dramatic glissando
stingers or true range extensions in The Bride of Frankenstein, Waxman makes use of a
technique overlooked by many composers. Flutter-tonguing horns appear in two separate
tracks on the soundtrack recording, namely “The Bride of Frankenstein” (the main title
music) and “Strange Apparition/Pretorius’s Entrance/You Will Need a Coat.” The
presence of flutter-tonguing in these tracks marks the stereotypical purpose of the device;
signifying the presence of the “Other” while simultaneously assisting in providing setting
and atmosphere. In each case, the technique helps destabilize the normally lush tone of
the horn, alerting the audience to the imminent threat arriving and creating the cloud of
dread necessary for a viewing of the film. Another moment in which Waxman helped to
establish horror tropes is in the track “Crucifixion/The Monster Breaks Out.” In this cue,
65
Cooke, History of Film, 103.
66
James Deaville, “The Beauty of Horror,” in Music in the Horror Film: Listening to Fear, ed. Neil Lerner
(New York and London: Routledge, 2010), 188.
67
Film Score: The View from the Podium, ed. Tony Thomas (Cranbury, NJ: A.S. Barnes, 1979), 55.
44
Frankenstein’s monster escapes from his cage and sets out alone. After several moments
of almost playful woodwinds reminiscent of Russian composers such as Rimsky-
Korsakov, the upper strings begin sliding around chromatically, ascending the register
and simultaneously driving the music forward. The tension continues to mount as the
dynamics of the strings grow louder, until at last the horns burst out in a lip trill which
not only sustains for several beats but also changes notes while becoming softer
dynamically, clearly an announcement of the monster’s impending escape from
imprisonment. Following The Bride of Frankenstein, the trill as a representation of the
monstrous has become standard fare for Hollywood composers repeated throughout the
century in films such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) and The Wolfman (2010),
with the horn’s specific propensity for the lip trill and its natural ability as a timbral
chameleon making it the perfect vehicle for spreading terror in movie-goers.
Figure 4.1 Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride

45
Example No. 2: Jaws
Despite the risks of beating the proverbial dead horse, I selected yet another John
Williams score to analyze for the horror genre. The blockbuster movie Jaws makes an
interesting study for several reasons. First, because the treatment of the “Other” in this
film, in this case the Great White Shark, is particularly effective at providing a voice for a
creature which has none; the shark neither speaks nor growls nor moans. It becomes the
sole responsibility of the music to invoke the desired reaction from the audience when the
creature is either near or on-screen. Second, one would be hard-pressed to find a horror
score as saturated with brass as Williams’s music for Jaws. For example, one of the most
famous horror films (and soundtracks for that matter) is Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
(1960). Bernard Herrmann’s highly esteemed score is not orchestrated with the traditional
full orchestra but rather eliminates all instruments but the strings. The instrumentation of
Psycho has the effect of shifting timbral balance allowing the violins to shriek in the
famous shower scene, which with the inclusion of winds and percussion might have
become overblown.
Jaws itself fits the category of the horror film splendidly; it most certainly
provokes an intense reaction in the viewer, it contains conflict with an “Other” (the
shark), and the shark itself threatens the societal norm of man dominating beast. As such,
the music follows typical horror-scoring conventions as well. Dissonances rule the score,
stingers and red herrings occur judiciously and percussive rhythms pervade throughout.
However, Williams makes less of an attempt to alienate the viewer through strange
instrumentation than do many other horror films, preferring to retain the traditional
46
orchestra.68 The preservation of the brass in Jaws allows ample opportunity for the
orchestrator to use the horn’s extended techniques and achieve the desired effects.
Jaws begins with a pair of (drunken) teenagers deciding to go for a moonlight
swim. As the young woman (Chrissie) begins swimming, there is a distinct lack of music
of any sort, and the only sounds are those of the water and a floating buoy. As her even
more inebriated friend attempts to undress himself on shore, the camera returns to
Chrissie. At this precise moment, non-diegetic underscoring begins, using an eerie harp
and violins playing softly in their upper register to begin a sense of foreboding. The
camera then shifts point of view so the audience is now looking up at Chrissie through
the water, echoing a shift in the music as well. The low strings begin the iconic minor
second theme representing the off-screen presence of the colossal (but at this point
unidentified) Great White. Chrissie gives a sudden jerk accompanied by a stinger in the
orchestral winds as the shark bites her leg and begins dragging her through the water. The
Great White pulls the thrashing and screaming Chrissie around for several more
moments, but roughly ten seconds before she is dragged under for the final time, the
sounds of low and ominous stopped horn quickly crescendo as they cut through the harsh
orchestral texture. The stopped horn technique being used here is fulfilling the film’s
need for a direct representation of the monster hidden below the waves, and in fact
through the horns Williams gives the monster the growl it will never physically utter.
One of the most exciting uses of the horn in Jaws unfortunately never even made
it on screen, although it remains in the “Collector’s Edition” soundtrack. Entitled “Shark
68
There is one odd thing about Williams’s instrumentation: he gives the tuba’s extreme upper register the
main melodic theme. The high range of the tuba is infrequently featured at best, but in this case it provides
an appropriate amount of eeriness and allows the viewers’ subconscious to understand that the massive
Great White present in the film is an abnormality.
47
Attack,” this cue was originally intended to accompany the scene in which the fisherman
Quint is devoured by the shark. The track is particularly effective in serving the dual
purposes of emotional manipulation and suspending disbelief. The music begins with a
soft tremolo in the low strings followed quickly by the sounding of a bassoon which is
almost immediately disrupted by shrill cry from the horns in the form of a trill on an A
Flat/G Sharp 5 at a terrifyingly loud dynamic. The trill then transforms into flutter
tonguing, illustrating the intense danger all on board the ship now face. The
unexpectedness of the horns allows them to further serve as a form of stinger chord,
which in turn intensely startles the audience.
The horn again serves as a stinger in the “Barrel off Starboard” recording on the
soundtrack. At this point, the crewmembers have managed to secure three large, air-filled
barrels to the shark’s dorsal fin. However, the Great White has been able to submerge all
three for some time, and as Brody (the sheriff), Quint, and Hooper (the marine biologist)
busy themselves around the boat in an attempt to destroy the shark, a sudden stinger and
subsequent glissando up to a C6 in the horns announces the reappearance of Jaws
himself. The scoring of this rip in the upper stratosphere of the horn proves aurally
analogous to a scream, intensifying the terror of the moment.69 The horn here is now not
only being used to keep the audience emotionally involved but to further represent the
monster’s physical actions in a form of “mickey-mousing.”70
69
Steven Spielberg, director of the film, actually labeled Jaws as a “primal scream movie,
therefore this analogy seems particularly appropriate. Mervin Cooke, A History of Film Music (Cambridge,
UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 461. [now THIS seems like a good point to bring into the body of
the text, if the horn can serve as a “scream”]
70
“Mickey-mousing” is a film-scoring technique wherein “illustrative musical effects [are] synchronized
with specific events in a film’s physical action.” Cooke, History of Film, 29.
48
Figure 4.2 The Shark Devours Quint
CONCLUSION
Often overlooked academically, the horn and its considerable arsenal of extended
techniques including stopped horn, glissandos, lip trills, flutter tonguing, and an extended
range serve many crucial and variable roles within films of all genres. The science-
fiction/fantasy, Western, and horror categories in particular make extensive use of the
instrument. Composers make frequent use of the horn to emphasis the nefarious “Other”
in all three genres, as well as providing setting and familiarity for the viewer.
Furthermore, the horn proves a particularly effective method of emotionally manipulating
the audience.
49
APPENDIX A: TABLE OF RECORDINGS
Genre Technique Film (Year) Track (Time) Composer

