I claimed last time that I can’t help but give music my full attention. But that’s not completely true. When it comes to TV and movie soundtracks, I’m usually oblivious.
Sharper observers than me have described how filmmakers use music (or lack thereof) to help tell their story. Here I’m more interested in questions of the viewer’s bandwidth.
In my case, it may be that visuals and dialog just overwhelm my musical receptivity. Songs forefronted in montages and the music of musicals can’t well be ignored. But your standard dramatic orchestral score operates for me on an almost subliminal level. It’s more code than music. I’m getting context around the periphery rather than noticing notes.
I do become aware of the soundtrack, though, when it’s cloying. The protagonist confronts a heartrending dilemma, the strings swell, and that old Pavlovian lump forms in my throat. Music is supposed to communicate emotion, but movie music often feels like emotional manipulation.
There’s a whole world of film scores that don’t do this, and that, many will argue, stand on their own. Here’s one area where I’ve done practically no listening and that I feel ashamed about — but more on that later. For now, tell me how movie music operates on you, and send me your soundtrack recommendations.
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