Ambiguity in Amour

Last time on Clef Notes we defined diegetic and non-diegetic music in film. While it may seem apparent whether or not something is diegetic, or what the musical “source” may be, often times, film directors leave this area ambiguous, allowing the viewer to make their own interpretations. Today, let’s look at one example of an ambiguous source in Michael Haneke’s 2012 film Amour.

Georges and Anne are retired music teachers who are enjoying life together. When Anne has a stroke, Georges jumps in to care for her. The film follows their trials and love for one another. In the scene above, Anne plays Schubert’s Impromptu, Op. 90 #3 at the piano—or does she? We believe the piano is the source of the music we hear, however the scene then shifts to Georges turning off a radio, stopping the music suddenly. Was the radio, then, the source of the Impromptu? Was Georges reflecting back to memories of his wife playing the piano as he listened to the piece on the radio?

What do you think?

Next time, we’ll look at another example of diegetic ambiguity found in Preston Sturges’ 1948 Unfaithfully Yours. 

Music in Cinema

This month I’d like to re-explore a fun topic in musicology that we touched on in the past: music in cinema. There’s an endless amount of movies to explore so this is a great topic to keep coming back to.

Everyone watches movies and thus, everyone has encountered the soundtrack to a film. While some film directors use pre-existing music to underlie their cinematic project, others will use a film composer to write a new score to fit the images and plot they aim to create.

Before diving into a variety of films and discussing the types of music (new or existing) used as the soundtrack, I wanted to introduce you to several impressive musical terms you can use when discussing movie music with your friends: diegetic and non-diegetic.

Diegetic music is the type of music that is not only heard by the viewer, but also by the on-screen characters in the film. An example would be:

As in this example, typically the viewer can see the source of the music on screen to help determine whether or not it is diegetic. In this case, you can see the ensemble in the background as they provide entertainment during Connie’s wedding in The Godfather (1972). Composer Nino Rota wrote the score for this film and we will look further at his career later this month.

The opposite of diegetic music would be non-diegetic. This type of music serves as a background to the film and can only be heard by the viewer, not the characters on screen. An example would be this from Titanic (1997): 

Here, the music enhances the moment for the viewer in the iconic “I’m Flying” scene. The characters, however, cannot hear the music themselves. James Horner, whom we will discuss more later this month, wrote the famous “My Heart Will Go On” for this film.

Can you think of any examples of diegetic or non-diegetic music from your favorite films?

More on Women Composers

This month, Clef Notes looked at several talented women composers—from Hildegard von Bingen of the eleventh century, all the way to Lili Boulanger of this past century. Some of these composers and their stories were inspired by a new book, just released by cultural historian Anna Beer, Sounds and Sweet Airs: The Forgotten Women of Classical Music.

If this is a topic you enjoy, you can learn more about this excellent book by listening to an interview with Anna Beer.

Join me next month for a return to an annual favorite: Music and Cinema!