City symphony explained

City symphonies emerged in the 1920s, a unique genre of film emerged encompassing documentary, experimental, and the avant-garde.^[1] Coming to prominence alongside modernist art movements such as futurism, constructivism, and radicalism, city symphonies reflect the historical development of city centers and technological hubs of advancement.^[2] As the art of cinema became more respected and auteurist, filmmakers such as Walter Ruttman and Dziga Vertov gravitated towards works highlighting the beauty of cities, aiming to capture scenes of modern life from their narrative points of views.^[1]

Emergence

The term city "symphony" suggests a musically inclined editing pace and harmonious imagery to support the visual images. Many city symphony filmmakers shot their films with an artistically inclined eye, aiming to show urban hubs with aestheticism and beauty rather than as a travel log.^[3] Cities across the world such as Manhattan, Berlin, and Milan were filmed in admiration with positive images of their hardworking people and impressive industrial feats. Rather than have characters, dialogue, or narrative, the city itself was the star of these films.^[3]

Made in the 1920s up until the 1930s, city symphony films were before the era of sound cinema, however images were supported by orchestral accompaniments.

City symphonies, which continued well into the post-WWII era,^{[4] [5]} are usually associated with the rise in art film as well as contemporaneous trends in art and photography movements like modernism.^[1]

Notable works

Below are some popular city symphony works, not all-encompassing.

• Koyaanisqatsi (1983) - By Godfrey Reggio^[6]
• Stations of the Elevated (1981)^[7]
• Manhattan (1979) - By Woody Allen
• Organism (1975) - By Hilary Harris^[6]
• 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her (1967) - one of a few fictional city symphony films; directed by Jean-Luc Godard^[8]
• Castro Street (1966) - By Bruce Baillie^[4]
• Go, Go, Go (1964) - Marie Menken
• Bridges Go Round (1958) - By Shirley Clarke^[9]
• Broadway by Light (1958) - By William Klein^[10]
• N.Y., N.Y. (1957) - By Francis Thompson^[4]
• Together (1956)^[8]
• Daybreak Express (1953) - By D.A. Pennebaker^[11]
• Abstract in Concrete (1952)^[12]
• In the Street (1948)^[4]
• The City (1939) - By Ralph Steiner and Willard Van Dyke^[13]
• The aforementioned A Bronx Morning (1931)^[13]
• A propos de Nice (1930) - Jean Vigo's take on Nice, France and the inequalities surrounding it.^[14]
• Skyscraper Symphony (1929) - By Robert Florey^[13]
• Rain (1929) - Joris Ivens's take on Amsterdam^[15]
• Man with a Movie Camera (1929) - A pioneering experimental film by Dziga Vertov, showcasing urban life in various Soviet cities through innovative cinematic techniques.
• Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927) - By Walter Ruttmann, a silent documentary capturing the rhythm and vitality of everyday life in 1920s Berlin.^[16]
• Manhatta (1922) - Directed by Paul Strand, a picturesque experimental film showcasing the vast infrastructure and ingenuity of one of New York's most industrial and advanced cities of the time.^[13]

References

1. Book: Weinberg, Herman . 2018-07-20 . The City Symphony Phenomenon . 271 . 10.4324/9781315619989-62 . Routledge.
2. https://mubi.com/en/us/collections/city-symphonies MUBI Collection: CITY SYMPHONIES|MUBI
3. Web site: Hutchinson . Pamela . 2017 . Where to begin with city symphonies . 2024-02-20 . BFI . en.
4. https://www.gartenbergmedia.com/city-symphonies-1 CITY SYMPHONIES - Gartenberg Media Enterprises
5. https://www.filmlinc.org/films/program-3-the-postwar-city-symphony-part-2/ Program 3: The Postwar City Symphony, Part 2 - Film at Lincoln Center
6. https://scalar.usc.edu/works/landscape-screening-series/city-symphonies The City Symphony - The Urban Landscape - Screening Series by Topiary Landberg
7. https://www.nightflightplus.com/videos/stations-of-the-elevated/64304fab37b2f300015b7dea Stations of the Elevated|Night Flight Plus
8. https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/where-begin-with-city-symphonies Where to begin with city symphonies|BFI
9. https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/film_tv/shirley-clarkes-once-banned-independent-film-i-the-connection-i-remains-hard-stuff/article_49661d78-5ef8-53d1-b269-da348780716c.html Shirley Clarke's once-banned independent filmThe Connection remains hard stuff - nashvillescene.com
10. https://www.anendlessbanquet.com/an-endless-passion/2019/1/14/city-symphonies-anthology-film-archives-january-2019 City Symphonies, Anthology Film Archives, January 2019 - an endless banquet
11. https://www.filmlinc.org/films/program-2-the-postwar-city-symphony-part-1/ Program 2: The Postwar City Symphony, Part 1 - film at Lincoln Center
12. https://greg.org/archive/2014/07/25/abstract-in-concrete-1952-the-making-of.html Abstract in Concrete (1952), The Making Of - Greg.org
13. https://www.routledge.com/The-City-Symphony-Phenomenon-Cinema-Art-and-Urban-Modernity-Between-the-Wars/Jacobs-Hielscher-Kinik/p/book/9780367459475 The City Symphony Phenomenon: Cinema, Art, and Urban Modernity Between the Wars - Routledge
14. https://povmagazine.com/a-century-of-city-symphonies/ A Century of City Symphonies - POV Magazine
15. https://mediacommons.org/intransition/rain-phenomenal-catalogue Rain: A Phenomenal Catalogue|(in)Transition
16. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/sep/26/city-symphony-silent-films-genre-barbican The sound of silents: is it time to revive the 'city symphony' film genre?|Cities|The Guardian

See also

• Modernist film
• The Great Depression
• Minimalist film

Bibliography

• Gartenberg . Jon . 2014 . NY, NY: A Century of City Symphony Films . Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media . 55 . 2 . 248–276 . 10.13110/framework.55.2.0248 . 0306-7661 . 10.13110/framework.55.2.0248.
• Webb . Michael . 1987 . The City in Film . Design Quarterly . 136 . 1–32 . 10.2307/4091166 . 4091166 . 0011-9415.