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Incidental music

Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the film score or soundtrack.

Incidental music is often background music, and is intended to add atmosphere to the action. It may take the form of something as simple as a low, ominous tone suggesting an impending startling event or to enhance the depiction of a story-advancing sequence. It may also include pieces such as overtures, music played during scene changes, or at the end of an act, immediately preceding an interlude, as was customary with several nineteenth-century plays. It may also be required in plays that have musicians performing on-stage.

History

The use of incidental music dates back at least as far as Greek drama. A number of classical composers have written incidental music for various plays, with the more famous examples including Henry Purcell's Abdelazer music, George Frideric Handel's The Alchemist music, Joseph Haydn's Il distratto music,[citation needed] Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Thamos, King of Egypt music, Ludwig van Beethoven's Egmont music,[1] Carl Maria von Weber's Preciosa music,[citation needed] Franz Schubert's Rosamunde music,[2] Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream music, Robert Schumann's Manfred music,[1] Georges Bizet's L'Arlésienne music,[3] and Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt music.[4] Parts of all of these are often performed in concerts outside the context of the play. Vocal incidental music, which is included in the classical scores mentioned above, should never be confused with the score of a Broadway or film musical, in which the songs often reveal character and further the storyline. Since the score of a Broadway or film musical is what actually makes the work a musical, it is far more essential to the work than mere incidental music, which nearly always amounts to little more than a background score; indeed, many plays have no incidental music whatsoever.

Some early examples of what were later called incidental music are also described as semi-operas, quasi-operas, masques, vaudevilles[citation needed] and melodramas.[5]

The genre of incidental music does not extend to pieces designed for concert performance, such as overtures named after a play, for example, Beethoven's Coriolan Overture (written for Heinrich Joseph von Collin's tragedy), or Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet fantasy-overture.

Incidental music is also found in religious ceremony, often when officiants are walking from place to place. (This is distinguished from hymns, where the music is the focus of worship.) Incidental music is also used extensively in comedy shows for a similar purpose: providing mild entertainment during a dull transition. Famous comedy incidental musicians include Paul Schaffer, Max Weinberg, Patrick Burgomaster, and Jon Batiste.

Modern composers of incidental music include Pierre Boulez, Lorenzo Ferrero, Irmin Schmidt, Ilona Sekacz, John White, and Iannis Xenakis.

Types

Overture

An overture is incidental music that is played usually at the beginning of a film, play, opera, etc., before the action begins. It may be a complete work of music in itself or just a simple tune. In some cases it incorporates musical themes that are later repeated in other incidental music used during the performance.

Theme song

A theme song is a work that represents the performance and is often played at the beginning or end of the performance. Elements of the theme may be incorporated into other incidental music used during the performance. In films, theme songs are often played during credit rolls. A love theme is a special theme song (often in various modified forms) that accompanies romantic scenes involving the protagonists of a performance.

Theme songs are among the works of incidental music that are most commonly released independently of the performance for which they were written, and occasionally become major successes in their own right.

Underscore

An underscore is a soft soundtrack theme that accompanies the action in a performance. It is usually designed so that spectators are only indirectly aware of its presence. It may help to set or indicate the mood of a scene.

Stinger

A stinger is a very brief instant of music that accompanies a scene transition in a performance. Often the stinger marks the passage of time or a change in location. Stingers were used frequently in the American television series Friends, as an example, to mark scene changes.[6][unreliable source?]

Loop

Short sequences of recorded music called loops are sometimes designed so that they can be repeated indefinitely and seamlessly as required to accompany visuals. These are often used as background music in documentary and trade films.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lamothe (2008, p. 142)
  2. ^ Lubbock (1957, p. 130)
  3. ^ Lamothe (2008, p. 1)
  4. ^ Schwarm, Betsy. "Peer Gynt". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  5. ^ Lubbock (1957, p. 128)
  6. ^ "Setting The Tone: The Impact of Music Choice in Video Development".

Bibliography

  • Lamothe, Peter. (2008). Theater music in France, 1864–1914 (Thesis). The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ProQuest 304547910.
  • Lubbock, Mark (March 1957). "Music Incidental to a Play". The Musical Times. 98 (1369): 128–131. doi:10.2307/936528. JSTOR 936528.

