Partners in Suspense: Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock: 24th, 25th, 26th March 2011

Organised by Faculty of Arts, York St John University, York, UK

"Hitchcock and Herrmann shared a dark, tragic sense of life, a brooding view of human relationships, and a compulsion to explore aesthetically the private world of the romantic fantasy." Donald Spoto, The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock

One of the most famous, tempestuous and productive creative relationships in Hollywood, Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock collaborated on some of cinema's most memorable films, sequences and musical motifs. To coincide with Herrmann's centenary in 2011, this three-day conference seeks to explore the relationship between Herrmann and Hitchcock and aims to bring together practitioners and academics working on a range of theoretical, analytical and historical perspectives.

Analyses of film have long favoured the visual frame over the aural or musical text, rather than considering the film text as a whole. The conference will seek to address this problematic area of film theory and analysis as well as research on the working partnership between Hitchcock and Herrmann, engaging with new work on the relationship between sound and vision, theories of film music and broader implications of the legacies of both Hitchcock and Herrmann. Papers are also invited that examine Herrmann's broader catalogue of film music beyond the works with Hitchcock, from Citizen Kane to Taxi Driver, as well as those that consider theoretical perspectives on film music, authorship and the nature of collaboration via the Hitchcock-Herrmann partnership.

Confirmed Keynotes:

Professor Richard Allen (New York University)

Professor emeritus Neil Sinyard (University of Hull)

Professor David Cook (University of Leeds)

Dr Kevin Donnelly (University of Southampton)

Special Events:

Filmmaker Mark Herman (Brassed Off, Boy in the Striped Pyjamas) will participate in a Q&A exploring his work with renowned film composers, including Trevor Jones and James Horner.

The Tippett Quartet, as part of their HerrmannFest 2011, will perform selections of Herrmann's film music.

Possible themes include (but not limited to):

· The working relationship between Herrmann and Hitchcock

· Legacies of the Hitchcock-Herrmann collaboration

· Herrmann's work with other filmmakers

· Performing Herrmann's concert music

· Theoretical approaches to film music composition

· Recording film music as a technical and practical process

· Reading strategies for film music

· The relationship between sound and vision

· Considerations of authorship

· Collaboration between filmmakers and composers

· Narrative uses of music

· Relationships between music and narrative

· Interactions between music and screen performance

· Any other relevant theoretical or practical perspective

The organisers invite proposals for open call papers, pre-constituted panels, as well as workshops that apply practical responses to the issues addressed by the conference. Potential contributors are invited to submit a 300 word abstract and short bio to partnersinsuspense@gmail.com by 15 December 2010. Panel proposals should include a 300 word summary of the panel in addition to abstracts and bios. Workshops proposals require a 500 summary, an outline of the session's goals, and bios for all participants. Acceptance notices will be returned by 15 January 2011. Selected papers will be published in an edited collection.

Please address any general queries to Vanessa Simmons (v.simmons@yorksj.ac.uk).