A Heart At Fire's Center.

[OneThrow]

I don't know if this is the right time or place to bring up this subject.

Just finished the book of the title of this thread. It took me about a year, it's very in depth, the way a proper biography should be. If you want to know what its like to be a top flight compser, this is the book to read.

Its happy, its sad, tells the story of a man who vastly influenced the world of music, not just film music. He was fiery and intense, he wrote great music, and had many disappointments. The most poignant part being the letters of late 47 and early 48 to his wife written during the break up of their marriage. A truely remarkable man.

I thoroughly recommend the book.

Subject matter - The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann.

I will say no more.

[Maverick]

I don't know if this is the right time or place to bring up this subject.

Just finished the book of the title of this thread. It took me about a year, it's very in depth, the way a proper biography should be. If you want to know what its like to be a top flight compser, this is the book to read.

Its happy, its sad, tells the story of a man who vastly influenced the world of music, not just film music. He was fiery and intense, he wrote great music, and had many disappointments. The most poignant part being the letters of late 47 and early 48 to his wife written during the break up of their marriage. A truely remarkable man.

I thoroughly recommend the book.

Subject matter - The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann.

I will say no more.

I bought that book about 2 years ago and still haven't read it. :eek:

[Jeff Hayat]

If you want to know what its like to be a top flight compser, this is the book to read.


Not to belittle that point, but so much has changed since he was in his prime - the industry as a whole, attitudes, technology, the amount of composers trying to make a living at film scoring....I wonder how much is really applicable in today's world. I am sure some is, but as well, I am sure alot isn't.

Cheers.

[PaulR]

Not to belittle that point, but so much has changed since he was in his prime - the industry as a whole, attitudes, technology, the amount of composers trying to make a living at film scoring....I wonder how much is really applicable in today's world. I am sure some is, but as well, I am sure alot isn't.

Cheers.


Absolutely. The whole music thing in films now is SO fucking dumbed down because it has to take into account things like - piss poor directors with the vision and editing skills of 10 day old turd - like imbecile 18-45 year old audiences that can barely read and write (apart from popcorn) or understand any language you care to name - like actors who don't understand the word nuance - the general depreciation of art in general - and the fact that to be a sucessful film based on the above - things need to explode on screen every 3 minutes in a blaze of cgi.

Making a living is one thing. If you want to talk about money - go ahead. Money is something I understand quite well. This book is actually about money and making a living too - but there is more to it than that. The fact of the matter is - in his genre and music in general - Herrmann was one of the 20th centuries great composers. Not just silly film music as it is today.

[OneThrow]

The fact of the matter is - in his genre and music in general - Herrmann was one of the 20th centuries great composers.

That's a point that is well worth emphasising.

Something I didn't realise was the amount of help that Herrmann gave to contemporary composers throughout his conducting life.

[shnurgle]

Probably the greatest film composer of all time.

He was one of the most miserable bastards in Hollywood, at a time when almost everyone was a miserable bastard. He was straight New York up and down; he told it like he saw it. He was more arrogant than anyone, yet filled with insecurity. He could appear callous, even heartless, yet he poured an incomprehensible amount of delicate emotion into his music. He both loved and hated the film world equally. A perfect contradiction; a perfect artist.

And the music...

[Jeff Hayat]

Probably the greatest film composer of all time.

He was one of the most miserable bastards in Hollywood, at a time when almost everyone was a miserable bastard. He was straight New York up and down; he told it like he saw it. He was more arrogant than anyone, yet filled with insecurity. He could appear callous, even heartless, yet he poured an incomprehensible amount of delicate emotion into his music. He both loved and hated the film world equally. A perfect contradiction; a perfect artist.


Hmmm.. sounds like me.

Minus the "greatest film composer of all time" bit, of course. :D