Films were never silent.  From the start they spoke to us with music.  When the “talkies” began music remained a significant part of film, both as background to the action and as part of the story.  The simultaneous occurrence of music and image in movies can create a mental fusion, a powerful psychological and emotional effect.  This lecture traces the interaction of music and image throughout the history of cinema, also drawing from this discussion some ideas about the functions of music in the world outside the cinema.

Dr. Konigsberg is author of “The Complete Film Dictionary” which was the standard work of its type in film studies and the film industry for many years.

Please check the OLLI web site for additional lectures in the series "American Music: How Did We Get Here?" Thursdays, October 30 - December 11.