Composing, Casablanca, and the Film Music of the Golden Age

Max Steiner was one of the most productive composers in the history of film music. In 1939, for example, he composed twelve scores for feature films, including his magnum opus, Gone with the Wind. Steiner was under constant pressure to meet studio deadlines, yet he always managed to deliver his scores on time. Even during his busiest years, under an enormous workload, Steiner achieved remarkable consistency in the quality of his music. In order to explain the method behind Max Steiner’s ability to work quickly while maintaining high artistic standards, this article will discuss his working routine and will analyze a brief excerpt of his music for the classic film, Casablanca.