Max Steiner [antikvár]

ForewordIn film-music literature, analysis of the music of Max Steiner ranges between emphatic praise for the "father of sound-film music" on the one hand and harsh criticism of a high-volume writer whose music is full of leitmotifs, Mickey Mousing, and self-quotation on the other. All of the differing views have one thing in common: they look at just one aspect of Steiner's personality. Peter Wegele's monograph, however, presents a multifaceted display and balanced evaluation of the life and work of this pioneer of early Hollywood film music. Wegele's analysis is aided by the fact that he, like Steiner, is a practicing musician, composer, and arranger. Wegele's monograph is not a mere validation of a preconceived film-music theory but is directed by his craft and a meticulously executed presentation of Steiner's method of composing. Additionally, Wegele places the characteristic tools of the film composer, such as leitmotif technique, and the "suggestive harmonies," which are characterized by their mediant sound, convincingly in a wider musical-historic context.It is evident throughout the book that Wegele truly appreciates Steiner's music but only after critical evaluation. Wegele's detailed analysis of Steiner's music for Casablancawhich is based on Steiner's sketches from the archives at Warner Bros, and Brigham Young Universitydescribes the immense gains Steiner made in relating the syntax and semantics in the image-sound relationship to general dramaturgic assessments. This well-documented biography not only conveys interesting insights into the professional and private lives of Max Steiner but also underscores the questionable working conditions of the composers of the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. Wegele makes much use of original source documents and detailed quotations, especially from memos from the producer David Selznick.Prof. Wolfgang Thiel