[Malte Müller]

First of all, while film music is certainly “applied music,” being “applied music” says nothing about the type of music it is. All music used functionally is “applied music.” By definition. Opera, ballet, church music, melodrama, incidental theatre music, radio drama, video game music, and even Renaissance dance suites are all “applied.” Film music is simply one more instance of music that is “applied” to something.

True, but in most films the music is far more less the focus as in most other genres you cited, especially in opera and ballet. Film music nowadays often is rather secondary (theater music may be simiar). I think we can divide between

– Classic stage based music being live where the play is often following the music in concept
– New media music being primarily recorded where the music is added “on top”. These media usages dictate far more how the music is than the classic ones do.

Exceptions proof the rule (like Leone or THIN RED LINE)

If Strauss’ DON JUAN has any abrupt quick changes these decisions are far more musically – it has no play attached – and not dictated by any scene or cut that is just to short to develop.

“get to the emotional point quickly,”

I think this is a citation, some composer actually said this. Don’t remember who. Might be in Tony Thomas’ book or somewhere else.