Scores in Theatre

“These “poems” [Greek Epic Poetry] weren’t spoken, they were chanted and sung” (Hypersonic). “We know that Greek theater would have been musical in nature because some of the melodies from those performances have actually survived” (Hypersonic). “Descriptive evidence of the earliest Greek theatre indicates that music … was essential but not continuous.” (Britannica). A lot of Greek and Roman theatre included some variant of pantomime which would include some form of music ie. dance or song. “Music between the act of public plays was customary by 1600… instrumental music was employed for supernatural effects and to heighten dramatic tension”(Britannica). 

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“In Wagnerian opera, the orchestral music is used to add shades of meaning to the story beyond that portrayed by the characters. Wagner developed a style of music composition called “leitmotif”.  Leitmotif is the use of short musical phrases, that we might call themes or cues, to represent people. places, things, ideas, etc.  Wagner also believed that leitmotif should look forward and look back meaning that a leitmotif could be used to represent something happening on stage but it could also be used as foreshadowing or as a reminder of something that had already happened”(Hypersonic).

The Sound Film Era in the late 1920’s. “As soon as films with sound became commonplace the film industry sought out Broadway stars to perform renditions of their hit Broadway musicals on film”(Hypersonic). After this, we continue to see filmed musicals from Broadway and vice versa. After sound became everywhere in the entertainment industry, musical scores also came about either arranged or composed or film. “…Film scores are simply the latest innovation in traditions of musical storytelling that can be traced back to ancient times”(Hypersonic).