Bernard Chasan wrote:

>Much of film music is hollow ponderous derivative and, worst of all,
>manipulative.  John Williams is a fine film composer, but does anyone
>take him seriously as a classical composer?

ALL music is manipulative insofar as it invites an emotional response.
We could quibble over words (I might have chosen "exploitative") but I
think the idea you are getting at is that we are made to feel something
against our will, as though we are (somewhat) unwilling participants in the
process, feelings are extorted out of us.  But I feel that way sometimes
about Rachmaninoff and Puccini.  I think a lot has to do with the extent
to which we allow ourselves to "buy into" what the composer is doing.  We
may be going to hell in a bucket, but we're enjoying the ride.

Chris Bonds