Compositional resources for descriptive music: analysis of two of his own works

Abstract

The search for new sounds has led many composers to venture into new writing systems, using their own or borrowed resources and then giving them a new treatment. Therefore, the sound of a work is determined by the resources used during the composition process. Over time, these resources have become associated with certain situations, emotions, or sensations (clichés), generating a symbiosis that has been very effectively exploited in film. The link between compositional resources and emotions arises from the psychological effect they produce on the audience; therefore, it is vitally important for the composer to understand the associations that exist between the two. This article will describe some compositional resources frequently used in film music, especially in the works of John Williams and Danny Elfman, two of my favorite composers. These resources are part of my compositional language, and their application is possible in both audiovisual composition and autonomous/descriptive composition. This will be demonstrated later through the analysis of two of my works. The selected works fall within the categories of autonomous/descriptive music and audiovisual music, thus serving as an application guide.