Incidental Music

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 16

Incidental Music

Hotlywoo-. Movement To Remove A Flaw THH poor quality of background music in films lias been a matter for regret in the pust. It has contrived to be obtrusive at the wrong moments, unimaginative and glutinousiy sent! mental. A man who has fought hard and intelligently against this glaring flaw in talkies is Hollywood's Russian born music director, Boris Morros, a man of taste ami originality. Morros is now the moving spirit in one of the most revolutionary tendencies of recent Hollywood history. He has pursued the biggest names in the world of creative music to assist. Firstrate composers in their own way, like George Gershwin —now. gone—lrving Berlin. Nat Shilkret and Sigmund Romberg always liked Hollywood, but now the more distinguished musicians Determined to obtain music specially composed by the very best men available, Morros wants music whieh will completely capture the mood and temper of the story and the characters. Undoubtedly, .Morros, who is remarkably tactful ami lias considerably increased the prestige of composers and arrangers in Hollywood, lias some interesting phases ahead. The collecting of big names began when America's' most famous conduc tor, Leopold Stokowski of Philadelphia, was taken to Holywood—a sensation when it was announced. That is old news now, and in any case Stokowski is not a creative musician. Morros's biggest recent coup is to have signed up Igor Stravinsky, probably the most discussed musician of modern times, and—witli Arnold Schoenberg— the leader of the atonal school of modern music. Incidentally, the same studio claims to have Schoenberg’s signature, but he denies it.