I won't argue about whether or not it's easier to interpret film scores as opposed to classical music, but I will say it's a whole lot easier to cut them. Film music is composed as a series of moments, rather than as a coherent, developed whole. It's much more difficult to edit classical music and retain its integrity.
Film music is not composed in the bits or snippets we may hear when watching a finished motion picture. It is typically composed much the way a work like "Pictures At An Exhibition" was composed - in suite form, as a series of movements or impressions - sometimes without benefit of a script or any out take scenes from the movie. Of course there is discussion between the director and composer which serves as an outline for the composer.
For instance, if the film is a love story - a love theme will be composed - often with variations and different orchestrations. That certainly happens with "Lara's theme from "Zhivago."
"Motion music" is typically needed for most films. The director will tell the composer "I need early 20th century motion music for steam powered trains and also for some horse drawn carriages". So the composer will write a movement or two of motion music and then write some variations on it..
"Titanic" is full of recurring motion music in various orchestrations - and James Horner wrote a six minute movement "Southampton" and about 15 minutes more of variations whose theme recurs in various orchestrations (and durations) throughout the movie's soundtract. Like it or not, it would be good for skating to and also very easy to cut for a skater's program. ( I published a few pieces from "Titanic" for Brass Ensemble so I had to spend alot of time listening to the soundtract.)
It can be much easier to cut film score music for a skating program because it has in effect already been cut many times by the film's music editing crew as they break it down and adapt it - scene by scene (sometimes even frame by frame) for the film. With the miracle of today's digital tecnology this is much easier now, but still requires a very well trained and talented crew.
As far as the integrity of "film" music vs "classical" music there is no intentional difference. Maurice Jarre composed "serious" concert works but I don't think he was using any less effort - or only part of his talent - when he wrote "Lawrence." Nor did he consciously use more of his talent and training when he composed a suite commissioned by Radio Orchestra de Paris.
BTW, Mozart and Hadyn constantly had the "integrity" of their music cut and changed by their patrons and Emperor Franz Jospeh was a notorious medler.
He often asked for more movements, sometimes "less notes" faster tempos, etc.
The samething happened with many operas. Many cuts were made, variations were added from an earlier movement, aria, or instrumental section. Sometimes arias were rewritten to better suite a singer's style and range, and even orchestrations were changed when budgets ran over and the size of the orchestra had to be reduced. This happened for symphonic works as well. Without any financial constraints who knows how many Horns Wagner might have used or how large his choruses might have been. He was a very grandiose (some might say bombastic) sort of fellow.
Anyway, a soft summer day here - and if this is way off topic then sorry for that.
That remains my favorite of Johnny's programs. Suguri didn't do it justice, but maybe Alissa could.
Anyway, Alissa did so beautifully with it that I know Sasha could make it work. For me, it's her Moonlight Sonata program that makes me want to puke and it's not a good-luck talisman....)
(Browning could do it though).
