Question 1

The three basic types of music that is heard in The Birth of a Nation are adaptions of classical works, arrangements of well-known melodies, and newly composed music. Dramatic scenes and large scale action are what classify adaptions of classical works for the most part, however it usually borrows a significant portion of another composition for use in a film. In the Birth of a Nation, Lincoln’s assassination used an adaption of a piece by Mozart. With arrangements of well-known melodies, it’s main concern is to bring about emotions and create a disposition to set the mood. An example of this would be “Maryland, My Maryland,” which put the otherwise dark film into a happier, brighter mood. The third basic type of music is original music, or newly composed music. Usually this is used to create leitmotifs or themes that that reflect the aspect of the story, but could also be used to alter themes to reflect any changes that might be happening.

Question 2
In Casablanca, the role of source music is to introduce famous melodies and identify a scene to go along with its mood and characters. An example of this would be the scene at Rick’s Café, where it played popular American music. Shift over to to the Blue Parrot Café and now it’s playing Arabian music. When we are looking at the film as a whole, “As Time Goes By” is source music that is played to portray the love between Rick and Isla. When we see desperate refugees, source music is played to set the mood of despair.