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They Shot, He ScoredThe Life and Music of Eldon Rathburn |
eBook Available
The remarkable story of Eldon Rathburn, prolific Canadian composer, legendary NFB collaborator, railway enthusiast, and chronicler of his life and times.
Eldon Davis Rathburn (1916-2008), one of the most multi-dimensional, prolific, and endlessly fascinating composers of the twentieth century, wrote more music than any other Canadian composer of his generation. During a long and productive career that spanned seventy-five years, Rathburn served for thirty years as a staff composer with the National Film Board of Canada (1947-76), scored the first generation of IMAX films, and created a diverse catalogue of orchestral and chamber works.
With the aid of extensive archival and documentary materials, They Shot, He Scored chronicles Rathburn's life and works, beginning with his formative years in Saint John, New Brunswick, and his breakthrough in Los Angeles in connection with Arnold Schoenberg and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. The book follows his work at the NFB, his close encounters with some of the most celebrated international figures in his field, and his collaboration with the team of innovators who launched the IMAX film corporation. James Wright undertakes a close analytical reading of Rathburn's film and concert scores to outline his methods, compositional techniques, influences, and idiosyncratic approach to instrumentation, as well as his proto-postmodern proclivity for borrowing from diverse styles and genres.
Authoritative and insightful, They Shot, He Scored illuminates the extraordinary career of an unsung creative force in the film and music industry.
With the aid of extensive archival and documentary materials, They Shot, He Scored chronicles Rathburn's life and works, beginning with his formative years in Saint John, New Brunswick, and his breakthrough in Los Angeles in connection with Arnold Schoenberg and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. The book follows his work at the NFB, his close encounters with some of the most celebrated international figures in his field, and his collaboration with the team of innovators who launched the IMAX film corporation. James Wright undertakes a close analytical reading of Rathburn's film and concert scores to outline his methods, compositional techniques, influences, and idiosyncratic approach to instrumentation, as well as his proto-postmodern proclivity for borrowing from diverse styles and genres.
Authoritative and insightful, They Shot, He Scored illuminates the extraordinary career of an unsung creative force in the film and music industry.
Details
384 Pages, 6.5 x 9.5
58 b&w images
ISBN 9780773557154
April 2019
Formats: Cloth, eBook
“A fascinating story, They Shot, He Scored is a fresh and welcome treatment of a near-forgotten figure in Canadian film history. Not only does it spotlight a lesser-known composer, it also deepens our understanding of the NFB and - for the first time - examines the music of early IMAX shorts.” Benjamin Wright, Cinema Studies Institute, University of Toronto
“It was a pleasure to read this thorough and engaging account of the life and work of the Canadian musician Eldon Rathburn. It is likely to remain for all time the authoritative source of information on Rathburn’s life and music.” Robin Elliott, University of Toronto
“A superb work of scholarship. Anyone reading this book will discover something of the personality of an organization that provided a natural home for Eldon’s genius.” Robert Verrall, NFB animator, director, and film producer
"Cutting across Canadian biography, film studies and musicology, They Shot, He Scored is both a welcome contribution to scholarly research and an entertaining read for a more general audience." CAML Review / Revue de l'ACBM
"The central argument of the monograph -- that Rathburn is perhaps the most important composer in the history of the NFB and Canadian film at large -- is presented with nuance and insight and thus represents a critical addition to our understanding of film music in Canada." Canadian Historical Review
"They Shot, He Scored n’est jamais hermétique : le jargon technique est utilisé de façon limitée et les analyses sont toujours très claires. Au besoin, les anecdotes, le sens de l’humour et le côté pince-sans-rire de Rathburn sont toujours là pour garder le lecteur en appétit. Un livre unique sur un grand artiste qui se disait « fier d’être du même métier que Bach ». » 24 Images
“It was a pleasure to read this thorough and engaging account of the life and work of the Canadian musician Eldon Rathburn. It is likely to remain for all time the authoritative source of information on Rathburn’s life and music.” Robin Elliott, University of Toronto
“A superb work of scholarship. Anyone reading this book will discover something of the personality of an organization that provided a natural home for Eldon’s genius.” Robert Verrall, NFB animator, director, and film producer
"Cutting across Canadian biography, film studies and musicology, They Shot, He Scored is both a welcome contribution to scholarly research and an entertaining read for a more general audience." CAML Review / Revue de l'ACBM
"The central argument of the monograph -- that Rathburn is perhaps the most important composer in the history of the NFB and Canadian film at large -- is presented with nuance and insight and thus represents a critical addition to our understanding of film music in Canada." Canadian Historical Review
"They Shot, He Scored n’est jamais hermétique : le jargon technique est utilisé de façon limitée et les analyses sont toujours très claires. Au besoin, les anecdotes, le sens de l’humour et le côté pince-sans-rire de Rathburn sont toujours là pour garder le lecteur en appétit. Un livre unique sur un grand artiste qui se disait « fier d’être du même métier que Bach ». » 24 Images
James K. Wright is professor of music in the School for Studies in Art and Culture at Carleton University.
Figures | ix
Acknowledgments | xiii
Introduction | 3
1 Formative Years: From Saint John to L.A. | 7
2 Early Years at the NFB: 1945-1952 | 27
3 The Unit B Years: 1952-1964 | 45
4 Career Crescendo: From Labyrinth to IMAX | 92
5 “Name Dropping”: Encounters with Schoenberg, Varèse, Ives, Thomson, Sorabji, and Havergal Brian | 127
6 Covering His Tracks: Rathburn’s Train Music | 151
7 Idiosyncrasies and Fascinatin’ Rhythms: Music for Banjo, Jew’s Harp, Flexatone, Historical Keyboards, and Calliope | 167
8 The Concert Music | 191
9 They Shot, He Scored: Looking Back and Looking Ahead | 221
Abbreviations | 235
Appendix I: Rathburn Filmography | 237
Appendix II: Lists of Works | 244
Appendix III: Rathburn Discography | 265
Notes | 277
Bibliography | 321
Index | 339
Acknowledgments | xiii
Introduction | 3
1 Formative Years: From Saint John to L.A. | 7
2 Early Years at the NFB: 1945-1952 | 27
3 The Unit B Years: 1952-1964 | 45
4 Career Crescendo: From Labyrinth to IMAX | 92
5 “Name Dropping”: Encounters with Schoenberg, Varèse, Ives, Thomson, Sorabji, and Havergal Brian | 127
6 Covering His Tracks: Rathburn’s Train Music | 151
7 Idiosyncrasies and Fascinatin’ Rhythms: Music for Banjo, Jew’s Harp, Flexatone, Historical Keyboards, and Calliope | 167
8 The Concert Music | 191
9 They Shot, He Scored: Looking Back and Looking Ahead | 221
Abbreviations | 235
Appendix I: Rathburn Filmography | 237
Appendix II: Lists of Works | 244
Appendix III: Rathburn Discography | 265
Notes | 277
Bibliography | 321
Index | 339
