Use of Sound and Music by Orson Welles in the Movie "Citizen Kane"
Cinematic Tools of Orson Welles in "Citizen Kane"
As the director of the film Citizen Kane, Orson Welles integrated all of the tools of narrative cinema into the movie, including the use of light, two-dimensional space, three-dimensional field, time-motion, and sound together. This particular blog post addresses his integration of the essential elements of sound and music in this classic film. This post will also address the use of sound as it applies to novel writing. To this end, I will give an example of how the descriptive use of sound and music as a media communication rule can be applied by an author in writing a fiction novel. The example will be from an excerpt of my epic medieval fantasy novel, The Wolves of Trisidian.
Use of Sound and Music in "Citizen Kane"
Welles used sound, the fifth tool of narrative cinema, very effectively in the classic motion picture, Citizen Kane. He oftentimes would use sound to "link images... [rather than] beginning and terminating with the image" (Corrigan 85). For example, the scene where Susan is seated at the piano in her shabby rooming house suddenly dissolves to a shot of her, much better-dressed, at a finer piano in a more elegant house, while she continues to play the same piece" (Beja 101). Welles referred to these as "lightning mixes, in which the sound continues (although from a different source) while the scene cuts or dissolves to a new locale and time" (Beja 101). Another example of the lightning mix was when "Thatcher says to the child Kane, 'Merry Christmas, Charles,' [and] the boy answers, 'Merry Christmas--' and the story leaps ahead seventeen years to Thatcher saying, 'And a Happy New Year'" (Beja 101).
Welles also used music to hold the mood of the film. He specifically chose certain types of music for use in Citizen Kane that would coincide with the way in which he wanted the film to be perceived and received on behalf of the attending audience (Brady 262). An example of this was the selection of a fully orchestrated sound track for the scene where Susan Alexander Kane made her debut to the opera. In this opera scene, Welles makes the film footage fit to the music instead of the more traditional approach where the music is made to conform to the footage itself (Brady 264).
Use of Sound and Music Applied to Novel Writing
I incorporated the descriptive use of sound many times in my book, The Wolves of Trisidian. One example is in a scene of the book where the main character of the story is discussing a time where he played the viol as part of the Castle Stonehaven Chapel Consort. Describing the sound of the viol as he played with this group of instrumentalists at special festivals and events throughout the year, Geoffrey said, "I played the viol as a member of the string section. I loved the deep, reverberating sounds that came forth as the bow moved across each of the strings. I always felt that the viol was the closest sounding instrument to the male human voice. For me, playing the viol allowed me to express the inner yearnings of my heart and soul. Somehow, the healing musical sounds of the viol carried a curative power for me. It revealed the tender, earnest desires of my soul. In fact, after playing my viol, I always felt cleansed. It was as if all my wrongdoings were now forgotten." Geoffrey's description of the sound made by the viol adds an aesthetic quality and message in the scene being portrayed to the reader.
Another example of the use of sound in The Wolves of Trisidian occurs when Geoffrey Talbot describes a jousting event where over 7,000 citizens of Jandor in the Frihet Arena. As their favored knights enter the contest area, the audience watches every movement the knights make. Every shift, every nod, and every move of their bodies speak of defiance and their thirst for victory. The audience stands to their feet as the two riders take position prior to engaging in their face-to-face challenge. The riders’ accusing eyes meet each other without flinching. The intonation of the crowd simmers as the Field Marshal referee takes his designated position on the contest field. The crowd awaits half in anticipation, half in dread. The Marshal quickly lowers the green flag giving clear notice to the horsemen that the joust has started. The knights raise their lances. As they begin to race towards each other on their hearty steeds, I incorporated descriptive use of sound into Geoffrey's narrative dialogue of the jousting scene to the reading audience, as follows:
"The sound of the crowd fades to a hushed stillness as it stands in mute silence awaiting the explosive encounter between the two knights. The amphitheater grows tight with tension as the two horsemen are now riding at hurtling speed on an unforgivable collision course with each other. The sound of the horses’ hooves whip up the soil with each rumbling stride they make on the dusty ground. The mind of the crowd blends together with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. The face of the Reaper smiles upon the two combatants as they continue in their race towards each other at increasing speed. Suddenly, a powerful, violent impact occurs between the two horsemen. Their lances break into a horde of fragments with a loud, shattering sound. The bone-crushing thunderclap of the exploding force on the bodies of the competing knights is at a height never witnessed ever before. The deafening cry of the astonished crowd ascends into the air like a wild, raging tempest. As I witnessed these jousting contests between two opposing knights, I often wondered what it would be like to win such an Olympian event." In this scene, I specifically chose certain types of sound effects traditionally heard in a jousting event that would coincide with the way in which I desired the scene to be perceived and received on behalf of the reading audience.
REFERENCES
Beja, Morris, ed. Perspectives on Orson Welles. New York: G. K. Hall & Co., 1995.
Brady, Frank. Citizen Welles – A Biography of Orson Welles. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1989.
Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Fourth Edition. New York: Longman Publishers, 2001.
Note: For a more detailed discussion of the principles of filmmaking and how they apply to famous film directors, read Techniques of the Film Masters (ISBN 978-1435743472). The book is available in paperback print as well as digital download in Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iBook formats.