Science- Stopped Horn
Fiction/Fantasy
Close “Chasing UFOs,” :24 John Williams
Encounters of “TV Reveals,” :47
the Third Kind “Climbing the
(1977) Mountain,” :24?
Star Wars: A “The Millennium John Williams
New Hope Falcon/Imperial
(1977) Cruiser Pursuit,” 1:40
“Shootout in the Cell
Bay/Dianoga,” 2:22
Superman (1978) “Misguided Missiles John Williams
and Kryptonite,” 1:52-
2:13
“Chasing Rockets,”
1:14
“Superfeats,” :01-:10,
:19-:27, 1:17-1:27
“Finale and End Title
March,” :06
Star Trek: The “Klingon Battle,” :17- Jerry Goldsmith
Motion Picture :21, :34-:37, 2:21-2:28
(1979)
Star Wars: The “The Imperial John Williams
Empire Strikes Probe/Aboard the
Back (1980) Executor,” 1:41
“The Battle of Hoth,”
11:44, 11:55
“Han Solo and the
Princess,” 1:58
“Carbon Freeze/Darth
Vader’s
Trap/Departure of
Boba Fett,” 4:36, 5:40,
5:53, 6:35, 6:47
Indiana Jones: “In the Jungle,” 1:15?, John Williams
Raiders of the 2:43
Lost Ark (1981) “Flight from Peru,”:41
“A Thought for
Marion/To Nepal,” :48
“Bad Dates,” :32
“Indy Rides the
Statue,” :07
E.T. The “Bait for E.T.,” :06, John Williams
Extraterrestrial 1:28
(1982)
50
“Meeting for E.T.,”

