IN LOVING MEMORY

“Sometimes there are films where—once I’ve finished watching them—I only remember the music.”

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INTERVIEW WITH UDO KIER

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CARLO HELLER: In recent years you’ve worked a lot with Lars von Trier. Based on your experience, how does he treat the subject of soundtracks in his films?

UDO KIER: Well, for him music is especially important—not only for him, but also for other directors—because music reflects the atmosphere. There are famous films, like those by Sergio Leone. The music there is more famous than the film itself; when you hear the music, you immediately know: Ah, that’s a Sergio Leone film. Music sets the tone of the mood. That means, if you see a girl in a film who is unhappy and walking alone through a forest, at first you only hear birds and footsteps, and then suddenly the music starts. This music guides you toward the emotion the director wants to evoke. Usually—also with Lars von Trier—the film score is composed specifically for the film. It’s like in the old Hollywood system, also with Hans Zimmer: they watch the film, discuss it with the director, and then the film is scored. In the 1950s and ’60s, films were shown on a big screen and the music was played live. Today things are done differently. Now everything can be edited and refined technically. Music is an especially important layer of a film, because it supports and carries the language and the story. Music can even save things. If there’s a boring scene and you add great music to it, the tension can be restored. So you don’t just hear the dialogue, but also the music guiding you.

CH: Could you also explain what role Wagner's music plays in the final scene of the film Melancholia?

UK: When I saw the film at the premiere with Lars, there was this explosion when the world ends, which was done in such a way that the entire cinema vibrated. And then came this very dramatic Wagner music. Wagner is always the most dramatic thing you can have, which is why his music fit the film perfectly. First came the explosion, and then the music was turned up very loud in the cinema. Together with the music, it had the effect that people really sat back upright in their seats.

CH: In which films do you think the music is particularly well done?

UK: There are many films. But there are also many films where, in my opinion, the music was wrong or bothered me. In those cases, I would have preferred silence. Silence is also music. Silence is an important element in film. If a film had continuous music throughout, that would be wrong.

CH: If you were a director making a film, would you have a certain kind of music in mind?

UK: Yes and no. At the beginning of Kubrick’s 2001, I find Strauss’s music very beautiful. I would definitely think about it. Not only who acts—that’s the most important decision, which actor will play the part—but also about the next layer, which supports what is being acted. Music support in movies. Classical music is usually spectacular because you have a large orchestra. Something quiet and small wouldn’t have worked in 2001. When the music is that grand, you go along with it, and fall back again once the music ends.

CH: Sometimes I watch films that have music I take with me into my everyday life and beyond, by playing it on the piano, for example.

UK: If you can do that. I know you can do that (laughs)! I can’t…

CH: Do you know the phenomenon when film music accompanies you beyond your everyday life? If so, which music does that for you? What makes it so special for you?

UK: I can’t name individual pieces because I’ve acted in so many films myself. When I go to the cinema or watch a film, I let myself be guided by the music. In animated films, the score is even more important. These are characters that are drawn or otherwise created, which makes the music stand out even more. I can’t name a piece right now; I’d have to withdraw and think about it. And now, during this wonderful dinner with you tonight, the question comes as a surprise (laughs). There’s beautiful music out there. Sometimes there are films where —once I’ve finished watching them— I only remember the music. Then there’s a piece that stays in my ears, which I later listen to on a record because I liked it so much.

CH: Do you have any advice for young people like me who would like to compose film music?

UK: If you’ve made a film or have something in mind, then you have to look for, compose, or find something that fits the dramaturgy of each situation. Even the sounds alone are important because they create their own sonic layer. Together with the soundtrack they form a crucial supporting surface for a story told through film. When you compose, you have images in mind that fit the music. Summer has a different music than winter.

February 2015