Analysis of the music of the movie Little Women Little Women

Drama movie is that in 1994 to director Gillian Armstrong And based on a novel with the same name From Louisa May Alcott Was made . Composer Thomas Newman .

The music of this film is in the style and orchestration of classical instruments . And in many sequences, children's music and children's choruses are used to have the feeling of girls and the innocent expression and feelings of children and teenagers. . Most of the cellos are with an emphasis on English horn, bells, flute, harp and piano . Beth and Teddy, who are piano players themselves, play real music in several passages, and the composer has used this instrument very well to express himself. . and sometimes used as a strong code for characters and situations . The music very well changes the mood and expression in the film . And sometimes he conveys several statements with contrast and opposite and parallel to the audience .

Examining the sequences where the director has used the powerful musical instrument and the admirable art of Thomas Newman in the film :

1- The title track begins with the accompaniment of string instruments and the main melody of the horn, and continues with the trumpet and the melody and the main theme are transferred between the horns, trumpets and string instruments. . After the beginning of the credits, the music continues in the sequence of snowfall and taking away the Christmas tree and the mother going home and the girls welcoming her. . At the beginning of the movie, it shows the composer with the pizzicato of violins, flute and bells, with the music of the cold feeling of winter, the activities of the people for the Christmas celebration and the happiness of the children. .

2- While reading the father's letter by the daughters and the mother, a very delicate romantic music is played with violins, and during the sad mood, it shows the feeling of longing and distance of the daughters and the mother from the father, and then with a very beautiful bells instrument, the delicate feeling of the girls and the snowfall is played. show to others . And so beautiful this soundtrack to a real music (Music to be played and filmed in the movie) which is played by one of the girls on the piano, and the girls perform the Christmas carol together with the piano accompaniment. . And after stopping playing the piano, they continue to sing as a group . (4:26)

3- So when the girls go to the upper room to sleep, it shows a sequence from outside the house, and in the darkness of the night and the sound of the owl, a terrifying and mysterious music with violins is heard, and soon the atmosphere changes with the beautiful melody of the English horn. . And while writing a letter by the girl, a very beautiful and romantic melody is heard . (5:52)

4- In the morning a real music by one of the girls (broadcast) Performed by piano . (6:42)

5- In the sequence where one of the girls (of the) He says that maybe we should send bread, butter and food to Hubble. Newman has very beautifully depicted the childish and innocent feeling of the girls with bells, flutes, xylophones and violins accompanied by a childish and simple melody. . (7:40)

6- When the girls leave the house in the morning, real music is heard by a group of girls singing . And then very beautifully, the composer plays the music text based on this real music melody by the instruments of piano, bells, flute and continues the theater rehearsal sequence. . (8:30)

7- In the scene where the rehearsal of the girl's show is over and they look at the boy next door from upstairs through the window, and the fact that he came from another country and lives with an old man, real music is performed by the boy on the piano. . And this music expresses the sense of homelessness and sadness . It is as if it tells about the language and expression of the boy and the sadness of his sojourn . (10:58)

8- While the girls are talking about money and marriage, the music that we heard earlier in the morning is played again . which has a Christmas and morning and childish feeling . (12:17)

9- When the wedding party starts, dance music with strings, brass and woodwind instruments creates a happy atmosphere . (14:26)

10- Waltz music during the wedding party when Joe meets Larry (A type of triple dance music) Starts . (15:35)

11- After Joe meets Larry and talks about Joe saying I want to be a writer and even if I didn't want to be a writer I'd be acting, the two beat dance music starts. . (17:28)

12- The sequence of pulling the sleigh carrying the girls by Larry, music with bells and pizzicato (Finger tapping on the violins) It begins and continues with the trumpet instrument, and there is a sense of a heroic beginning with mischief and childish play in the music. . (19:38)

13- Joe's look from behind the window at his little sister who is crying at the door, the music with the bass of the strings and the harp. (Harp) It expresses a feeling of worry, fear and apprehension, and continues with the bells and tremolos (The quick movement of the bow of the violins) He conveys more concern to the point where he asks if your crying is because of your father. And when the little girl says that the teacher punished me, the music induces a sad and pitiful expression . (23:03)

14- After the mother's decision that the little girl should not go to school and Joe takes responsibility for her education, and the beginning of the facade of the house covered in snow, he plays soothing, joyful and liberating music with string instruments and the accompaniment of the English horn. . (25:18)

15- In the sequence of the teacher's conversation with the neighbor boy about how girls spend their time during the day, music with short melodies of string instruments with the rhythm of three harp instruments and then the flute melody of a waltz statement. (Three beat dance) And it expresses a sense of happiness and a delicate feeling . (27:15)

16- When the role of Rodrigo is handed over to Lori, the music with bells, flute and pizzicato strings expresses the feeling of joy and happiness. . And then real music by one of the girls playing the piano . (30:05)

17- After the girls and boys return from the theater, the night music conveys the beauty of the night's calm feeling along with the romantic and playful feeling at the same time. . (31:20)