1:41, 1:51
“E.T.’s New Home,”
1:23
“E.T. and Elliott Get
Drunk,” :24
Star Wars: “Bounty for a John Williams
Return of the Wookiee,” :34, 1:35
Jedi (1983) “Luke Confronts
Jabba/Den of the
Rancor/Sarlacc
Sentence,” 3:26
“The Emperor
Arrives/The Death of
Yoda/Obi-Wan’s
Revelation,” :44
“Speeder Bike
Chase/Land of the
Ewoks,” 7:57, 8:11
“Brother and
Sister/Father and
Son/Heroic Ewok,”
5:19
“The Battle of Endor
1,” 4:36
Indiana Jones: “Indy Negotiates,” :06- John Williams
The Temple of :12, :54
Doom (1984) “The Nightclub
Brawl,” :30
“Map/Out of Fuel,”
1:14
“The Scroll/To Pankot
Palace,” 2:56
“Bug Tunnel/Death
Trap,” :15, 1:09, 2:30
Indiana Jones: “The Boat Scene,” :24, John Williams
The Last :40, 2:00
Crusade (1989) “Ah, Rats!!,” :34, 2:41
Jurassic Park “The Raptor Attack,” John Williams
(1993) 2:10
“Dennis Steals the
Embryo,” 1:51
“Eye to Eye,” 4:19
“T-Rex Rescue and
Finale,” 2:14, 5:14
Jumanji (1995) “Jumanji,” 2:33 James Horner
51

Jurassic Park: “The Island Prologue,” John Williams
The Lost World 3:00, 3:41, 4:20
(1997) “Hammond’s Plan,”
2:58-3:06
Star Wars: The “Death Warrant for John Williams
Phantom Menace Qui-Gon and Obi
(1999) Wan,” :52
“Qui-Gon and Obi-
Wan Rescue the
Queen,” :58
The Mummy “Imhotep,” 2:38 Jerry Goldsmith
(1999) “Night Boarders,” :12
“The Caravan,” 1:51
“My Favourite
Plague,” 1:04
“Rebirth,” :20
The Mummy “Scorpion Shoes,” :40, Alan Silvestri
Returns (2001) :50-1:00
“Imhotep Unearthed,”
2:06, 3:42, 3:54
“A Gift and a Curse,”
1:03, 3:17?
“Sandcastles,” :08
“Pygmy Attack,” 3:12
Harry Potter and “In the Devil’s John Williams
the Sorcerer’s Snare/The Flying
Stone (2001) Keys,” :01-:43
The Planet of the “The Hunt,” 4:41 Danny Elfman
Apes (2001) “Branding the Herd,”
:13-23
“Escape from Ape
City/The Legend,”
2:05
“Ape Suite #2,” 2:04-
2:11
“Preparing for Battle,”
:30-:45, :52
“The Battle Begins,”
2:05, 3:17
“The Search and the
Hunt,” 2:29, 2:39
(Open to Stopped)
Harry Potter and “Meeting the Aragog,” John Williams
the Chamber of :34?, 1:40
Secrets (2002) “The Spiders,” :50,
1:32
“Cornish Pixies,” :05
52
“Polyjuice Potion,”
1:44- 2:00
“Cakes for Crabbe and
Goyle,” 1:58, 2:20
“Dueling the Basilisk,”
:41-1:05
Star Wars: “Zam the Assassin and John Williams
Attack of the the Chase through
Clones (2002) Coruscant,” :15-:25,
:45, 1:26, 8:20-8:34,
8:43-8:48, 9:55
“The Meadow Picnic,”
3:43-3:51
“Confrontation with
Count Dooku and
Finale,” :01, :43-47
Pirates of the “The Black Pearl,” Klaus Badelt
Caribbean: The 1:45, 1:55
Curse of the
Black Pearl
(2003)
Harry Potter and “Monster Books and John Williams
the Prisoner of Boggarts,” :39, :58
Azkaban (2004) “The Werewolf
Scene,” 3:18
King Kong “Defeat is Always James Newton
(2005) Momentary,” :32, 2:15 Howard
“It’s in the Subtext,”
1:01
“Two Grand,” 1:08
“Last Blank Space on
the Map,” :51
“That’s All There
Is…,” :31, :54, 2:02
The Chronicles “The Blitz,” 2:11 Harry Gregson-
of Narnia: The “The White Witch,” Williams
Lion, the Witch 3:00, 4:30
and the “Knighting Peter,”
Wardrobe (2005) 1:07, 1:15-1:22
“The Battle,” 1:36
The Chronicles “Journey to the How,” Harry Gregson-
of Narnia: 3:34 Williams
Prince Caspian “Miraz Crowned,” :56
(2008)
The Dark Knight “A Little Push,” 2:17 James Newton
(2008) Howard/Hans
Zimmer
53

Star Trek (2009) “Run and Shoot Michael
Offense,” 1:47-1:59 Giacchino
The Chronicles “Lucy and the Invisible David Arnold
of Narnia: The Mansion,” 4:03
Voyage of the “Into Battle,” 2:48,
Dawn Treader 3:09, 8:26
(2010)
Harry Potter and “Polyjuice Alexandre
the Deathly Potion/Hedwig’s Desplat
Hallows Part 1 Theme,” 1:26
(2010) “Dobby,” 2:35
Harry Potter and “The Diadem,” :37 Alexandre

the Deathly Desplat
Hallows Part 2
(2011)
The Hunger “Entering the Captiol,” James Newton
Games (2012) 1:25-1:40 Howard
After Earth “Nest Battle,” 1:32 James Newton
(2013) Howard
Glissando
Star Wars: A “Burning Homestead,” John Williams