Further reading

  • Harris, Steve. Film, Television, and Stage Music on Phonograph Records: a Discography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 1988. ISBN 0-89950-251-2

External links

  • The Foresters Web Opera – Score by Sir Arthur Sullivan for a play by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, with additional music arranged by persons unknown. Available online in an extremely complete state, down to the shortest trumpet fanfare, and thus an extremely useful example of Victorian incidental music.

incidental, music, underscoring, redirects, here, other, uses, underscore, disambiguation, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise. Underscoring redirects here For other uses see Underscore disambiguation This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Incidental music is music in a play television program radio program video game or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical The term is less frequently applied to film music with such music being referred to instead as the film score or soundtrack Incidental music is often background music and is intended to add atmosphere to the action It may take the form of something as simple as a low ominous tone suggesting an impending startling event or to enhance the depiction of a story advancing sequence It may also include pieces such as overtures music played during scene changes or at the end of an act immediately preceding an interlude as was customary with several nineteenth century plays It may also be required in plays that have musicians performing on stage Contents 1 History 2 Types 2 1 Overture 2 2 Theme song 2 3 Underscore 2 4 Stinger 2 5 Loop 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory EditThe use of incidental music dates back at least as far as Greek drama A number of classical composers have written incidental music for various plays with the more famous examples including Henry Purcell s Abdelazer music George Frideric Handel s The Alchemist music Joseph Haydn s Il distratto music citation needed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart s Thamos King of Egypt music Ludwig van Beethoven s Egmont music 1 Carl Maria von Weber s Preciosa music citation needed Franz Schubert s Rosamunde music 2 Felix Mendelssohn s A Midsummer Night s Dream music Robert Schumann s Manfred music 1 Georges Bizet s L Arlesienne music 3 and Edvard Grieg s Peer Gynt music 4 Parts of all of these are often performed in concerts outside the context of the play Vocal incidental music which is included in the classical scores mentioned above should never be confused with the score of a Broadway or film musical in which the songs often reveal character and further the storyline Since the score of a Broadway or film musical is what actually makes the work a musical it is far more essential to the work than mere incidental music which nearly always amounts to little more than a background score indeed many plays have no incidental music whatsoever Some early examples of what were later called incidental music are also described as semi operas quasi operas masques vaudevilles citation needed and melodramas 5 The genre of incidental music does not extend to pieces designed for concert performance such as overtures named after a play for example Beethoven s Coriolan Overture written for Heinrich Joseph von Collin s tragedy or Tchaikovsky s Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture Incidental music is also found in religious ceremony often when officiants are walking from place to place This is distinguished from hymns where the music is the focus of worship Incidental music is also used extensively in comedy shows for a similar purpose providing mild entertainment during a dull transition Famous comedy incidental musicians include Paul Schaffer Max Weinberg Patrick Burgomaster and Jon Batiste Modern composers of incidental music include Pierre Boulez Lorenzo Ferrero Irmin Schmidt Ilona Sekacz John White and Iannis Xenakis Types EditOverture Edit Main article Overture An overture is incidental music that is played usually at the beginning of a film play opera etc before the action begins It may be a complete work of music in itself or just a simple tune In some cases it incorporates musical themes that are later repeated in other incidental music used during the performance Theme song Edit Main article Theme music A theme song is a work that represents the performance and is often played at the beginning or end of the performance Elements of the theme may be incorporated into other incidental music used during the performance In films theme songs are often played during credit rolls A love theme is a special theme song often in various modified forms that accompanies romantic scenes involving the protagonists of a performance Theme songs are among the works of incidental music that are most commonly released independently of the performance for which they were written and occasionally become major successes in their own right Underscore Edit An underscore is a soft soundtrack theme that accompanies the action in a performance It is usually designed so that spectators are only indirectly aware of its presence It may help to set or indicate the mood of a scene Stinger Edit A stinger is a very brief instant of music that accompanies a scene transition in a performance Often the stinger marks the passage of time or a change in location Stingers were used frequently in the American television series Friends as an example to mark scene changes 6 unreliable source Loop Edit Short sequences of recorded music called loops are sometimes designed so that they can be repeated indefinitely and seamlessly as required to accompany visuals These are often used as background music in documentary and trade films See also EditDiegesis sections on the narrative uses of music in film and theatre Plays with incidental music Program musicReferences Edit a b Lamothe 2008 p 142 Lubbock 1957 p 130 Lamothe 2008 p 1 Schwarm Betsy Peer Gynt Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 4 December 2021 Lubbock 1957 p 128 Setting The Tone The Impact of Music Choice in Video Development Bibliography EditLamothe Peter 2008 Theater music in France 1864 1914 Thesis The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ProQuest 304547910 Lubbock Mark March 1957 Music Incidental to a Play The Musical Times 98 1369 128 131 doi 10 2307 936528 JSTOR 936528 Further reading EditHarris Steve Film Television and Stage Music on Phonograph Records a Discography Jefferson N C McFarland amp Co 1988 ISBN 0 89950 251 2External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Incidental music The Foresters Web Opera Score by Sir Arthur Sullivan for a play by Alfred Lord Tennyson with additional music arranged by persons unknown Available online in an extremely complete state down to the shortest trumpet fanfare and thus an extremely useful example of Victorian incidental music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Incidental music amp oldid 1086950486, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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