The Symbolic Use of Source Music in
A Christmas Carol
A GOOD EXAMPLE of how source music can be effectively used, both as source music and as underscore ("extra-diegetic music," heard by the viewer but not the characters) is the use of the well-known folk song, "Barbara Allen" in the Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol (Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951). A Christmas Carol
You can use the work (time) bar to study this sequence.
At 6:19 the orchestra plays the folk song, "Barbara Allen" as diegetic music (underscore). This theme has been associated with Scrooge's denial of life throughout the movie.
It now leads up to the reconciliation scene with Scrooge's nephew (part of the miser, Scrooge's redemption as a person). The extra-diegetic music becomes a source music cue at 6:36, when the song is sung as a parlor ballad around the piano at the nephew's home.
The silence at this moment is part of the music editor's choice (he might have used underscore), the way a sequence shot is part of an editor's choice. (In both cases, each has decided when not to cut or when not to use underscore.)
Who decided to stop the music at just the moment when the singer is about to sing the words, "you're dying" (see lyrics below) is guesswork. Probably the composer knew more about music than the director or scriptwriter and suggested the song, giving his reasons. But the general idea may have been the director's: "I would like a song played in that scene that somehow suggests an important change in Scrooge's destiny. It could be a pop song, classical piece, whatever. Any ideas?" Of course most composers have an encyclopedic knowledge of music history and would have no problems coming up with the right song for the ocassion (the way composer, Marvin Hamlisch may have come up with the idea for using Scott Joplin's music in The Sting).
Regardless, we generally credit the composer for the moment. And it's a good moment: For Scrooge is no longer dying, but (redeemed by three ghosts) has begun to live for the first time since his youth. The silence emphasizes this key moment in the film.
The source music ends at 7:29, the ballad picked up again by the orchestra as underscore ("extra-diegetic music") at 7:42, finally stopping at 8:16. The sequence concludes with a polka as source ("diegetic") music.
Incidentally, the transformation of diegetic music into extra-diegetic music as here is a long-standing convention in the Hollywood musical. In other words, the singer usually starts singing (maybe strumming a guitar or playing the piano) and soon a symphony orchestra replaces the diegetic music, which now becomes extra-diegetic. A screening of any musical will show how it's done.
To view the video clip of A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), go here. You may choose to use your work bar and choose the exact minute and second. To hear the complete ballad, go here.
BARBARA ALLEN
In Scarlet Town where I was born, there was a fair maid dwelling, made every youth cry, "Well, a day!" her name was Barbara Allan. All in the merry month of May, when green buds they were swelling, sweet William on his deathbed lay for love of Barbara Allen. So slowly, slowly she came up and slowly she came nigh him and all she said when she there she came, "Young man, I think . . . "
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