New Hope 2:20
(1977) “Shootout in the Cell
Bay/Dianoga,” 2:21
“Landspeeder
Search/Attack of the
Sand People,” 1:28
Close “The Mountain,” 3:11 John Williams
Encounters of “Outstretch Hands,”
the Third Kind :45
(1977)
Star Wars: The “The Battle of Hoth,” John Williams
Empire Strikes 3:27, 4:39, 6:07-6:23
Back (1980)
Indiana Jones: “The Basket Game,” John Williams
Raiders of the 2:22, 2:27
Lost Ark (1981) “Desert Chase,” :01-
:20, 5:01
“The Miracle of the
Ark,” 3:30, 3:50*,
4:22-4:26
E.T. The “Escape/Chase/Saying John Williams
Extraterrestrial Goodbye,” 6:42
(1982)
54

Star Wars: “Bounty for a John Williams
Return of the Wookiee,” :19
Jabba/Den of the
Rancor/Sarlacc
Sentence,” 3:46-3:50,
4:28-4:33, 6:37
“The Pit of
Carkoon/Sail Barge
Assault,” 3:01 (Rip to
trill), 4:09-4:12
1,” 4:51, 6:27, 7:13-
7:32, 10:34, 11:35
“The Lightsaber/The
Ewok Battle,” 2:18,
2:27, 3:11
“The Forest Battle,”
1:21
Indiana Jones: “Slalom on Mt. John Williams
The Temple of Humol,” :36
Doom (1984) “Saving Willie,” :09,
:46
“The Sword Trick,”
:12
“The Broken
Bridge/British Relief,”
2:22
“End Credits,” 1:15,
1:28
Jurassic Park “Incident at Isla John Williams
(1993) Nublar,” 1:59
“Eye to Eye,” 5:46
“T-Rex Rescue and
Finale,” 5:43
The Lost World 3:28, 4:23
(1997) “The Hunt,” :46, 1:33,
2:00, 2:21
“Rescuing Sarah,” :29,
2:26, 2:33
“The Raptors Appear,”
:53, 1:59, 3:06
“The Stegosaurus,”
4:36
“Ludlow’s Demise,”
4:21
55
“Visitor in San Diego,”

4:15, 4:33, 6:21
Star Wars: The “Attack of the Giant John Williams
Phantom Menace Fish,” 58
(1999) “Escape from Naboo,”
1:17
“The Flag Parade,” :38
“Sebulba’s Dirty
Hand- Qui-Gon’s Pep
Talk,” :58, 1:03
“Anakin Defeats
Sebulba,” 1:24, 1:54
“The Queen and Group
Land at Naboo,” :01
“Activate the Droids,”
:11, :22, :32
“The Battle Rages
On,” :01, :58-1:01,
1:23-1:32
“The Gungan’s Retreat
and the Queen
Surrenders,” 1:34
“The Parade,” :13, :17,
:25, :31, :33, :38, :43,
:51, 1:00, 1:08, 1:12,
1:16
“End Credits,” 3:40
The Mummy “Tuareg Attack,” 2:06 Jerry Goldsmith
(1999)
Planet of the “Main Titles- Danny Elfman
Apes (2001) Instrumental,” 2:29
“Ape Suite #1,” 1:50
“The Hunt,” :52, :56,
:59, 1:19, 1:22, 3:29,
3:34, 3:37
“The Dirty Deed,” 1:28
“Ape Suite #2,” 1:04,
1:07, 1:09
“Thade Goes Ape,”
1:50-2:06
“Preparing for Battle,”
:57, 1:53, 3:12
“The Battle Begins,”
1:02-1:14
“Main Title
Deconstruction,” :59-
1:04, 1:31
56

The Mummy “Evy Kidnapped,” 3:41 Alan Silvestri
Returns (2001) “A Gift and a Curse,”
3:49
“Pygmy Attack,” 2:19,
2:25
Star Wars: “Love Pledge and the John Williams
Attack of the Arena,” 5:26
Clones (2002)
Pirates of the “Fog Bound,” 1:30 Klaus Badelt
Caribbean: The “Will and Elizabeth,”
Curse of the 1:19
Black Pearl “Swords Crossed,”
(2003) 2:33-2:34
“Barbossa is Hungry,”
3:09-3:19
Harry Potter and ”Aunt Marge’s Waltz,” John Williams
the Prisoner of 1:13
Azkaban (2004)
King Kong “Something James Newton
(2005) Monstrous,” 1:45 Howard
“Head Towards the
Animals,” 2:19, 2:23
“Tooth and Claw,” :14,
1:34
“Captured,” :09-:13
“Beauty Killed the
Beast II,” :58
“Beauty Killed the
Beast III,” :25-:28, :40-
:45
Star Wars: “Battle of the Heroes,” John Williams
Revenge of the 2:13
Sith (2005) “General Grievous,”
:06
Eragon (2006) “Fortune Teller,” 2:51 Patrick Doyle
Night at the “Out of Africa,” :12 Alan Silvestri

