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Soundcheck Smackdown: Film Scores

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Film composers struggle for recognition inside the classical music world. As the summer blockbuster season gets underway, we’ll hear from one music critic who believes soundtracks aren’t classical, and one who says they are. Tristan Jakob-Hoff, a classical music writer who blogs for London's Guardian newspaper; and John Mauceri, conductor, chancellor of the North Carolina School of the Arts and long-time director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, debate whether film scores belong in the classical canon.

Our blog: John Schaefer on film composers

Weigh in: Film scores: Canon? Or "can it!"? Should film scores be considered "classical music?"

Tristan Jakob-Hoff on film music
John Mauceri's Web site


Comments

  • [1] Grandpa Joe from Westchester May 20, 2008 - 12:59PM

    I think it's an unfortunate trend that orchestras must play movie music to try and pander to their audiences. Same goes for classical radio stations. Save it for the pops concert!
  • [2] Tom from Upper West Side May 20, 2008 - 02:17PM

    Didn't Haydn say, "All music is good, but the boring kind."?
  • [3] ee from SOHO May 20, 2008 - 02:18PM

    # 1--film score

    # 2--classical music

    # 3--film score

    # 4--classical


  • [4] Rachel from Brooklyn May 20, 2008 - 02:21PM

    I don't think that it's "pandering" to draw audiences to theaters by playing film scores- which are legitimate compositions, no different from a symphony. It's orchestral music changing with the times, just as music must, and I think it's great! I've even seen video game music played by symphony orchestras, and it brings a new audience to the appreciation of complex, beautiful music.
  • [5] M from Virginia May 20, 2008 - 02:21PM

    How does Greenwood's score for There Will Be Blood add anything to the discussion? (or does it?) Doesn't it add more fuzziness to the "supposed" distinction between score and classical music? Much was written before the film was even made...and it defies what we have come to expect of film scores...
  • [6] NCSA FILM ALUM from Brooklyn May 20, 2008 - 02:28PM

    Thank you Chancellor for the Winston-Salem shout out. Bringing Danny Elfmann to an arts conservatory commencement ceremony solidifies the argument for me.


  • [7] Jesse from Manhattan May 20, 2008 - 02:43PM

    I think trying to make this distinction between the legitimacy of film music and the canon of "classical" music really stems from the high culture vs. low culture battle. Those who claim film music is not legitimate are probably the very people who are inadvertently stifling the "classical" community. I think most people's primary experience with classical music is with in other medias, and it is an integral element of film. Film music is not only memorable, but emotive; think about removing the music from the most tense moments of a horror movie or the most tender moments of a drama, or even the silliest moments of looney tunes, and how much that effect would be diminished by removing the music. Orchestras are expensive to run, tickets are expensive, and the whole experience has a stigma of being aristocratic. To me reaching a broader audience, and exposing people to anything outside of pop music can't be a bad thing. And integrating film music into traditional performances could hopefully win some over to the classical world and break down some of those stigmas.

This thread is closed.


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