Max Steiner: The Father of Film Music

In this course, we explore how Max Steiner invented the musical language of cinema, transforming how we experience movies. We analyze his revolutionary technical innovations, from creating character-specific themes (leitmotifs) to syncing music perfectly with on-screen action (mickey-mousing). Through audiovisual examples from masterpieces like King Kong, Gone with the Wind, and Casablanca, we examine how his scores shaped audience emotions and established the foundational techniques inherited by modern masters like John Williams and today’s leading film composers. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to the video for 30 days.