Museum (2006)
Chronicles of “Caspian Flees,” 3:45 Harry Gregson-
Narnia: Prince “Journey to the How,” Williams
Caspian (2008) 2:15
The Dark Knight “I’m Not a Hero,” 5:32 James Newton
(2008) Howard/Hans
Zimmer
Avatar (2009) “War”, 3:53 James Horner
57

Star Trek (2009) “Star Trek,” :54 Michael
Giacchino
Chronicles of “Into Battle,” 3:35, David Arnold
Narnia: the 4:00
Voyage of the
Dawn Treader
(2010)
Alice in “Bandersnatched,” :09, Danny Elfman
Wonderland :11, :14
(2010)
The Avengers “Doors Open from Alan Silvestri
(2013) Both Sides,” :41
“Avengers,” :57-1:04
Trills
Star Wars: A “Imperial Attack” 3:14 John Williams

New Hope
(1977)
Star Wars: “The Battle of Endor John Williams
Return of the I,” 5:35?
Jedi (1983) “The Battle of Endor
II,” :09
Jurassic Park “Eye to Eye,” 5:40 John Williams
(1993)
Jumanji (1995) “Monkey Mayhem,” James Horner
:41, :44, :46, :49
The Mummy “Imhotep Unearthed,” Alan Silvestri
Returns (2001) :48
“Sandcastles,” :19
“Pygmy Attack,” 2:02,
3:00
Planet of the “Escape from Ape Danny Elfman
Apes (2001) City/The Legend,”
1:49?
Pirates of the “Barbossa is Hungry,” Klaus Badelt
Caribbean: The 1:43-1:47
Curse of the “Bootstrap’s
Black Pearl Bootstraps,” 1:14
(2003)
King Kong “Last Blank Space on James Newton
(2005) the Map,” 3:34, 3:38 Howard
“It’s Deserted,” 6:20,
6:31
“Head Towards the
Animals,” :16
58
Harry Potter and “Golden Egg,” 4:56 Patrick Doyle

the Goblet of
Fire (2005)
Eragon (2006) “Battle for Varden,” Patrick Doyle
7:20, 7:32, 7:49, 7:56
Avatar (2009) “War,” 4:27 James Horner
Chronicles of “Market Forces,” 1:22 David Arnold

Narnia: Voyage “Lucy and the Invisible
of the Dawn Mansion,” 2:53, 2:58
Treader (2010)
Harry Potter and “Bathilda Bagshot,” Alexandre
the Deathly 3:34 Desplat
Hallows Part 1
(2010)
Harry Potter and “Broomsticks and Alexandre
the Deathly Fire,” :51 Desplat
Hallows Part 2 “Showdown,” :31
(2011)
The Hunger “Muttations,” 2:12 James Newton
Games (2012) Howard
The Avengers “Subjugation,” 2:38 Alan Silvestri
(2013)
Range (Above
A5)
Close “Who Are You John Williams
Encounters of People,” :08
the Third Kind “The Mothership,”
(1977) 1:24, 1:29
Star Wars: A “Imperial Attack,” John Williams
New Hope 4:28
(1977) “Landspeeder
Search/Attack of the
Sand People,” 1:28
“The Millennium
Falcon/Imperial
Cruiser Pursuit,” 2:36,
2:57 (repeated)
“Shootout in the Cell
Bay/Dianoga,” :25
“The Trash
Compactor,” 2:44, 2:52
“Ben Kenobi’s
Death/Tie Fighter
Attack,” :33
Superman (1978) “Leaving Home,” 4:19 John Williams
59

