MaLLhew 8rowne

10/9/07

Max Ste|ner's Score to !"#$ &'() ()$ *'#+
An LclecLlc Analysls

!"#$ &'() ()$ *'#+ (1939)
roducer: uavld Selznlck
ulrecLor: vlcLor llemlng
Composer: Max SLelner


1. n|story

Gone with the Wind is an epic tale set in the era of the American Civil War, offering a
much-romanticized portrayal of the Old South to which the music contributes a great deal. It was
first released in 1939, based on the popular novel by Margaret Mitchell published three years
earlier. As such it was a much-anticipated film, and was greeted with enormous enthusiasm when
it opened in theaters. It went on to win 10 Academy Awards, a record that would stand for
years,
1
and it soon became the most popular American film ever made.
GWTW was more than just a popular film, however; even more than the novel (because
of its wider audience), it became a cultural icon that reaffirmed the nostalgia still felt by the
South after the Civil War, as well as more universal themes of loss, hope, love, and home. These
themes and their corresponding values and emotions were keenly felt by Americans due to the
political and social events of the time. The film opened only a few months after World War II
began in Europe, and World War I was still a vivid memory, so naturally Scarletts story of
survival and strength during wartime was well received. But GWTW is more complex than this;
its story is not really an optimistic one, nor is Scarlett the stereotypical Southern belle (by any
stretch of the imagination). Contrasting GWTW to the more optimistic and unambiguous Birth of

1
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a Nation, Gerald Wood points out that whereas Birth of a Nation, the earlier film, captures [a]
prewar sense of hope and progress [] Gone with the Wind reflects a sense of disillusionment
and introversion that characterized much of American life after World War I, when anxiety,
cynicism, and a skepticism regarding the present undercut even the prosperity of the twenties.
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Wood goes on to argue that the nostalgia in GWTW reflects anxiety and reaction to the
complexities of modern life, and doubts about Americas direction and its supposed progress.
This was further compounded by the beginning of World War II, which of course darkened the
mood of the country and fostered an even greater attraction to stories like GWTW.
It is also important to examine what was happening in Hollywood at the time. GWTW is
also an archetypal example of the codes and conventions used in the Golden Era of
Hollywood. The music for the film serves as an excellent demonstration of this fact. To begin
with, the music is written in very much in a Romantic style, which was the norm (established by
Max Steiner himself as much as anyone). The score plays a very significant role in the film,
obviously intended to be a memorable one, with music not only playing almost continuously
throughout the film, but also featured in an overture, intermission, entracte, and exit music. In
many ways, Golden Era film scores were much more operatic than the film scores of today. The
film composers of the time deliberately used techniques borrowed from opera, most notably the
Wagnerian leitmotif. Like the film itself, the score to GWTW is a massive work, written in much
the same way as a full-length opera, as Steiner himself describes:
GWTW, like all my scores, [is] written like an opera. You see. Just the same. If you listen to Wagners
Ring you will find the same theme throughout. [] Every one of my scores...I start out with a basic
theme and then I keep going with it. Of course there are other tunes, too.
3



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p. 132-133
3
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leb. 2003), p. 24-27
Steiners first act upon viewing a film (which he usually watched only one or two times before
composing the score) was to compose themes, or leitmotifs, for the main characters (and
sometimes certain other characters as well).
4

Steiner was well-suited to this manner of working because of his personal background.
He was born in Vienna and studied with well-known classical composers, including Gustav
Mahler. He gained experience working in conjunction with dramatic arts early in his career, by
composing an opera and conducting music theater. He was in great demand as a composer, and
scored hundreds of Hollywood films.
Steiner worked alone; in fact, David Selznick, the producer, was more of a nuisance than
a help when he commented on the music to GWTW. Steiner reports having re-recorded a segment
to please Selznick on more than one occasion, when in the end it was always the version that
Steiner preferred that was included with the final release of the film.
5
As an aside, Steiner (at age
79) also said of the film (not the music), I cant stand it [] its boringand of the music I
dont even remember how the picture opensYou know I dont even remember the tunes.
6

Meanwhile, the American public remembered the music from the film (at least the main theme)
quite well.
Many glowing reviews were written about the film, which is nearly four hours long, and
was by all accounts an impressive technical achievement with excellent cinematography. A brief
look at these reactions will help illustrate how powerfully the story resonated with contemporary
American audiences (particularly in the South), providing ample opportunity for a score which

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would play an important narrative role, as we shall see. Almost all the reviews were positive,
7

lauding the excellent performances, technical achievements, and in some cases the historical
accuracy of the film (a source of considerable debate). However, the film offers a very biased
view of history, and many modern-day viewers would be likely to cringe at the racial stereotypes
in it. One contemporary criticism, a definite exception to the favorable reviews of the time, is
revealing:
Sugar-smeared and blurred by a boresome Hollywood love story and under the guise of presenting the
South as it is in the eyes of the Southerners, the message of GWTW emerges in its final entity as a
nostalgic plea for sympathy for a still living cause of Southern reaction. [] the principal Negro
charactersfollow the time-worn stereotype pattern laid down by Hollywood. There isYoung Prissy,
indolent and thoroughly irresponsible, Big Sam with his radiant acceptance of slavery and Mammyit
is made to appear that she loves this degrading position.
8


In fairness to Mr. Selznick, these stereotypes originated in the novel, and in any case the black
characters in GWTW are more dignified and respected than many black characters in other films
of the same period (on the other hand, from a modern perspective, one would tend to agree with
the critic about the stereotypes). It helped that Hattie McDaniel became the first black actress to
win an Oscar, for her role as Mammy, and black and white filmgoers alike found much to
admire in the film; as Russell Merritt and Thomas Paulty have shown, survival, nostalgia,
romantic love, and the family were attractive themes for all audiences.
9


2. Mus|ca| and I||m|c Syntax

This analysis will focus on the final two scenes of the film.


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Themes
There are many important themes, or leitmotifs, at work in the score. The main theme, Tara, is
particularly significant and is used as a foundation for development more than any other
throughout the score; this is one theme that is really more than a leitmotif, and more like a motif
upon which a symphony is based.
The analysis of these themes in this segment will show the central importance they
played in Steiners construction of the score, and his great adeptness at weaving them in and out,
transforming them, and synchronizing them with the action on the screen.

Transcriptions of the themes as they appear in this segment
Melanie

Melanie/Ashley Love Theme (Melanie theme continues above)

Scarlett/Ashley Love Theme (almost entirely strings)

Scarlett/Rhett Love Theme (mostly strings)

Rhett

Tara


Melanies Deathbed Scene
Melanie theme
Melanie/Ashley love theme
Scarlett/Ashley theme (Higher) transformation
of Melanie/Ashley theme
Scarlett/Ashley love theme
Melanie/Ashley love theme



(Scarlett realizes that
Rhett is missing)


