Development of Film Music in Ukraine in the 1920’s

Sergii Kostogryz,Nataliia Cherkasova,Volodymyr Myslavskyi

doi:10.7596/taksad.v9i1.2391

Abstract

The objective of this study is to explore the interactions between music and films, the progress, styles, forms, and means of film scoring, as well as to analyze the trends in the development of film music in Ukraine in the 1920s. The article outlines the array of challenges associated with the formation of various approaches to film scoring in the Ukrainian cinematography. Different styles and forms of film scoring molded in the 1920s in USSR in general, and in Ukraine in particular, are investigated. Analysis of the contemporaries’ debate in specialized magazines showed that three types of film scoring prevailed at those times: improvisation (music reflects the external action of the movie, the atmosphere where that action is happening); compilation (music is used as an illustrative tool to render the sentiment of each separate episode, without plotting a seamless musical piece for the entire movie); and composition (thematic musical illustration for the entire movie). The article also addresses major means of musical scoring for cinema shows — “complex”, “orchestra”, “piano”.

Highlights

The formation of musical illustration of films in the 1920–1930s and mutual interaction of music and cinema still remains an underexplored chapter in the history of the Ukrainian cinematography, much has been written about this period in cinematography overall
Whereas musicians’ work in cinemas was considered to be an applied occupation having little to do with the art of music, professional musicians who worked at cinemas were often ashamed to confess that
Due to such disdainful attitude towards film music borne by the musicians themselves, poor-quality musical illustration often ran counter to the subject-matter of the film and discorded with the visual part, and contravened its principal function — arousing the plot-relevant emotions in viewers

Summary

Introduction

The formation of musical illustration of films in the 1920–1930s and mutual interaction of music and cinema still remains an underexplored chapter in the history of the Ukrainian cinematography, much has been written about this period in cinematography overall.

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion