The Director Adapts His Editing To The Music, According To A Special Mechanism

Finding the perfect match between the image and a "higher revelation" requires a clear knowledge of the available visual material.

Prokofiev considers Eisenstein a fine musician precisely because he notices the symphonic character of his montage constructions, the nuanced understanding of the musical phenomenon. Eisenstein, who on many occasions noted his lack of skill in music, nevertheless once wrote: "I think that it is only by chance that I am not a composer. Because nothing interests me more than compositional problems".

The composer takes into account the musical opinions of the director, it happens that he redoes the music of a fragment six times and when he once introduces some previously composed themes, he then redoes the music at the request of Eisenstein who "didn't let old horseshoes sneak up on him."

When Prokofiev begins, the director adapts his montage to the music, according to a special mechanism. First of all, he has to imagine very vividly, to see clearly all the plastic material available for that scene. Then he has to look for the perfect coincidence between a precise image and a certain fragment of the music.

He looks for the coincidence between the "invoice of the object or the landscape" with the time of a musical passage, an intimate consonance that cannot be rationally explained, between a musical fragment and a fragment from the image. It is not so simple, because at this stage the fragments of images are in chaos and their ordering, according to the precise structure of the music, pushes him to jump from one end of the film to the other, to guess which juxtaposition of fragments will correspond a certain musical phrase.

How can your work become a visual interpretation of the ideas and emotions expressed in a realistic composition, providing an integrated view of the story that inspires you?

The text highlights the complexity of the process of synchronizing the music with the filmed image. Eisenstein was a perfectionist who wanted an absolute match between the two artistic elements. Their collaboration demonstrates the power of art to transcend boundaries and create works of unique beauty. The text provides valuable insight into the artistic relationship between Prokofiev and Eisenstein, highlighting the mutual respect, artistic exigency, and collaborative spirit that defined this fruitful collaboration.

Music represents "a higher revelation", if we consider the director's work as a visual interpretation of emotions and ideas expressed through sound.

Prokofiev considers Eisenstein a fine musician precisely because he notes the symphonic character of his montage constructions and the nuanced understanding of the musical phenomenon. The relationship between music and image has been a topic of debate among composers and directors for decades. In essence, the symphonic structure of a musical work can be compared to the editing of a film: the organization of themes, harmonies, musical phrases and pauses reflect the movement between scenes and the rhythm of the story.

How can you reposition your artistic vision to integrate the aspiration for a perfect match between the precise image and what resonates in people's souls?

In creating a perfect consonance between music and image, the composer seeks a fine balance between melodic structure and visual expression. When Prokofiev begins, then Eisenstein adapts his montage to the music, according to a special mechanism. First, he must imagine very vividly, see clearly all the plastic material available for that scene. Then they have to look for the perfect match between a precise image and a certain piece of music.

In this phase, the fragments of images are in chaos and their ordering, according to the precise structure of the music, pushes him to jump from one end of the film to the other, to guess which juxtaposition of fragments will correspond to a certain musical phrase. However, such an ideal juxtaposition is not always easy to achieve, as film 'musical editing' can be a complex process and often requires repeated reinterpretations to find the perfect match."

An exceptional director must know how to reflect in his own creation the process of ordering visual fragments in accordance with what resonates in people's souls.

The director adapts his montage to the music, according to a special mechanism, taking into account the visual image and the emotion that resonates in the souls of those watching. He also combines sounds and rhythm with visual sequences to create a harmonious and immersive experience for the audience.

* Note: Ion Barna - Eisenstein, Tineretului Publishing House, 1966.