Music is playing throughout this scene. The Melanie theme begins at 1:49:22, as Scarlett leans
over Mellies bed. The orchestration is atmospheric, with untexted vocals in the treble range.
Though Romantic in style in many ways, the theme also evokes a Southern Gospel feeling
(though much gentler) with much vibrato in the strings, the lower parts sounding almost like jazz
organ. The theme is played with much rubato. Melanie will soon ask Scarlett to look after
Ashley; seconds before this happens, the Melanie/Ashley love theme comes in. Meanwhile, the
Melanie theme continues in the top voice, and much of the orchestration from the Melanie theme
is maintained. The love theme adds more of a sense of forward motion, although the pedal tone
is maintained. A sequence built on the love theme is followed by a low bass note; the color of the
music turns darker. The camera zooms in on Ashley and the Melanie theme, transformed by a
minor key, begins but stops on the third note.
The music temporarily switches to the Scarlett/Ashley love theme at 1:51:37, as Scarlett
and Ashley embrace. Rhett watches in bitter disappointment, and then the music mickey-
mouses his exit, still playing the Scarlett/Ashley theme. As Ashley proclaims his love for
Melanie and says, I cant live without her, the Melanie/Ashley love theme resumes. A
descending figure in the strings mickey-mouses the action as Scarlett kneels down to Ashley and
the camera zooms in on Scarlett. As Scarlett expresses her dismay that Ashley had to wait till
now to tell her he doesnt love her (at 1:52:30), the Ashley/Scarlett love theme comes in
temporarily. This theme is characterized by gradual, chromatic downward motion in the strings.
Its rhythm is simple and repetitive.
Yet somehow, Scarlett says (at 1:52:51), it doesnt matterit doesnt matter one bit,
and the Melanie/Ashley theme returns. Scarlett realizes that Rhett is missing; a higher
transformation of the Melanie/Ashley theme creates a more hurried, worrisome evocation. The
music cadences as Scarlett opens the door to go look for Rhett.

Closing Scene from the point of Rhetts departure to the end




The Scarlett/Rhett theme has just been playing when the music takes a sudden shift at
1:58:18 following Rhetts famous line (in response to Scarlett asking where she will go and what
she will do), Frankly, my dear, I dont give a damn. The melody of this theme is somewhat
legato, but its upbeat rhythm and sturdily forward motion, as well as its orchestration, creates a
more articulated line than is found in most of the other themes, with the exception of Mammys
theme (earlier in the film).
At 1:58:37, the Scarlett/Rhett theme comes back in as Scarlett thinks about how to get
Rhett back. The rhythm is used as a basis for further development until a cadence with
percussion as Scarlett falls on the stairs (mickey-mousing). Scarlett says, What is there that
matters? and then she starts hearing voices at 1:59:14, first of her father, then of Ashley and
Rhett, repeating like a broken record, reminding her of Tara. Her fathers voice is accompanied
by a playful flute melody (a definite contrast), reminiscent of his Irish heritage and musically
reminiscent of earlier points in the film, and also distantly resembling the Tara theme. A choir is
slowly added, singing what sounds like a ghostly wind sound, accompanied by a gradually more
recognizable Tara theme playing in the woodwinds. As a climax begins to build in the dialogue,
the strings begin to join in with the Tara theme, and then do sequences on it (a typical Steiner
trait). Finally, at 1:59:52, the Tara theme enters in its fully recognizable form, though at a lower
volume, as Scarlett says, Tara! Home. At 2:00:08, a pastoral scene is shown, where Scarlett is
silhouetted against the setting sun, as she has been before near the beginning of the film and just
before intermission. The Tara theme is played in its fullest form yet, with a full orchestra
including tubular bells, strong brass lines to accompany the dominant strings, and a choir
floating above. The film closes with an inspiring plagal cadence.

3. Sound-|n-I||m|c-1|me
Steiner follows the action on the screen very closely, offering a narrative that parallels the
images, hitting a number of key points.
Deathbed Scene
1:49:22 [Conversation between Scarlett and Melanie. Melanie theme begins.]
- 1:49:48 [Ashley, Ashley knew (Scarlett: What?) look after him, just as you looked
after me; Melanie/Ashley love theme is introduced as Melanie theme continues]
- 1:50:43 [Cadence on Captain Butler be kind to himhe loves you so.]
- 1:51:12 [Low bass comes in as Scarlett exits]

1:51:21 [Ashleys grief; Scarletts longing for Ashley; Rhetts disappointment. Close-up on
Ashley accompanied by shortened, minor-mode Melanie theme.]
- 1:51:35 [Scarlett and Ashley embrace]
- 1:51:37 [Shot of Rhett as Scarlett and Ashley embrace. Scarlett/Ashley love theme
begins, with a quicker pace than usual, and picks up speed to mickey-mouse Rhetts
departure]
- 1:51:52 [Ashley: Everything Ive ever had has gone with her. Melanie/Ashley theme
again.]

