The symphonic tradition was a part of Hollywood even before sound pictures were invented. The pit orchestras that accompanied silent films in the movie palaces usually played swatches of classical music to underscore the mood. From the 1930s through the 1960s studio orchestras with original scores were integral even to many lesser movies. Some Hollywood composers, from Franz Waxman through John Williams, began in the symphony hall before moving to the soundstage.
This began to change as jazz migrated into movies and, finally, with the ascendance of the rock generation. Martin Scorsese pioneered the intelligent use of old familiar hits to comment on his characters and their lives. Many directors in recent years have taken a more slapdash approach, their choices driven more by who owns the publishing rights to particular oldies than whether the song is right for the movie.
The films of Tim Burton have been exceptional for their use of original symphonic scores on par with the great Hollywood music of old. Burton ’s composer, Danny Elfman, got his start with the new wave band Oingo Boingo before deciding to paint his music on a wider canvas.
A new CD, Music From the Films of Tim Burton (released by Silva Screen Records) includes a handful of selections from Burton ’s latest, Sweeney Todd, adopted from Stephen Sondheim’s musical. Elfman wrote most of the other music, including selections from Sleepy Hollow, Batman and Edward Scissorhands. These are not the original recordings, which have been available on various discs over the years, but fresh interpretations by the City of Prague Philharmonic and Chorus, an ensemble that has lent its instruments to many movie-themed albums in recent years.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
The versions may seem unnecessary, given the availability of Elfman’s own recordings, but their existence could signal a step toward admitting Elfman’s music into the classical repertoire. Drawing influences from the late Romantics and the early 20th century, the expressive power of his compositions requires no accompanying images to move the imagination.
