Eternal sonata ost unbalanced4/14/2023 ![]() Since “coolness” cannot be tied to a particular musical style, it is what Eero Tarasti would call an “existential” sign, that is, a sign that is originally tied to an object (Dasein) but departs from the signified in the objectal world and floats as a signifier without any content, only to be re-connected to another object at a later time. ![]() However, the use of the jazz style was no guarantee that a program would be considered cool-jazz themes for programs like Shotgun Slade and Hawaii Five-O, failed to generate a “cool” ethos. Early examples of cool on television are grounded in the musical styles presented on the show, most notably the use of jazz on shows like M Squad, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. This paper traces the “contemporary cool” trope through the music of American television. Early on, coolness was often rooted in the use of jazz music, and was often borrowed from the cinema, especially cinematic genres such as film noir and the 1960s spy thrillers such as the James Bond series. This trope of “contemporary cool” surfaced very early on American television, and was found on many programs and commercials. Because “cool” operates on both the poietic (producerly) and esthesic (reception) level of the semiotic space of TV, it serves as a trope that situates itself in a sort of matrix where television narrative interacts with the viewer’s reality. Such desirability usually helps a particular show’s ratings, thus generating more commercial revenue. Television composers have incorporated popular contemporary musical styles and genres into their music for programs and commercials to act as a signifying agent of “coolness,” reflecting social acceptability and desirability. Ron Rodman, “‘Contemporary Cool’ as Televisual Existential Sign” This page is also available as a PDF file: Abstracts and Bios MUSI 4906 Honours Portfolio in Composition. ![]()
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