Stefan Schwalgin

The Sound of Crime

No blockbuster can do without music. One might almost add: hardly any orchestral concert today can do without film music. Film music in concerts is booming. Crime films in their various forms have long been on the agenda of our viewing habits, whether in the cinema or on television; James Bond, Commissioner Maigret and many of their colleagues have now become immortal (also musically). Within the crime genre, music bears a particularly high responsibility for the intensity, persuasiveness and suspense of the plot.

In his composition 'The Sound of Crime', Stefan Schwalgin presents very typical scenes of a classic crime story in a highlighting, musically emphatic and dramaturgically coherent way, without wanting to narrate a complete plot in detail: After a gripping title theme, a short transition leads into a gritty atmosphere in which the (undefined) 'crime' motivating the plot takes place. An atmospheric contrast is provided by the following innocent and cheerful waltz including the title theme, in which the 'hero' of our imaginary film - perhaps an inspector, perhaps an agent? - goes for a walk with his girlfriend. The two of them then end up - not entirely unusual for the genre - in bed, accompanied by music that is also typical of the genre, including erotic-lascivious melodic sighs. Drama kicks in after that: After a thrilling chase, our nameless hero finally puts the likewise nameless 'bad guy' out of action with three pistol shots. The credits end with the title music - everything is just like in a 'real' movie, only shorter and limited to the most essential.