[Thor Joachim Haga]

Well, I think you need patterns and frequency to establish the identity of something. That’s usually how research works. And I do think film music has an identity as its own THING (even if it covers all possible genres). So yes – you can extrapolate the BEING of a thing by identifying the most common occurences of certain properties. There will always be exceptions to the rule, but you can’t base a definition on exceptions. Exceptions, for me, would in this context be end credits concert suites, opening “overtures”, montages etc. All valid parts of the film, and they’re usually highlighted on soundtrack albums and compilations, but reserved for “special circumstances” in the narrative, as I tried to phrase it.

So, just using the example of the score I’m listening to right now, Thomas Newman’s ANGELS IN AMERICA, a track like “Angels in America (Main Title)” would be amongst the exceptions, while “Black Angel” is more typical, scene-specific film music, i.e. what constitutes MOST of the album, the most frequent occurences. It has more shifts, appears more “shizophrenic”, if you will.

I think film music has special characteristics as MUSIC that sets it apart from other types of music. It needs to, as an artform, and it needs to, for me to prefer that kind of music over other types of music. This is apparently where we disagree.

But where we CAN agree, is that these characteristics may have been borne out of earlier music. I could even stretch myself to admit that some of these characterists are just accentuated or extra developed in film (sneaking-around music, stingers, mickey-mousing and all those things).

Furthermore, another possible overlap is our interest in pre-film “prototypes” where some of these characteristics occur. Perhaps not as razor-sharp-specific and “unstable” as film music, but with the general elements in place.

(btw, I prefer to use a term like ‘trope’ over the more loaded words ‘banal’ or ‘clichée’….film music is able to conjure up some fantastic tropes!)