Film Composers and the Ballet
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This is a topic that I just opened at JWFan. But probably it is better discussed here. Even though I mostly write, that I hardly know anything about this topic.
I am not aware of any ballet music by film composers apart from Danny Elfman’s Rabbit & Rogue. And when I listen to this work I wonder why such commissions don’t occur more often.
What other ballet works by film composers do you know?
Why do you think, this musical genre isn’t more often frequented by film composers? Or maybe these works exist but are not considered worthy of recordings? I remember, Patrick Doyle started his composer career writing music for the stage. So, maybe there are hidden gems.
As a musical genre I would consider the ballet quite close to film music as both is program music, that has a particular story telling quality. And that would even more be and argument for film composers to write ballet music.Any knowledge, thoughts, opinions on the matter?
Why do film composers write a lot of concertos, even operas, but no ballet music?
Or do they?
And everybody knows.
Except me.Oooh, good topic, Gerate!
It’s hard to say why more film composers haven’t done ballets, since they’re both related as programmatic, narrative forms of music. Maybe because ballet is relatively niche — and I don’t mean the eternal classics like SWAN LAKE, which continues to draw crowds, but new commissions — and so the niche is reserved for concert music composers and ballet specialists. When everything is on the line, with expensive productions, many think it’s safer that way. I don’t know. Perhaps our resident classical experts, like Nick or Sigbjørn, have some theories.
But thankfully, there are SOME. You mentioned Elfman’s RABBIT & ROGUE. Other examples include:
– Elliot Goldenthal’s OTHELLO. A sumptous work that rivals the best of his film music, IMO; it’s even been adapted into symphonic format. His JUAN DARIEN musical has, vice versa, been adapted into a ballet.
– Nino Rota has a couple, including one based on his music for LA STRADA. And an original one named LE MOLIERE IMAGINAIRE, which I haven’t heard.
– Max Richter’s WOOLF WORKS is wonderful
And although technically not ballets, there are also some dance-centered films with lovely scores, like Benjamin Wallfisch’s DESERT DANCER (back when he was really interesting).
I know about these of hand:
- Carl Davis wrote several ballets that also were released. Have to look up the names, although I am a fan of his silent film musik, I have not listened to them yet.
- Stefan Nilsson wrote a ballet about Lindgren’s PIPPI LONGSTOCKING. I have an audio copy of that as it was broadcasted by arte once. Not sure if it has any release.
- Tuomas Kantelinen wrote a (ice skate) ballet about the SNOW QUEEN. There is a CD: https://www.amazon.de/Lumikuningatar-Schneek%C3%B6nigin-Ballet-Suite-National-Orchestra/dp/B00EZWNIEO
Several film scores by Jerry Goldsmith have been adapted to ballets, though obviously none were explicitly written for it. Like “film music”, “ballet music” isn’t really a “genre”, but of course any music can be used to stage a ballet, and ballet music can be removed and performed in concert.
Since we prefer original film music over here usually, I think the question was aimed at original ballet music, too.
I think there is also a Michael Kamen ballet score that no(?) one heard because unreleased?
Several film scores by Jerry Goldsmith have been adapted to ballets, though obviously none were explicitly written for it.
Rambo the ballet? Sounds fun!
Other examples include:
– Elliot Goldenthal’s OTHELLO. A sumptous work that rivals the best of his film music, IMO; it’s even been adapted into symphonic format. His JUAN DARIEN musical has, vice versa, been adapted into a ballet.
– Nino Rota has a couple, including one based on his music for LA STRADA. And an original one named LE MOLIERE IMAGINAIRE, which I haven’t heard.
– Max Richter’s WOOLF WORKS is wonderful
I knew, I can count on you, Thor. 🙂
Probably writing for the ballet is not so popular among film composers because it is on the one hand too similar to film work to really count as a proof of variety or helping to be regarded as serious composer (maybe one of the reasons why film composers write for the concert hall?) and too far off to feel really at home technically? Just a guess.
Oh, and I remember, Miklós Rózsa wrote a ballet even before his film composer career started.
I read that in a booklet of one of his albums.I have a far memory that Alex North also wrote ballet music.
We could include ballet movies like THE RED SHOES by Brian Easdale or Clint Mansells BLACK SWAN…
Really? What are they?
There was a (successful) staging of Othello to various parts of Jerry Goldsmith film music, including such scores as THE WIND AND THE LION and THE SWARM and ALONG CAME A SPIDER.
https://vancityvince.com/othelloAnd the Columbus ballet staged “Belling the Slayer” to the music of “Capricorn One” by Jerry Goldsmith some years ago.
There are some more.
As I said, “ballet music” is no more a genre than “film music”, can be basically any type of music. And since a lot of ballet music sounds like film music anyway, it follows only logically that a lot of film music sounds like ballet music.
Probably writing for the ballet is not so popular among film composers because it is on the one hand too similar to film work to really count as a proof of variety or helping to be regarded as serious composer (maybe one of the reasons why film composers write for the concert hall?) and too far off to feel really at home technically? Just a guess.
I think there is something to it. Also, let’s not forget that classic Hollywood film composers are among the highest paid composers there are. So they probably get a lot more money from doing movie jobs than they could get from a ballet commission. So if they do it, it would have to be a passion project. But if they did a “passion project”, why not do something different from film work? Write something more formal, like a concerto or a symphony. So as you said, in some ways, ballet may be too “similar” to what they do on a day-by-day basis.
Also, depending on what you composer, a ballet is more difficult to perform than a symphony, as you don’t just need the music, you also need a choreography. And then an orchestra and dancers, so it adds up.I found a link to the Goldsmith/Capricorn One ballet… it’s an older (and I suppose not necessarily an “official” video), but you can get an idea from it.
Belling the SlayerAs I said, “ballet music” is no more a genre than “film music”, can be basically any type of music.
That reminds me of the ballet “Volk” in Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspiria”, that was also scored by the score composer Thom Yorke.
And James Newton Howard wrote a nice ballet intro for the movie “Red Sparrow”. Good film by the way.
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