Star Trek: The “Klingon Battle,” :52, Jerry Goldsmith
Motion Picture 1:07
(1979)
Star Wars: The “Jedi Master John Williams
Empire Strikes Revealed/Mynock
Back (1980) Cave,” 4:59, 5:22
“Rescue from Cloud
City/Hyperspace,” 1:51
“The Rebel Fleet/End
Title,” 4:26
Indiana Jones: “The Map Room: John Williams
Raiders of the Dawn,” 2:51
Lost Ark (1981) “Desert Chase,” 1:00,
1:10, 4:56
“The Miracle of the
Ark,” 3:50
E.T. the Extra “Searching for E.T.,” John Williams
Terrestrial 3:41
(1982) “Escape/Chase/Saying
Goodbye,” 3:18
Star Wars: “Han Solo Returns,” John Williams
Return of the 1:35
Jabba/Den of the
Rancor/Sarlacc
Sentence,” 3:15, 5:04,
5:11
“The Pit of
Carkoon/Sail Barge
Assault,” 3:01 (Rip to
Trill on B Natural!),
5:35-5:39
I,” 6:12, 6:43
“The Lightsaber/The
Ewok Battle,” 2:50,
3:45
II,” 5:39
III, 5:23
“The Forest Battle,”
1:56
Indiana Jones: “Fast Streets of John Williams
The Temple of Shangai,” 1:50
Doom (1984) (repeated)
“Map/Out of Fuel,”
:30, 3:00
60
“Slalom on Mt.
Humol,” :33
“Short Round’s
Theme,” 1:12
“Bug Tunnel/Death
Trap,” 1:09, 2:30
“Approaching the
Stones,” 1:06
“Short Round Helps,”
:39 (repeated), 2:20,
2:36, 3:45
“Water!,” :56, 1:45
“The Broken
Bridge/British Relief,”
2:22
Indiana Jones: “Indy’s Very First John Williams
The Last Adventure,” 6:45, 7:14
Crusade (1989) “Escape from Venice,”
1:57
“Scherzo for
Motorcycle and
Orchestra,” 1:12
Jurassic Park “Incident at Isla John Williams
(1993) Nublar,” 1:45-1:55
“Journey to the
Island,” 2:58, 7:30
“The Raptor Attack,”
2:22
The Lost World 3:28
(1997) “Rescuing Sarah,”
2:26, 2:33
“The Raptors Appear,”
:53, 1:59, 3:06
“The Stegosaurus,”
4:30, 4:36
“Ludlow’s Demise,”
4:21
Star Wars: The “Boarding the John Williams
Phantom Menace Federation,” :10
(1999) “Qui-Gon and Darth
Maul Meet,” 1:06
“The Republic Pilots
Take Off Into Space,”
:18
“The Battle Rages
On,” :01
61
“The Gungan’s Retreat

and the Queen
Surrenders,” 1:02, 2:06
The Mummy “The Sand Volcano,” Jerry Goldsmith
(1999) :58
The Mummy “Evy Kidnapped,” 3:41 Alan Silvestri
Returns (2001) “My First Bus Ride,”
2:02
“A Gift and a Curse,”
5:04
“The Mummy
Returns,” 5:39
Planet of the “Ape Suite #1,” :38, Danny Elfman
Apes (2001) 1:50
“Deep Space Launch,”
2:45, 3:51
“The Hunt,” :28
Star Wars: “Jango’s Escape,” 2:48 John Williams
Attack of the “Love Pledge and the
Clones (2002) Arena,” 5:43
Pirates of the “Fog Bound,” 1:30 Klaus Badelt
Caribbean: The “Will and Elizabeth,”
Curse of the 1:19
Black Pearl
(2003)
Star Wars: “Enter Lord Vader,” John Williams
Revenge of the 2:45
Sith (2005)
King Kong “It’s Deserted,” 6:15 James Newton
(2005) “Beauty Killed the Howard
Beast II,” 1:44
The Hunger “Horn of Plenty,” 1:45 James Newton
Games (2012) Howard
Flutter-
Tongue
Indiana Jones: “The Broken John Williams
The Temple of Bridge/British Relief,”
Doom (1984) 3:20
The Mummy “The Sarcophagus,” Jerry Goldsmith
(1999) 2:00
Star Trek (2009) “Star Trek,” :52 Michael
Giacchino
62

Western Stopped Horn
Stagecoach “Stagecoach,” 2:39- Gerard

(1939) 2:46, 4:50 Carbonara
The Treasure of “Bandits- Max Steiner
the Sierra Madre Outnumbered-
(1948) Federales,” :55-1:05
Stopped Horn
“Theatrical Trailer,”
1:58
The Searchers “Ethan Joins the Max Steiner
(1956) Posse,” :09
“No Bonfires,” :32
The Alamo “The Mexicans Dimitri Tiomkin
(1960) Arrive,” :21
“Intermission,” :14
The Magnificent “Main Titles and Elmer Bernstein
Seven (1960) Calvera’s Visit:
Allegro Con Fuoco,”
2:54, 3:00
“The Council of War:
Allegro Molto
Marcato,” :45, :52
The “Escort,” :26, :35 Elmer Bernstein
Comancheros “Pursuit,” 1:27
(1961)
How the West “The River Pirates,” Alfred Newman
Was Won (1962) :46
Stagecoach “Main Title Theme Jerry Goldsmith
(1966) from Stagecoach,” :41-
:45, 1:49-1:56
“A New Passenger and
the Reward,” 2:31-3:05
“Family History,” 1:25
Villa Rides “Colorados in the Maurice Jarre
(1968) Village/Too Many
Guns/Ramirez,” 1:30
True Grit (1969) “Bald Mountain,” :14, Elmer Bernstein
:20-:28, 4:14
Tombstone “The Cowboys,” 1:31 Bruce
(1993) “The OK Corral,” :20- Broughton
:30
“Cowboy’s Funeral,”
3:30
“The Former Fabian,”
1:07, 1:25
63
“Looking at Heaven,”
3:37-3:40
Hidalgo (2004) “Montage,” 4:37 James Newton
“The Trap,” 1:09, 1:19 Howard
Glissando
Red River (1948) “Main Title,” :08, :16 Dimitri Tiomkin

