The Scene Behind the Music

Hefzi Molina

I hesitated when it came to this topic because I was convinced that this was the most obvious fundamental step of the process of musical composition. Funny enough, the universe had some interesting way of getting back at me with it when I recently took a different turn in my writing. I caught myself trying to compose something out of nowhere, and just as I was beginning to convince myself of many negative things about my abilities as a composer, I quickly remembered that this method was not even worthy of the term method.

I would never bash on spontaneous composition, but I would strongly argue that most compositions written by today's filmscore composers are the farthest thing from the result of spontaneous playing of a tune in a piano. On the contrary, the final score of a film was once a well thought out storyline that was slowly translated from writing to meaningful and purposeful musical 3D landscapes.

As composers, we have to rely on careful planning when it comes to the musical trajectory of a project- we work laying down a clear plan- we work to create set ups for significant moments within a musical piece. Composers can enrich storylines with colors of tone-dark, light, playful, mysterious, or terrifying. Composers can dictate the rules of the territory, the tempo, is it lento, andante, or presto, or any of the other half a dozen variations of tempo between each of those? What is the mood that will exist within that tempo is it intense? or it it rather fragile? Is it clamoring? Or is it a decided and convincing one? Composers can choose the protagonists, the antagonist and the supporting characters within this musical scene of a piece. Strings can transform into musical waves of peace and the next second become an army of excellent and precise archers. The winds can translate a sense of honor, patriotism and grief or they can be the most feared giants along with the Brass. The composer has an army at its disposal and it has to become the leader of this musical host.

The beauty of thoughtful and planned out composition is the one I have just mentioned, it understands and knows its instruments and does well by them. Careful composition appropriates the tones, moods- taking into consideration the specific sounds and colors of its instruments and creating a suitable assignment for the mission. A composer takes careful consideration of the instruments at his disposal.

I cannot deny that there have been amazing ideas that have come to my mind through just sitting on the piano and a six note theme appeared like a blessing from the sky. I would be lying if I said I haven't experienced that, but as individuals in this industry, we must also make use of our experience, our methods and musical background when it comes to a serious project and more so when the project belongs to someone else. If we are able to use all the knowledge and proven to work methodology in order to provide the best work possible, we should.

In conclusion, like a film director, the composer has to have a clear vision of the work before him. I would go as far as to say that the composer has an accumulation of responsibilities on him/her, this accumulation consists of the ability to paint a scene, to sculpt an intention, to write a dialogue, to choreograph an ensemble of different instruments and most importantly he/she has the job to translate feeling and emotion. There are many hats to wear and many tasks to accomplish, but the work is by definition much more meaningful when it has a clear intention behind it.