1:52:12 [Scarletts reaction to realizing she may never have Ashley. Mickey-mousing as Scarlett
kneels down to Ashley; sequences as she becomes more emotional.]
- 1:52:30 [Scarlett expresses her frustration at Ashley; you had to wait till now Ashley
theme comes in.]
- 1:52:51 [Scarlett: [But] somehow it doesnt matterit doesnt matter one bit.
Melanie/Ashley theme returns.]

1:53:15 [Scarlett realizes that Rhett is missing. Melanie/Ashley theme is transposed higher, and
speeds up to take on a desperate, hurried, and worried quality.]
- 1:53:24 [Cadence as Scarlett opens the door to go look for Rhett.]


Closing Scene from the point of Rhetts departure to the end

1:58:18 [Rhetts departure (Frankly, my dear). Rhetts theme comes in, in an obvious
manner, also changing the tempo.]
- 1:58:37 [Scarlett/Rhett theme comes back in (it was playing just before) as Scarlett thinks
about how to get Rhett back.]

1:59:10 [Scarletts despair. Cadence with percussion as Scarlett falls on the stairs (mickey-
mousing). What is there that matters?]

1:59:14 [Memory, hope of Tara. Voices of the past come in. Flashback: Lands the only thing
that matters. All leading to Tara, repeating like a broken record, while the music repeats the
Tara theme also, more and more insistently.]
- 1:59:52 [Tara! Home. Tara theme is now fully recognizable, whereas before the
listener was probably not conscious of it. Still not in its fully orchestrated form.]
- 2:00:08 [Pastoral silhouette scene; large oak tree, the land. Tara theme plays in earnest,
leading to a huge climax complete with choir singing the theme also.]


4. Mus|ca| and I||m|c kepresentat|on: Convent|ons and Codes
Deathbed Scene
All the music in this segmentand largely in the film in generalis designed to evoke
strong emotional reaction. Interpretation is not left up to the audience; we are meant to feel
sympathetic for Melanie, and although the music could be termed emotional and serious, or
schmaltzy and sentimental, in either case most people would say it was effectivethat is, if they
were aware of the music at all. The music in this scene is distinctly nondiegetic, which means
that Max Steiner intended the music to be felt but not heard consciously (as pointed out by
Claudia Gorbman). It would be surprising if any audience member were actively aware of all the
different themes being woven in and out of the scene, even though this is in fact done to a great
extent.
The above qualities are conventions of the time period, and there are more that become
apparent as the scene continues. In both the Melanie/Ashley theme and the Scarlett/Ashley
theme, we find poignant string melodies with the addition of harp, classic examples of
contemporary Hollywood love themes. In addition to the orchestration, there is extensive use of
rubato, and in the Scarlett/Ashley theme there is the use of chromaticism, recalling Wagner.
And, of course, the use of themes or leitmotifs in the first place was a defining
characteristic of Steiner scores and the Golden Era in general. In particular, note the way in
which Steiner uses the leitmotifs as a basis for development, modifying them as appropriate to a
given situation, such as when he blends the Melanie theme with the Melanie/Ashley love theme.
The leitmotifs are also used narratively. At the beginning of the scene, the choice of the
Melanie theme is obvious. Steiner, known for his emphasis on split-second synchronization,
shows an extraordinary adeptness at hitting key points and moving themes in and out to fit the
action on the screen. We also receive extra-diegetic information from the music. A look at the
timeline above shows that Steiner catches Mellies request about Ashley and then Captain Butler.
The music plays a narrative role not found on screen when Scarlett says, Somehow it doesnt
matter, as the Melanie/Ashley theme comes back in. The music fully reveals what the dialogue
hints at: Scarlett has made peace with the fact that Ashley really loved Melanie, and there is no
longer a need for the Ashley/Scarlett theme to continue.
Another classic characteristic of this scene, a hallmark of Steiner in particular, is the use
of mickey-mousing, or mimicking motion on the screen. As delineated above, we see that
Steiner uses mickey-mousing quite a lot, most obviously as Rhett exits.

