It is such a rich form of expression that words attempting to describe it, images trying to reflect its emotive effects, continually seem to fall short of their noble goals. Such is the case with film music, when the score is constantly pushed aside by the more arresting presence of images. Music, as Eisler and others sharing his view believe, is suffocated instead of enhanced in such cases, and is simply too ethereal a presence to stand up to other media. I agree with Eisler that this effect is often observed with film music.
Images do tend to arrest the attention of the audience, it is true.
It is not the case, however, that music goes completely unnoticed by observers. Perhaps, yes, their main attention is focused elsewhere, but the subconscious effects of the music in film and other media cannot be ignored, either films simply would not be the same without music, though whether that is a mindset conditioned by standards, I do not know. Yet because Eisler specifies in his point that he means music is never sharply defined in relation to other artistic media, I have no choice but to agree with his viewpoint. I believe that this is simply a shortcoming of music s essence it is so independent, yet so fragile, that it can only truly be appreciated by itself, with no other significant sensory diversions. It has to be appreciated alone if it is to be truly appreciated at all.