As the director of the film Citizen Kane, Orson Welles integrated all of the tools of narrative cinema into the movie, including the use of light, two-dimensional space, three-dimensional field, time-motion, and sound together. This particular blog post addresses his integration of the essential elements of sound and music in this classic film. This post will also address the use of sound as it applies to novel writing. To this end, I will give an example of how the descriptive use of sound and music as a media communication rule can be applied by an author in writing a fiction novel. The example will be from an excerpt of my epic medieval fantasy novel, The Wolves of Trisidian.
Use of Sound and Music in "Citizen Kane"
Welles used sound, the fifth tool of narrative cinema, very effectively in the classic motion picture, Citizen Kane. He oftentimes would use sound to "link images... [rather than] beginning and terminating with the image" (Corrigan 85). For example, the scene where Susan is seated at the piano in her shabby rooming house suddenly dissolves to a shot of her, much better-dressed, at a finer piano in a more elegant house, while she continues to play the same piece" (Beja 101). Welles referred to these as "lightning mixes, in which the sound continues (although from a different source) while the scene cuts or dissolves to a new locale and time" (Beja 101). Another example of the lightning mix was when "Thatcher says to the child Kane, 'Merry Christmas, Charles,' [and] the boy answers, 'Merry Christmas--' and the story leaps ahead seventeen years to Thatcher saying, 'And a Happy New Year'" (Beja 101).
Welles also used music to hold the mood of the film. He specifically chose certain types of music for use in Citizen Kane that would coincide with the way in which he wanted the film to be perceived and received on behalf of the attending audience (Brady 262). An example of this was the selection of a fully orchestrated sound track for the scene where Susan Alexander Kane made her debut to the opera. In this opera scene, Welles makes the film footage fit to the music instead of the more traditional approach where the music is made to conform to the footage itself (Brady 264).
Use of Sound and Music Applied to Novel Writing
I incorporated the descriptive use of sound many times in my book, The Wolves of Trisidian. One example is in a scene of the book where the main character of the story is discussing a time where he played the viol as part of the Castle Stonehaven Chapel Consort. Describing the sound of the viol as he played with this group of instrumentalists at special festivals and events throughout the year, Geoffrey said, "I played the viol as a member of the string section. I loved the deep, reverberating sounds that came forth as the bow moved across each of the strings. I always felt that the viol was the closest sounding instrument to the male human voice. For me, playing the viol allowed me to express the inner yearnings of my heart and soul. Somehow, the healing musical sounds of the viol carried a curative power for me. It revealed the tender, earnest desires of my soul. In fact, after playing my viol, I always felt cleansed. It was as if all my wrongdoings were now forgotten." Geoffrey's description of the sound made by the viol adds an aesthetic quality and message in the scene being portrayed to the reader.
Another example of the use of sound in The Wolves of Trisidian occurs when Geoffrey Talbot describes a jousting event where over 7,000 citizens of Jandor in the Frihet Arena. As their favored knights enter the contest area, the audience watches every movement the knights make. Every shift, every nod, and every move of their bodies speak of defiance and their thirst for victory. The audience stands to their feet as the two riders take position prior to engaging in their face-to-face challenge. The riders’ accusing eyes meet each other without flinching. The intonation of the crowd simmers as the Field Marshal referee takes his designated position on the contest field. The crowd awaits half in anticipation, half in dread. The Marshal quickly lowers the green flag giving clear notice to the horsemen that the joust has started. The knights raise their lances. As they begin to race towards each other on their hearty steeds, I incorporated descriptive use of sound into Geoffrey's narrative dialogue of the jousting scene to the reading audience, as follows:
"The sound of the crowd fades to a hushed stillness as it stands in mute silence awaiting the explosive encounter between the two knights. The amphitheater grows tight with tension as the two horsemen are now riding at hurtling speed on an unforgivable collision course with each other. The sound of the horses’ hooves whip up the soil with each rumbling stride they make on the dusty ground. The mind of the crowd blends together with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. The face of the Reaper smiles upon the two combatants as they continue in their race towards each other at increasing speed. Suddenly, a powerful, violent impact occurs between the two horsemen. Their lances break into a horde of fragments with a loud, shattering sound. The bone-crushing thunderclap of the exploding force on the bodies of the competing knights is at a height never witnessed ever before. The deafening cry of the astonished crowd ascends into the air like a wild, raging tempest. As I witnessed these jousting contests between two opposing knights, I often wondered what it would be like to win such an Olympian event." In this scene, I specifically chose certain types of sound effects traditionally heard in a jousting event that would coincide with the way in which I desired the scene to be perceived and received on behalf of the reading audience.
REFERENCES
Beja, Morris, ed. Perspectives on Orson Welles. New York: G. K. Hall & Co., 1995.
Brady, Frank. Citizen Welles – A Biography of Orson Welles. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1989.
Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Fourth Edition. New York: Longman Publishers, 2001.
Note: For a more detailed discussion of the principles of filmmaking and how they apply to famous film directors, read Techniques of the Film Masters (ISBN 978-1435743472). The book is available in paperback print as well as digital download in Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iBook formats.
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