The role of music in S. Kubrick's Cinema:A case Study of Barry Lyndon

This study investigates the functions of music in Barry Lyndon (1975), directed by auteur Stanley Kubrick, and its role in shaping scene composition within the film's functional and structural framework. The structural foundation between film and music is contextually evaluated with respect to period-specific aesthetics and the development of the main character. The research utilizes the case study model as a qualitative research method. Data are gathered through document analysis, and the findings are examined using both descriptive and content analysis techniques. The tables, visuals, and musical excerpts are organized in alignment with the conceptual framework, findings, and interpretations. The music in the film functions according to the scenes and supports the narrative through its impact on dramatic design, character movements, and class representation. In this context, the musical works used are created simultaneously with period aesthetics and character transformation and are analyzed based on the relationships they establish with visual compositions. Shaping the sensory configuration of the scenes along with rhythm and space, music is evaluated as a regulatory structural element that organizes the perception of time. In this research, music is positioned as the primary determinant of the narrative and is assessed in relation to the multilayered relationships established through other expressive elements in the film. The connections between the literary source, scene compositions, camera movements, and lighting choices are analyzed in an integrated manner alongside the music. Music is regarded not only as an aesthetic element but also as a fundamental component that shapes the rhythm, temporal flow, and dramatic form of the scenes. Its role in supporting period aesthetics and revealing the character's position within the film plays a fundamental part in the overall structure. The theme music, "Sarabande," is constructed as a leitmotif through various arrangements and positioned at the core of the narrative. Other musical works are selected to establish rhythmic and thematic connections between the character's social status, inner isolation, class transitions, and the structural design of the scenes. The distribution of diegetic and non-diegetic music facilitates transitions between different levels of reality, while anachronistic selections disrupt the temporal flow and introduce a sense of intellectual distance within the film. Through its interdisciplinary approach focused on music, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationships between the film's structure, visual structure, and the use of time. Keywords: music, use of music in cinema, anachronism, Stanley Kubrick, Barry Lyndon.