A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States

Book excerpt: Unlike sources for traditional music, those for film and television music are often difficult to locate and do not follow the patterns that researchers are trained to identify. Although there have been several self-described introductions to the field and articles that summarize the problems and state of this research, no resource gathers all the basic information. In this volume, Jeannie Gayle Pool and H. Stephen Wright address the difficulties that scholars encounter when conducting research on film and television music. Intended as a guide for those navigating the complex world of film and television music research, this book presents a detailed description of primary sources and explains how to find and interpret them. The authors tackle the problems of determining film-score authorship and working with recordings of film music. A bibliography summarizes the major works and trends in film music research and identifies the most important resources in the field. Up-to-date information about prominent collections of film music sources and other research materials is also included. Designed to clarify the nature of source materials and how they are generated, A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States provides clear signposts for scholars and highlights opportunities for further investigation. Book jacket.