A pleasant surprise . . . and questions about movie soundtracks

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

I always liked the soundtrack to the movie Cromwell, particularly Charles I's theme that appears at significant events (the end of the battle of Naseby, etc.).  I occasionally looked for the soundtrack so I could hear it again.  But then I recently bought this:
[asin]B00004NK2G[/asin] and heard it there -- it's Frank Cordell, "King Charles's Galliard."

There are obvious examples of films being scored with classical music; 2001, Rollerball, which is how I learned of Shostakovich and Albinoni's Adagio, or Excalibur which was the first time I'd ever heard Wagner, or Platoon which is where I (like a lot of people) first heard Barber's Adagio.  That's not to mention the Pachelbel Outbreak of 1980-81 following Ordinary People (sorry, but I remember hearing that too much).

I was wondering, though, if there are any other movies like Cromwell where classical pieces were effectively "pirated" -- for example, the orchestration (if I'm using that word correctly) in Cromwell is not the same as Cordell's piece, rather, "King Charles's Galliard" is a source theme that is rendered in many different ways (threatening, ominous, wistful, tragic, etc.).  Does anyone know of some other examples? 

[TheGSMoeller]

First that comes to mind is in True Romance where Christopher Walken is interrogating Dennis Hopper, "Flower Duet" from the opera Lakmé by Leo Delibes is performed in the background, at first it's performed on piano until it seques into the original version with the female voices. I won't post the scene only because it could be offensive, but it's a great scene with two great actors.

And of course, much of A Clockwork Orange where the score is transcribed by Wendy Carlos for her synthesizer.

Maybe this is some of what you were looking for  if it is, I could probably go on for hours. 

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

Maybe this is some of what you were looking for  if it is, I could probably go on for hours. 

Please do!  I found out about classical music from the movies in the first place.  Always had a soft-spot for soundtracks and soundtrack composers.  Only recently back into music after a long absence (no, I wasn't in prison!).  As I hear more classical music, I start hearing more and more of the soundtrack composers' sources.  It's like learning to read the original language instead of an interpretation.  So if you have the time to write, I certainly have the time to read and listen to the pieces you mention.

Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper in a scene?  Surprised they didn't form a black hole of malevolent neuroticism and obliterate the universe!

[knight66]

I started reading your initial post and was thinking that I would be able to make suggestions; then your interesting question emerged and I was stumped.

GS, yes, if you have time, do come up with more.

Mike

[vandermolen]

Avatar (Horner) contains a thinly disguised version of Kutuzov's theme from Prokofiev's 'War and Peace' but I'm not sure if this is what you mean.
'Master and Commander' makes use of the Tallis Fantasia by Vaughan Williams.

[Que]

No need to wrack our brains over this - Naxos has assembled a pretty comprehensive listing, called Classical Music in Movies! You can start HERE.

Q

[chasmaniac]

I was going to mention Kubrick's use of Handel in Barry Lyndon, variously scored for various dramatic purposes, and there it is on the Naxos list: Sarabande from Harpsichord Suite No. 11.

[TheGSMoeller]

One that doesn't make Naxos list is from The Thin Red Line, composer Hans Zimmer uses Ives' The Unanswered Question in his score, effectively used at a pivotal scene.

But a good list, thanks for sharing Q, I'll continue to post either good ones that don't make the list or recommend some that are on the list.

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

Que, that's a great list.  On the other hand, though, it doesn't have Cromwell or Aliens' uncredited pirating of Hanson's second symphony.  Or, now that I think of it, John Williams' rework of Vivaldi in The Cowboys.  Just wondering if there are more like that, where the classical work is stolen, riffed, etc. in the soundtrack.

Spent a couple more minutes with the Naxos list and made an interesting find -- the theme from "Reilly: Ace of Spies" is actually by Shostakovich.  But it's not credited on the DVDs I have.

[Bogey]

I felt as if Bill Conti used a nice slice from Holst's Planets in The Right Stuff....at least it sounded that way to me. 

[Opus106]

I felt as if Bill Conti used a nice slice from Holst's Planets in The Right Stuff....at least it sounded that way to me. 

IIRC, there's also a bit from Tchaikovsky included... the VC, I think. Ray would probably know better, as this used to played a lot on Beethoven Radio.

[Szykneij]

My wife is watching television in the other room and I just heard Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf playing in the background. When I asked what movie she had on, she told me "State of Play" with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. I don't know what the film is about or how the music fits in, but I think I'll check it out.

[TheGSMoeller]

My wife is watching television in the other room and I just heard Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf playing in the background. When I asked what movie she had on, she told me "State of Play" with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. I don't know what the film is about or how the music fits in, but I think I'll check it out.

Wasn't Peter and the Wolf used for The Christmas Story? For when the bully arrived?

[Szykneij]

Wasn't Peter and the Wolf used for The Christmas Story? For when the bully arrived?

Yes, now that you mention it, with the Wolf's theme. "State of Play" was using Peter's theme.

[eyeresist]

Aliens' uncredited pirating of Hanson's second symphony.

From this I'm guessing you never actually watched the credits of Alien.

Early Hollywood sound films frequently used classical excerpts in lieu of an original score - Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake got a frequent workout, as the opening music for The Mummy, for instance. Also, the classic Karloff/Lugosi vehicle The Black Cat uses various late romantic pieces, plus an orchestration of Liszt's B minor sonata.

[kishnevi]

This is sort of the reverse of the main topic for this thread---a recording of piano "concertos" written as part of a movie score, or written for the characters to play in the film (mostly, if not entirely with a British connection)--although much of this music is more in the nature of orchestral music with a concertante part for the piano than true concerto.  (The Love Story mentioned on the CD cover is not the 70s era Hollywood weeper.)
[asin]B0000060DC[/asin]

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

From this I'm guessing you never actually watched the credits of Alien.

I meant Aliens (not the first one, the second one).  It's on the credits?  I'll get out the disc and watch it again -- wouldn't be my first mistake, but I could've sworn it wasn't on there.

[eyeresist]

I meant Aliens (not the first one, the second one).  It's on the credits?  I'll get out the disc and watch it again -- wouldn't be my first mistake, but I could've sworn it wasn't on there.

Hanson is used in the first film, not the second, unless you were the first person ever to spot it.

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

well, then I'd guess it's not the second mistake I made either.

[listener]

For me the locus classicus would be the use of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 in David Lean's BRIEF ENCOUNTER,
The Danish film SUDDENLY A WOMAN may have been rescored for its North American release, I was quite taken aback to hear Sullivan's The Lost Chord as background until I remembered the opening line*.


*"Seated one day at the organ..."