When one thinks of film music, one rarely thinks of the many subtle moments in which the sound level significantly but inconspicuously shapes the narrative and mood of a film - the "unheard-of melodies" that Claudia Gorbman made the term film music more than 30 years ago. On the other hand, it is much more often the opening music in the tradition of classic Hollywood cinema that leaves a lasting impression.

The music in the opening credits, like the overtures of many operas and operettas, especially of the 19th century, tunes the audience to the upcoming events, accompanies them as "catchy tunes" after the end of the cinema screening or television broadcast and remains in memory as Pars pro Toto for the entirety of the score. 

But despite its formative effect and central position, the role of music in the opening credits has so far received very little attention. The new volume of the "FilmMusik" series tries to close this gap with four contributions: Hollywood Cinema and Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Quality TV, Hanns Eisler's changeable career and the reuse of a well-known opening music in numerous other productions. Contributors to the volume are Felix Kirschbacher, Frank Lehman,