ABSTRACT
This book offers evidence and analysis in support of a new understanding of Bergman as a sonic auteur. The construction of this theory has necessitated a holistic approach to cinematic sound, taking account of every aspect of the soundtrack: music, sound effects, dialogue, and silence. As revealed in the preceding chapters, Ingmar Bergman’s love for music was profound. It ran deep into his childhood and personal history. His musical preferences are reflected in his soundtracks, through his prolific use of classical music played on his favorite instruments: keyboards (harpsichords, pianos, fortepianos, and organs), the cello, and all varieties of percussion. Through his marriage to concert pianist Käbi Laretei he was able to develop his musical knowledge, receive guidance, and crystallize his theories about the role of music in film. His aesthetic development was also influenced by August Strindberg, whose plays and stories used music and sound effects as prominent plot devices – techniques that Bergman transposed and assimilated for filmmaking. There was also Richard Wagner, whose ideas about the use of repetition, leitmotifs, and the evocation of emotional memories help to explain Bergman’s own brand of dramatized musical and motivic repetition.
