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MUSIC OF THE PERIOD & SONGS OF THE TIMES
The 1920’s has been described as a time of great social and cultural upheaval. The decade introduced jazz and flappers, socialism and feminism, the automobile, airplanes and the magic of film and Hollywood. Since music is an audible barometer of emotional temperature, timeless composers and wordsmiths like George Gershwin and Irving Berlin emerged during this era and artists like Billie Holiday, Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong, and Bing Crosby made them into hits of the day.
As dialogue in the script unfolds, familiar lyrics will be incorporated into the emotional thread of each character.As a student of music, I’m aware of how intense what we hear connects to our heart. Since ‘Blithe Spirit’ is all about life, love and loss, we are lucky to have songs that continue to be recorded each decade with
contemporary arrangements. I can still hear my mother singing these songs growing up as a child – ‘Always’ being one of her very favorites. No wonder it’s the key Madame Arcati uses to get in touch with Daphne. It’s also the reason women as unique as Ella Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe and Amy Winehouse chose the same composers to sing their songs in a different time and place. Even Stevie Wonder used his own rendition to convey a universal message.
Choosing melodies set a mood of reflection for both the
characters and the viewer watching the film. Each of us has a memory bank that includes our own recollection of experiences triggered by a familiar tune, adding an additional layer of dialogue in our imagination. It’s the link emotionally investing us in the spoken word and bonding with what we are experiencing.
TONI PINNOLIS