Closing Scene
The Rhett theme is one of the more obviously masculine, and also heroic themes in the
score. Its proud, independent quality is created through the increased tempo, steady, articulated
rhythm and orchestration, and the heroic quality of the melody. Perhaps it would be even more
culturally coded if it were played by a trumpet, but that would hardly be fitting to the scene.
There is a brief Irish cultural codethe flute rendition that accompanies the voice of
Scarletts father. Mickey-mousing is also present in this scene; note, for instance, how Steiner
hits Scarletts collapse on the stairs.
At the films end, the Tara theme ends with a very strong plagal cadence. This was a
characteristic ending for Golden Era film scores, notably Disney scores, especially with the use
of choir. Plagal cadences are also reminiscent of church music, which is an appropriate reference
for GWTW. The big, lush orchestration and final cadence is a major Hollywood code saying,
this is the end.

Note
Folk tunes such as Dixie, Bonnie Blue Flag, and many songs by Stephen Foster are
sprinkled throughout the score. Although the scenes analyzed in this essay deal less with this
material, they are very significant to the work as a whole, and serve as important cultural codes
and suggestions.

S. Mus|ca| and I||m|c kepresentat|on: 1extua| Ana|ys|s
Deathbed Scene
Melanies theme is well-suited to her character. Mellie is gentle and kind, always
thinking of others before herself; so the theme is very gentle, not forcing any movement on its
own. The especially gentle orchestration and low volume is fitting because Mellie is dying
peacefully, imparting her last requests. This very effectively evokes sympathy for and admiration
of Melanie. The music, although it is soft, still serves to heighten the emotion of the scene and
make us believe in the angelic person Mellie has been and become involved in the tragedy of her
death. Without music, this would be a cold scene, and we might be more inclined to question
Mellies character as unrealistic.
The grief of the scene is augmented by the introduction of the Melanie/Ahsley theme,
reminding us (probably unconsciously) of Ashleys loss and the end of their relationship. The
high cellos are particularly evocative and poignant.
The Ashley/Scarlett love theme is perhaps the schmaltziest theme, and at earlier points in
the story has seemed rather dull, reflecting the dim chances of a fulfillment of Scarletts desire
for Ashley. This is due to its orchestration, chromaticism, and its simple and repetitive rhythm.
In this case, however, the theme is played at a faster tempo with more intensity, and of course the
tragic moment on screen also makes it more poignant. Adding to this is Rhetts disappointment
at watching Scarlett and Ashley embrace; the transformation of the theme shows Rhetts reaction
to watching this happen.
When Scarlett realizes that Rhett is missing, it is the higher transposition, faster tempo,
and modified rhythm that create a desperate, worried feeling. A momentary pause of anticipation
is felt as the music cadences (but does not resolve) when Scarlett opens the door to look for
Rhett.

Closing Scene
In a conversation between Rhett and Scarlett where Rhett expresses his bitterness and his
belief that their marriage has no chance now, Scarlett says she loves him, and follows him, only
to be rejected at every turn. His exit on Frankly my dear, I dont give a damn marks his
independence, and the untempered theme shows that although he is upset, he feels proud and
liberated, unmoved by Scarlett.
The Scarlett/Rhett theme signifies Scarletts longing for Rhett, more genuine (or at least
she believes so) than earlier in the film. It has a more mournful tone than usual in this scene, with
the unmoving minor harmony beneath.
It is the Tara theme, more than any other, that contributes to the films epic feeling.
Whereas the other themes are mostly stepwise, the Tara theme is characterized by expansive
intervalsoctaves, fifths, and fourths. This expansiveness is well-suited to the pastoral scenes it
accompanies. The ascending harmonic progression, accented by the brass, at the end of the
theme contributes to the melodys already powerful, sweeping quality.
The use of the Tara theme in this scene is a good demonstration of the way Steiner used
the theme as a basis for motivic development throughout most of the score. As Steiner himself
stated, Tara is more than a plantationTara is a living thing, giving and demanding life, and
that Tara was the whole story.
10