18- The sequence where Joe searches for his own writing, the music begins with pizzicato strings and has a searching feel with the rhythm.. When he sees his own writings burning in the fireplace, this feeling of regret and discomfort along with hatred for his little sister with the tension of the notes in the bass range of the strings and at the same time the range of the lower strings with dissonance intervals. (Unpleasant) And the wounds of the bass harp range are well expressed . And in the following, when the little sister cries because of Joe's beating and fight, the feeling of sadness and grief and crying and pity is expressed very well by the music of the string orchestra. . Next, in the morning, the sequence of Larry and Joe skiing on the frozen surface by the beautiful and rhythmic waltz music expresses the morning feeling and playfulness of the children by pizzicato strings, English horn, harp, flute and triangle instrument. . And when the ice breaks and the little sister sinks into the river water, the sense of fear, anxiety, worry and struggle with death both from Joe and Lori and from the little sister with the extended notes of the bass strings are very beautiful and simple and at the same time effective. The transition is made by the composer. (33:42)

19- With the beginning of spring, the music with the clarinet instrument and the string waltz rhythm with the pizzicato technique, followed by the accompaniment of orchestral strings, expresses the feeling of the beginning of spring and the girls' new clothes. . (37:32)

20- When the house is prepared for the celebration and the woman climbs the stairs and the girls are ready, the music by the melody of the brass wind instruments and the accompaniment of percussion and string instruments with a three-beat rhythm induces a sense of a heroic beginning and at the same time happy and hopeful. . And at the moment of removing the cake by one of the girls, the music becomes quiet and delicate and continues with harp, bells and English horn. . (39:00)

21- The start of the musical celebration and party by rhythm waltz(Three beat dance) With the instruments of cello and violins, it conveys a beautiful sense of dance and happiness . (40:40)

22- The sequence of thinking about the atmosphere for writing a play in the night of music begins with the string orchestra and the accompaniment of woodwind instruments, very beautiful and voluminous, and has a nocturnal and thought-provoking feeling. . (44:17)

23- When the mother tells the girls the news of their father's injury, the active music with string instruments and flute melody expresses the sense of vibrancy and activity of the family to provide conditions for the visit of the father in the hospital. . In the following, when Joe tells his family that he sold his hair to get money, at first, the string instruments express a sense of dread with the tremolo technique, but very quickly, the horn melody beautifully portrays a sense of children's love for their father and mother's attention to their daughters. And the crying sequence continues. And when Joe's sister asks him why he is crying and Joe says I am crying for my hair, the music changes the feeling and the childish and happy melody that we heard in several places in the film by bells, harp and flute instruments changes the expression of the film. .

(46:26)

24- When Beth says that Hamel's baby is sick, the music gives a sense of worry and anxiety and a strange feeling with the low range of the strings and the scattered notes of the harp and the scattered and short tremolos of the string instruments in the following range and then with the bells accompaniment. delivers . And then, when the little sister says to Larry, I would like someone to kiss me before I die, the very beautiful music expresses this feeling of happiness, love and childish hope with bells, strings and harp, and then when the sick girl in the bed We see the same music that started with Beth's strange feeling starts . That is, in fact, we have a three-part form in this music section and these three sequences and topics . (51:01)

25***- The sequence of the doctor's arrival, the sense of anxiety and apprehension begins with the tremolo of stringed instruments and the pizzicato of the cello, in Adame, when Joe is sitting on Beth's bed and the mother returns from a trip, the sound of the piano is heard, and the beautiful feeling of motherhood is expressed by this very beautiful melody. and in a parallel way, the strings express the feeling of worry and anxiety with this feeling of hope and maternal feeling . That is, two opposite expressions are simultaneously induced by the music, and in the morning, when Joe wakes up and sees the old woman crying, the wind instruments and the orchestra's accompaniment, with a massive texture, express great concern that Beth is dead, and when He sees Beth's bed empty, this feeling reaches its peak, and when he sees Beth's bed next to her, with her mother and sister feeding her, the music modulates with the beautiful melody of the harp, and Majoro becomes happy and hopeful.. And the same theme is very beautifully changed by the composer in a major and joyful manner. And this sense of hope and life is connected again to the sequence of morning and work in the farm . (54:22)

25- When Mr. Lawrence tells about the death of his daughter and presents her piano to Beth on Christmas Eve, the music of beautiful human feeling, forgiveness and altruism and the great spirit of giving people to make another human heart happy with a very beautiful melody by string orchestra and Selvy Horn. English portrays . And when Beth is asked to play something with the piano given by Mr. Lawrence, very beautifully, the composer finishes the score in a step and chord, and Beth starts the real music with the piano, as if the score is an overture and an introduction to the piano solo. Beth and the Christmas carol . And Beth plays the Christmas carol and everyone sings the carol. (58:20)