“Roundup,” :13
“On to Missouri,” :28
“The New Brand,” :07,
:25
High Noon “Overture,” 1:57, 2:30, Dimitri Tiomkin
(1952) 2:33, 3:23
The Magnificent “The Journey,” 2:24, Elmer Bernstein
Seven (1960) 2:34
The Alamo “Crockett and the Dimitri Tiomkin
(1960) Tennesseans Enter the
Alamo,” :01
“The Mexicans
Arrive,” :28
The “Indian Attack,” :32 Elmer Bernstein
Comancheros
(1961)
The Charge of “Rescue Troops to Max Steiner
the Light Chukoti,” 2:30
Brigade (1968)
Villa Rides “Colarados in the Maurice Jarre
(1968) Village/Too Many
Guns/Ramirez,” :28,
1:00
Big Jake (1971) “All Jake,” 2:45, 2:48 Elmer Bernstein
The Cowboys “Wild Horses,” :32 John Williams

(1972)
Tombstone “Wyatt’s Revenge,” Bruce
(1993) 2:15 Broughton
“Finishing It,” :49
Hidalgo (2004) “The Trap,” 2:15 James Newton
Howard
Trills
Big Jake (1971) “Going Home-Finale,” Elmer Bernstein

1:08
Hidalgo (2004) “Arriving in the James Newton
Desert,” 1:35 Howard
64
“Sandstorm,” :36, :44,

:48
“The Final Three,”
2:09
Range (Above
A5)
Red River (1948) “Main Title,” :08, :16 Dimitri Tiomkin
“Birth of Red River
D,” :04
“On to Missouri,” :22
“The New Brand,” :03
The Big Country “The Death of Buck Jerome Moross
(1950) Hannassey,” 2:21
How the West “How the West Was Alfred Newman
Was Won (1962) Won,” :16
“The Marriage
Proposal,” 1:34
“Cheyenne,” :56, 1:20
The Charge of “I’d Rather Hoped for Max Steiner
the Light Some Action!,” :54
Brigade (1968)
True Grit (1969) “Bald Mountain,” :34- Elmer Bernstein
:38
“Sad Departure/The
Pace that Kills,” 1:47
Big Jake (1971) “All Jake,” 1:53 Elmer Bernstein
“Going Home-Finale,”
:13-:17
The Shootist “In the Fire,” 2:45-2:49 Elmer Bernstein
(1976)
Dances with “Journey to Fort John Barry
Wolves (1990) Sedgewick/The
Shooting Star/The John
Dunbar Theme/Arrival
at Fort Sedgewick,”
3:41
Legends of the “Alfred, Tristan, The James Horner
Fall (1994) Colonel, The
Legend…,” 6:54
Horror Stopped Horn
The Bride of “Monster Entrance,” Franz Waxman

Frankenstein 1:38
(1935)
Jaws (1975) “Main Title and First John Williams
Victim,” 2:03
65
“Man Against Beast,”

:30
“Brody Panics,” :03-
:20, :30-42
The Omen “The Dogs Attack,” Jerry Goldsmith
(1976) 1:57-2:06
“Beheaded,” :01
Mary Shelley’s “The Escape,” 1:10- Patrick Doyle
Frankenstein 1:16, 1:25
(1994) “Friendless,” 1:08-1:13
Trick’r’Treat “Meet Charlie,” :17 Douglas Pipes
(2007) “Charlie Bites It,” :23,
:34
“The Elevator/Laurie
on the Prowl,” 1:24-
1:32
“Halloween Prank,”
2:15?, 3:03-3:09
The Wolfman “Wolf Suite Part 1,” Danny Elfman
(2010) :49, :56, 1:02, 1:09-
1:13
“Dear Mr. Talbot,”
1:00, 1:05, 1:10
Glissando
Jaws (1975) “Man Against Beast,” John Williams

:01
“Barrel off Starboard,”
1:08
“Blown to Bits,” :01
The Omen “Broken Vows,” 1:56 Jerry Goldsmith
(1976) “Safari Park,” 3:09
“The Fall,” 2:53, 2:57,
3:01
“Beheaded,” :15
Bram Stoker’s “Dracula- The Wojciech Kilar
Dracula (1992) Beginning,” 1:41, 1:49,
1:55, 1:59, 2:06, 2:11,
2:17
Trick’r’Treat “It’s Halloween, Not Douglas Pipes
(2007) Hanukkah,” 1:33, 1:35
“Not a Trick/Red and
Black,” 3:47
The Wolfman “Gypsy Massacre,” :48 Danny Elfman
(2010)
The Conjuring “You Look Very Joseph Bishara
(2013) Pretty,” :45
66

Trills
The Bride of “Crucifixion/The Franz Waxman

Frankenstein Monster Breaks Out,”
(1935) 2:08-2:14
Jaws (1976) “Shark Attack,” :12 John Williams
Mary Shelley’s “To Think of a Story,” Patrick Doyle

