Context of the SCORE
Waxman used distorted arrangements of popular 1920s–1930s film-music styles to reflect Norma Desmond’s unstable state of mind.
Description of the SCORE in sunset boulevard
Fast-paced and powerful, using techniques to emphasise Norma’s insanity.
Techniques that are used to emphasise Norma’s insanity
Low pulsing notes (first heard in The Bride of Frankenstein) and frequent trills.
PRELUDE INSTRUMENTS (BP1)
Strings: Used to lead the moody, tango-influenced themes.
Brass: Played a significant role in establishing the 1920s-era, dramatic musical themes.
Piano/Celesta: Provided a sharp, distinct timbre, often punctuating the orchestration.
Woodwinds & Percussion: Part of the broader orchestral palette used to create tension.
NORMA DESMOND SCORE INSTRUMENTS (BP1 OR 2 OR 3)
Strings: The tango theme, representing her past dancing with Valentino, is primarily led by strings. These are often used to create eerie, swirling, or dramatic textures that reflect her mental state.
Alto Flute (mysterioso): A solo alto flute is used to express her theme, providing a haunting, mysterious, and minimalist quality that emphasizes the isolation of her world.
Brass Section: Used for the 1920s-style dramatic theme, which symbolizes her declining state of mind.
Piano: Used to punctuate the atmosphere, especially in the Prelude, providing a cold, hard sound.
Timpani/Percussion: Constant, pulsing, or dramatic percussion is used to heighten the tension of her scenes.
Harp: Often used to add a dreamlike, yet fragile, quality to her character’s scenes.
PARAMOUNT ON PARADE SCORE AND INSTRUMENTS (BP2)
Muted Trumpet: Plays the lyrical love theme, reworked from the bold “Paramount Newsreel” march.
Saxophone: Joe Gillis’s jazz-inflected, youthful, confident theme.
Violin: Prominent in Paramount studio scenes, capturing the busy, fast-paced atmosphere, reminiscent of An American in Paris.
Harp: Adds background color and texture.
Piano: Provides rhythmic drive in studio scenes.
Brass & Strings: Full orchestration for “Paramount on Parade” scenes—brass for a march-like feel, strings for romantic or dramatic contrast.
THE STUDIO SCROLL INSTRUMENTS – JOE AND BETTY SCHAEFER (BP2)
Strings: Used for the melodic, romantic themes as Joe and Betty walk the back-lot streets.
Muted Trumpet: A prominent solo instrument used to play the lyrical love theme, which is a rework of the Paramount Newsreel march.
Woodwinds: Specific woodwind textures are utilized to blend with the romantic melody.
Harp: Adds texture to the romantic and atmospheric moments.
Percussion: Subtle, rhythmic punctuation.
Piano/Celesta: Integrated into the overall sound palette to add color to the studio setting.
THE COMEBACK (NORMA MURDERING GILLIS) SCORE AND INSTRUMENTS (BP3)
Strings: Carry the melody and end with a cascading shower of notes as she descends the stairs.
Brass (Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba, Horns): Reflect Norma’s unstable mental state with an increasingly dissonant tango theme.
Percussion (Timpani, Vibraphone, Bells, etc.): Emphasises the dramatic, surreal mood.
Harp: Enhances the dreamlike, “magical” atmosphere.
Piano/Novachord: Provides an eerie, rhythmic base, echoing silent film accompaniment.
Woodwinds (Piccolo, English Horn, Clarinets, etc.): Add tonal colour, with saxophones contributing jazz elements.
NORMA AS SALOME SCORE AND INSTRUMENT S (BP3)
Woodwinds: Flutes (incl. alto/piccolo), oboe/cor anglais, clarinets (E♭/bass), bassoons (with contrabassoon).
Saxophones: Alto and tenor add a distorted 1920s jazz tone to suggest decline.
Brass: 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, and tuba.
Strings: Lush, prominent, often dissonant.
Percussion: Wide range (timpani, snare, cymbals, xylophone, gong, etc.) creating wild, eerie textures.
Keyboard & Harp: Piano and celesta (high/dissonant) with harp for an ethereal effect.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON SALOME SCORE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MUSICAL ELEMENTS OF THE SCENE:
Frequent trills to suggest insanity, distorted 1920s film-style music to reflect mental instability
Low pulsing notes for suspense.
Tango rhythms in the strings referencing her past.
