Spellbound
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\nOn today\u2019s episode we\u2019re talking electronic music\u2026and the importance of a thorough resume.
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\nYou\u2019re on the Sound Beat.
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\nMiklos Rosza had long considered using electronic music in a film. He got his chance when director Alfred Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick approached him about scoring 1945\u2019s Spellbound. Wanting to add an atmospheric, contemplative air to the piece, he settled on the theremin.
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\nHere\u2019s a quote from Dr. Samuel Hoffmann.
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\nI put down theremin on my card\u2026without thinking much about it. When Miklos Rozsa thought of using a theremin in his score for Spellbound he called the union to see if any players were available. I was the only one listed at that time who could read music.
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\nBefore Rozsa\u2019s call, Hoffmann was a practicing podiatrist in the Hollywood area. After the score won an Oscar, Hoffman and the theremin would feature in films like \u201cThe Day the Earth Stood Still\u201d, \u201cIt Came from Outer Space\u201d and more\u2026see the whole list right now at soundbeat.org.
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\nSound Beat is produced at the Belfer Audio Archive, Syracuse University Libraries.
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\nI\u2019m Brett Barry.
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