26- When the father comes home, the music evokes a sense of glory and heroic victory along with the joy of the family, and this music starts with the drawn note of the violins, and with the movement of the harp arpeggio to the high notes, and then the whole orchestra starts playing. . (1:01:05)

27- The father's conversation with his family and friends begins with orchestral music with an emphasis on string instruments and the solo of the English horn, and with this music, time goes by. 4 The next year goes by and this music is connected to the music very beautifully (Real) The group singing at the wedding ceremony of the older sister (Meg) His family and friends sing . (1:01:47)

28- The moment when Teddy says goodbye to Joe in the forest, the music starts with the English horn and continues with the harp and strings, and in the scene where Joe talks to his sisters at home, this music is connected to the real music that Teddy plays in the house next door. . (1:07:55)

29- When the mother tells her daughter Jo to go and embrace your right to choose, the music begins with the feeling of a heroic beginning with wind and string instruments and in the city sequence with percussion hits, it displays the urban atmosphere and this melody continues and It depicts a busy city atmosphere . And then when Joe writes a letter to his sister, the music continues by the piano with a romantic atmosphere accompanied by strings. . And then the English horn helps this accompaniment .(1:10:45)

30- Beautiful orchestral music begins with English strings and horns as the professor tells Joe that we all have flaws. . Later, when Joe writes a letter to his sister Beth, the harp and strings portray a beautiful romantic and poetic feeling.. (1:17:30)

31 – Real opera music . Further, after the end of the opera, the music continues based on the same theme of the opera by arpeggios of the harp and string instruments, and gradually the music becomes silent. . (1:22:00)

32- At the time of Amy's separation from Teddi, the music and the theme that we have heard before are heard by flute, string instruments, and harp. . (1:30:02)

33- In the scene where Joe is crying, very beautiful music based on the previous themes by string instruments and harp accompaniment expresses a romantic atmosphere and when Joe returns home and sees his older sister, the music reaches its peak until he meets his sister Beth in the bed of illness. continues . And it portrays a sense of full human emotions and kindness .(1:32:33)

34- When the strong wind comes, Jojo closes the window, the soft music starts with strings and when he turns his head towards his sister Beth's bed and sees that her sister has passed away, the music reaches its peak and the strings play in full. . Later, when Joe is next to his sister's lifeless body and caresses her, the music is given to the piano, as if Beth's ghost is playing. . And this beautiful sad music is accompanied by a very beautiful choral and it ends with the sound of the church bell and the news of the death of the girls' aunt, and when Joe says that we will never get together again, the active music starts with string instruments and at the same time Joe runs to the side of the last place he saw Teddy . And when he reaches the same place in the forest, he starts crying . The music becomes romantic and reminds them of their friendship . In the next sequence, the music becomes low and when Lori sees the letter of Beth's death, the music becomes sad, followed by the English horn and strings, followed by the harp and flute. . (1:37:04)

35- When Joe opens the door of Beth's casket, which has passed away, beautiful music plays, reminiscing about his memories with Beth and her sisters, along with seeing Beth's personal belongings. . And the moments they were together and the theater exercises they did together with the musical themes that we have heard before are very beautiful. Then beautiful vocal music accompanies the orchestra . And then the English horn plays the same theme with the orchestra until the moment when Joe finishes writing his book, and the harp plays beautiful arpeggios that express Joe's sense of hope and aspirations, as well as his love for the professor and under The thread that binds the leaves of the book leaves a flower. (1:42:20)

36- Once the children give him life, the beautiful music starts with string instruments and expresses a sense of hope, and then the clarinet joins this music. . (1:46:14)

37- When Teddy Joe's little sister (Amy) introduces her to Joe as his wife. Romantic music based on the same romantic themes as before is played. (1:47:52)

38- As Joe and Amy embrace each other, romantic music begins with strings and bells, followed by the horn playing the opening credits theme. . (1:49:20)

39- The girls are accompanied by their mother at their late aunt's house, the music from the opening title theme is performed by a horn, and then they are accompanied by the bells instrument and the string group, and when Joe sees the book of Little Women written by himself in print, The music becomes active and rhythmic by string instruments and when he sees the writings of his published book, the horn instrument plays a theme indicating victory and success and continues with the emphasis of percussion and string instruments, flute and harp. . And when Joe runs to the road and calls the professor with the word Frederick and reaches him, the music becomes romantic . (1:50:20)

40- When the professor says to Joe, do you want me? And Joe says from the heart, the beautiful romantic music starts with string instruments and English horn, then the professor says, I have empty hands and I have nothing in my hands, for you and Joe, he puts his hand in the professor's hand and says your hands are empty. At this moment, the music reaches its peak with the emphasis of the timpani and expresses a deep two-way love. And after a moment, the brass wind instruments add a sense of pride of victory and success to the final credits . And this theme is accompanied by the instruments of the orchestra, and then the English horn continues and expands with the pizzicato of the strings and bells, and gradually the music gets a low-volume texture and reaches the end of the credits. . (1:54:12)