A study on film score applying the Neo-Riemannian theory: focusing on Bernard Herrmann’s mysterious island

Abstract

This paper, takes three pieces of music in the film score work Mysterious Island by film music composer Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975) as the analysis object. Bernard Herrmann's composition techniques are very innovative, and even difficult to interpret harmonic design when analyzing his works with tonal music. The Neo-Riemannian theory formed in the 1980s is used to analyze the chord progression that cannot be accurately explained by tonal music analysis in Bernard Herrmann's film score, and to prove the Neo-Riemannian theory by marking the transformation methods used and deriving the evolution process of harmony Neo-Riemannian theory's rationality and superiority in analyzing film music. This study hopes to use the Neo-Riemannian theory to provide a new perspective for exploring the development of film musicology.

Keywords

• Neo-Riemannian theory
• Transformational Theory
• Bernard Herrmann
• Film Score
• Mysterious Island

References

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