# The genre of film music



## tls (Mar 20, 2011)

Good day all,

I have a question regarding music in the so-called film music genre. As the name suggests, film music complements film (really!?). However, I wonder if there are independent (in the sense: not accompanying any film, TV production or game) musical compositions of top notch quality in the genre of film music being commercially released? To avoid certain misunderstandings, I'll here define the term 'film music' as classical compositions (think James Newton Howard, etc.) with a small dose of Bear McCreary's guitars and percussion (not more pop than that).

This is of definitive interest. Also, if you know about labels dedicated to this kind of music, bring it to the table!


----------



## robteehan (Mar 21, 2011)

Hmm... you're asking if anyone's making film music that isn't film music?

This calls to mind the Grammy awards category "Classical Crossover". Christopher Tin won two Grammys this year for his album "Calling All Dawns", which actually included the song "Baba Yetu" which he originally wrote as the theme for Civilization IV. But as I understand it, the rest of the album is meant to stand on its own. (I haven't heard it though).

Karl Jenkins is a Welsh composer who writes classical music in commercial style; his stuff is very popular especially in the UK. Check out his mass "The Armed Man".

Richard Einhorn has done film scores and also some live concert works that are very accessible.

Eric Whitacre has written choral music that is very accessible and popular; it uses a lot of the harmonic language that is present in film scores.

Maybe one of those is the sort of thing you're looking for? 
Genre lines can be blurry, it's hard to pin that sort of thing down. To me it just creates confusion trying to use the word "film" to describe anything other than music written for film.


----------



## Dan Mott (Mar 22, 2011)

I love Karl Jenkins!!!


----------



## midphase (Mar 22, 2011)

I think E.S. Posthumus definitely falls in that category...it is ironic that the music was then used in so many TV's and Film stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iu-WAHBbW8


----------



## tls (Mar 23, 2011)

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input and suggestions! I haven't heard about Christopher Tin before, and so far it sounds promising!

Well, I could refer to the kind of music I requested merely as classical, but I feel that classical music is often more about the craft of composing than the soul of the composition. Thus, I usually prefer film music over classical. That said, there are obviously many great classical pieces too.

Have a nice day!


----------



## DKeenum (Mar 23, 2011)

This thread has been very educational for me!


----------



## Ed (Mar 23, 2011)

midphase @ Tue Mar 22 said:


> I think E.S. Posthumus



Yea but you also have to realise that ES Posthumus is just the trailer music composers the "Pfeiffer Bros" commercial outlet, so they can do what they like. Still I'm sure they intended to market it to their usual customers anyway which is why so much of the ES Posthumus stuff still ended up in trailers.


----------



## tls (Mar 25, 2011)

An interesting thing with Gerrard is that she sings using her own invented language. There is no semantics associated with the words. Kinda funny!


----------



## David Story (Mar 25, 2011)

tls @ Fri Mar 25 said:


> An interesting thing with Gerrard is that she sings using her own invented language. There is no semantics associated with the words. Kinda funny!



Yes, Cirque du Soleil did that in the 80's, it's a great technique for expression.Non-verbal voice


----------



## midphase (Mar 25, 2011)

Or Elizabeth Fraser in Cocteau Twins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Fraser


----------