Frankenstein 2:33, 2:41
(1994) “What’s Out There?”
1:34
“There’s An Answer,”
3:14-3:23
“A Perilous Direction,”
2:54, 3:00-3:07
“The Creation,” :14,
:43-:50, 1:17-1:23
“Elizabeth,” :38, 1:02-
1:07, 3:58-4:02
“She’s Beautiful,”
3:00-3:05, 3:10-3:15
“He Was My Father,”
5:02-5:08
Trick’r’Treat “Old Mr. Kreeg,” 1:13 Douglas Pipes
(2007)
Range (Above
A5)
The Creature “The Creature from the Hans Salter
from the Black Black Lagoon,” 11:24
Lagoon (1954)
Jaws (1975) “Barrel off Starboard,” John Williams
1:08
The Omen “Beheaded,” :15 Jerry Goldsmith
(1976)
Bram Stoker’s “Dracula- The Wojciech Kilar
Dracula (1992) Beginning,” 1:41, 1:49,
1:55, 1:59, 2:06, 2:11,
2:17
Mary Shelley’s “Evil Stitched to Evil,” Patrick Doyle
Frankenstein :44
(1994) “Elizabeth,” 1:52
“He Was My Father,”
3:53, 3:59, 4:20-4:29
Trick’r’Treat “Not a Trick/Red and Douglas Pipes
(2007) Black,” 3:47
67

The Conjuring “You Look Very Joseph Bishara
(2013) Pretty,” :45
Flutter-
Tongue
The Bride of “The Bride of Franz Waxman
Frankenstein Frankenstein,” :21
(1935) “Strange
Apparition/Pretorious’s
Entrance/You Will
Need a Coat,” :35, :40
The Creature “The Creature from the Hans Salter
from the Black Black Lagoon,” 2:05,
Lagoon (1954) 5:37, 11:24
Jaws (1975) “Shark Attack,” :12 John Williams
Trick’r’Treat “Main Titles,” :50 Douglas Pipes

(2007) “End Credits,” :47
The Conjuring “Dead Birds,” :19
(2013)
68
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The Music of Fantasy Cinema, edited by Janet K. Halfyard. Sheffield, UK:
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EXTENDED TECHNIQUES ON HORN AND THEIR

USE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM

Caitlin Beth McKinney

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for Departmental Honors in

the Department of Music

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas

EXTENDED TECHNIQUES ON HORN AND THEIR

USE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM

Supervising Professor: William Gibbons, Ph.D.

Heather Test, M.M.

Claire Sanders, Ph.D.

fiction/fantasy, western and horror.

FRENCH HORN EXTENDED TECHNIQUES.............................................................................2

USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE SCIENCE-FICTION/FANTASY GENRE........13

A Brief History of the Genre.............................................................................................13

Science-Fiction/Fantasy, Music and the “Other”...............................................................18

Example No. 1: The Star Wars Franchise.........................................................................24

The Phantom Menace: Diegesis and Familiarity..................................................24

Return of the Jedi: Drama, Terror and Climax.....................................................24

Example No. 2: Jurassic Park: The Lost World................................................................29

“The Island Prologue”: Main Title Music and the Horn......................................29

USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE WESTERN GENRE..........................................31

Definition and Brief History of the Western Film.............................................................31

The Roles of Music in the Western....................................................................................33

Case Study No. 1: Red River (1948)..................................................................................35

USE OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES IN THE HORROR FILM................................................37

Definition of the Horror Film............................................................................................37

The Role of Music in the Horror Film...............................................................................38

Example No. 1: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)...... .....................................................42

Example: No. 2: Jaws........................................................................................................45

APPENDIX A: TABLE OF RECORDINGS.................................................................................49

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

FIGURE 1.3: Standard Range of the Professional Horn Player..........................................8

TABLE 1.1: Notation and Examples of Extended Techniques in Classical Music...........12

FIGURE 2.1: Star Wars “Main Title”...............................................................................20

FIGURE 2.2: The Gungan Marching Band.......................................................................26

FIGURE 2.3: The Battle of Endor.....................................................................................29

FIGURE 2.4: The First “Compy” Appears........................................................................30

FIGURE 3.1: Dunson and Matt After the Fight................................................................37

FIGURE 4.1: Frankenstein’s Monster and His Bride........................................................44

FIGURE 4.2: The Shark Devours Quint............................................................................48

programmatic orchestral works as well as operas and ballets.

understanding of the action occurring on screen.

FRENCH HORN EXTENDED TECHNIQUES

stopped horn, glissandi, flutter-tonguing and extended high range.

learning the skill.

symphonies. Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936) included trills in several of his

more loudly has “an ominous-sounding bite.”9

Composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908) describes the sound of

stopped horn in his Principles of Orchestration as “assuming a wild ‘crackling’ character

scores in varying genres.

arises across a wide variety of orchestral wind instruments. Flutter-tonguing is performed

resulting in the increased likelihood of missed or “cracked” notes above G5 in

comparison to those of the middle and lower octaves.

Figure 1.3 Standard Range of the Professional Horn Player

In spite of the instrument’s limitations, some composers have pushed the