11
Although the theme is tied closely with Scarlett, it is really
the theme for Tara, especially the Tara before the war that Scarlett remembers and longs for. The
theme is associated with pastoral scenes of the land, emphasized at key points in the film by
Scarlett (and also her father in the beginning) silhouetted by the setting sun as the camera zooms
out, showing the countryside in its full glory.
The Tara theme also plays a more specific narrative role in this closing scene. The Irish
flute rendition, vaguely based on the theme, recalls the beginning of the film and Scarletts
father. As the theme grows stronger and more recognizable, we realize that Scarlett is about to
experience the revelation that Tara is the most important thing in her life, and the full-blown
entrance of the theme marks this revelation. The final cadence, of course, gives us closure,
mirroring the cyclic nature of the film (we are reminded of the opening).

6. I||m|c Wor|d
As Claudia Gorbman points out, film music in the Golden Era was often intended to
create an epic feeling, and GWTW, with its epic story, is about as well-suited to this as a film can
be. One might also call this a mythic feeling. The film, in many ways, is bigger than life, and
encourages suspension of disbelief. The whole story is about a longing for a worldthe Old
Southnever to return. In historical fact, the Old South in the film never existed. But the film
seeks to make us believe that it did on several levels. First, the Old South as it is portrayed in the
beginning of the film is filled with charm, grace, and beauty. Even the slaves all seem to be
happy. Second, we are continually reminded of this romanticized past, both through Scarletts

10
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11
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constant longing for Tara and the music, where the Tara theme can be found in some form or
another in most scenes, to be played in its full glory at pivotal moments in the film. Third, the
film makes us empathize with the South and its suffering at the hands of the Yankees, further
drawing us into this sense of longing for the peaceful existence of the past. (The film does not
portray the Confederates as complete victims, showing how they were boastful and eager for war
in the beginning. However, we are clearly intended to fault the Yankees for their brutality, and
we shouldbut one wonders if the Confederates would not have been as brutal had they won the
war.) Fourth, the music, more than just through the Tara theme, romanticizes the cause of the
Confederates and their plight, causing the film to be more biased than the novel. The novel was
already biased; film and music make it more so.
The use of strongly emotional themes (not to mention traditional Southern songs like
Dixie in other parts of the film), causes the spectator to identify with the South, even if the
spectator is a Northerner or not even American. Also contributing to the epic feeling is the unity
of the music, with the opening and closing of the film acting as mirror images, both playing the
Tara theme.
Melanies death bed scene is really more about the relationships of the characters than
about the larger cultural themes such as the cause of the Confederates. Still, a suspension of
disbelief is created. We find ourselves believing that to lose Mellie will be to lose a true angel,
since throughout the film she has never exuded a single selfish trait.
In general, the use of so many themes developed earlier in the film is very effective at
making the last two scenes especially riveting and real-seeming. Although, again, the spectator
may not be conscious of it, on some level they will recognize the music from before, and also
given the length of the film, an epic feeling is created by the confluence of these themes.
Finally, the development of the Tara theme in the final minutes of the film, combined
with the dialogue, reminds us of the recurring importance of Tara that we have experienced
throughout the film. The music makes this recollection fuller than it would be with dialogue
alone, and also recalls feelings of identification with Scarletts plight, and the plight of all
Southerners, and a longing to return home. The last of thesethe love of home, the love of the
land, is the most universal theme, and this is where the film draws in even those who might not
otherwise be as involved. The historical context is bridged with more universal values and we
feel a sense of epic conclusion.
Acknow|edgements

I would like to give credit to Kelly J. Otter, from whose dissertation and analysis of the musical
score I drew much valuable information about the use of Steiners various themes. Her one-line
notations of the themes were also very helpful.