The Score: Interviews with Film Composers

by Michael Schelle

A collection of lively, in-depth conversations with contemporary film composers of every style, background, and position in Hollywood's hierarchy, offering a cross-section of current thoughts about the process of film composing, styles of film music, and working within today's entertainment industry. Composers represent a range of attitudes, ages, and genres. The author is a concert composer whose works have been commissioned and performed by major orchestras and chamber ensembles worldwide. He is composer in residence at Butler University's School of Music. Lacks a subject index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: Music, Film, Nonfiction

400 pages

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to see the vast array of movies worked on, and the history of the composers. Not the greatest book, but rather informative into the creative process and how it all comes together.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite genre of music is film scoring. And this may be my favorite resource on the subject. The author interviews a host of film composers, including the likes of John Barry. And he lets them speak their minds. The primary voice of the book is the collective perspective of the composers. This is like The Actor's Studio on TV: in-depth interviews with people who've succeeded in an excruciatingly competitive field.

[Lord Humungus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some pretty interesting interviews with a variety of film composers, including some of my favorites. You come away with a sense that the Hollywood system is pretty brutal and one has to work fast and flexibly to survive. It was also interesting to read that more traditional composers (concert composers, etc.) hold film composers in very low regard, despite the effort and skill required to pull off a movie score.