Music used to accompany a dramatic performance is known as incidental music. Incidental music is often a very important part of a production, especially in the film world, and it can be used for plays, radio shows, films, and television. Incidental music can be composed specifically for a performance or already existing music can be used, depending on the production; incidental music commissioned specifically for a performance can be costly for the producers.
Incidental music has a long history: the Greeks, for example, used it in their plays to enhance the look, mood, and feel of their performances on stage by drawing on the rich body of ritual liturgy. Incidental music is used in many ancient Asian dramatic arts, and, like the Greeks, the music often had very specific symbolic meaning that would have been well-understood by the audience.
The popularity of incidental music in performances has fluctuated over time, but it has never completely vanished. This could be seen as a testament to music’s power, because it can completely change the mood and tone of a piece in a way that is impossible to achieve otherwise. Music has the ability to brighten a scene, create tension, or underscore the sadness or horror of an event, and some incidental music has become famous in its own right. For example, many classical composers wrote pieces for plays and other performances that were later used in standalone performances.
Incidental music fills the gaps between scenes and acts, serves as a backdrop for dialogue, and in some cases, such as a dance scene in a film, becomes the star of the scene. The composer of incidental music must be able to evoke the desired mode while working within very specific scene and time constraints, which can be difficult. A composer may work alone with synthesizers and other tools, or he or she may enlist the help of a group of musicians ranging from a quartet to an orchestra, depending on the project.
The incidental music that accompanies characters often enriches them, with many major characters having their own themes. Composers can also create musical themes based on specific events in the performance, such as a love theme for two characters or an antagonistic relationship theme for two characters. While many viewers and listeners are unaware of incidental music’s importance, being aware of it while watching or listening to a performance can be very revealing.