The Role of Music in Films

Wonder of Sound Music Notes

Film music Lilly B. Gardner, Ms,MS,MPA, DPA

Music has been an important component of the arts for centuries. Its early use in both musical and non-musical events laid the groundwork for its use in films. These vehicles included the theatre, the opera, and vaudeville, either as an intrinsic part of the performance or serving as a backdrop. Music’s use in the film industry also has a long history (1). Just about everyone has enjoyed a silent movie being accompanied by a musician playing piano or organ.

If the music was part of the background, it was most likely written specifically for the event and was chosen with a particular purpose, such as to create or enhance the audience’s emotional response to the scenario being presented. An in-house pianist or organist usually selected and provided the audio. As filmmaking became more sophisticated, music publishers specialized in producing suitable music and filmmakers…

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