Origins of the “Hollywood Sound”: the formation of the symphonic genre after Alfred Newman

Abstract

Beginning in the observation of the period of formation of the symphonic genre in North American cinema, this work seeks to investigate the existing influences on the formation of the symphonic practice of film music as a specific aesthetic, presenting as reference the work of the composer Alfred Newman (1901-1970), considered here as one of the main agents of this process due to its legacy in film industry. This genre – referred as “symphonic genre” –, despite being quite recognizable, needs a more detailed examination of its origins and influences, in order to expose the influence of the artistic material that formed it, specifically regarding the practice of instrumental scoring. To this end, we propose to investigate the origins and intercultural relations existing in the period (1930-1950), strongly influenced by the growth of American popular songs.