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Classical music in films

post #1 of 24
11/30/12 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
I'm a musician, I love classical music, I also work in film music, so I kinda love movies too wink.gif. There are a few examples of movies that use classical music in a very effective and unique way, such as Apocalypse Now and Wagner, Silence of the Lambs and Bach's Goldberg Variations, or obviously 2001 or even Eyes Wide Shut. But there are also some "surreal" moments in movies like Seven, in the library scene, when we hear Bach's aria from the orchestral suite no.3, in the middle of a very dark film, like a glimpse of hope. I love these "moments". I already know a good number of films that use classical music but I'm sure there are many more that I either forget or simply don't know about. What are your favorite scenes? smile.gif (movies like Amadeus don't really count, as (classical) music is a central and obligatory element of the story)
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post #2 of 24
11/30/12 at 4:58pm
I just knew you were going to do this to me someday.....tongue.gif
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post #3 of 24
11/30/12 at 5:07pm
Good maybe you can help me with something that has been driving me nuts every time Hilary Hahn comes up in my rotation.

Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47. - What movie????
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post #4 of 24
11/30/12 at 5:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by General Kenobi View Post

Good maybe you can help me with something that has been driving me nuts every time Hilary Hahn comes up in my rotation.
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47. - What movie????

Kinsey?
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post #5 of 24
11/30/12 at 9:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by General Kenobi View Post

Good maybe you can help me with something that has been driving me nuts every time Hilary Hahn comes up in my rotation.
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47. - What movie????
Hmmmmm.....one of my favorite violin concertos, but I don't think I've heard her do it (my fav is Perlman.).
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post #6 of 24
11/30/12 at 11:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by oink View Post

Hmmmmm.....one of my favorite violin concertos, but I don't think I've heard her do it (my fav is Perlman.).
Perlman is a super hero, technically flawless yet still maintains a brilliance in emotion interpretation. I love his La ronde des lutins -Bazzini
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post

Kinsey?
Doesn't sound familiar frown.gif
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post #7 of 24
12/1/12 at 5:50am
Barry Lyndon: the dueling scene, they use one of Beethoven's symphonic themes (I can't remember which now) very slowly, on a kettle drum.

Escape from New York: the glider arrives to Debussy's "Sunken Cathedral"

-Bill
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post #8 of 24
12/1/12 at 6:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wmcclain View Post

Barry Lyndon: the dueling scene, they use one of Beethoven's symphonic themes (I can't remember which now) very slowly, on a kettle drum.
-Bill

I think it's Haendel's Sarabande instead, from his suite in D minor. A timeless masterpiece (as with many of Haendel's work). It sounded like celli and/or contrabasses though, with the harpsichord joining them at the end.
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post #9 of 24
12/1/12 at 6:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by wmcclain View Post

Barry Lyndon: the dueling scene, they use one of Beethoven's symphonic themes (I can't remember which now) very slowly, on a kettle drum.
-Bill

I think it's Haendel's Sarabande instead, from his suite in D minor. A timeless masterpiece (as with many of Haendel's work). It sounded like celli and/or contrabasses though, with the harpsichord joining them at the end.

Really? The duel with his stepson late in the film? It's been years, and my memory begins to fabricate what it likes.

-Bill
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post #10 of 24
12/1/12 at 6:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wmcclain View Post

Really? The duel with his stepson late in the film? It's been years, and my memory begins to fabricate what it likes.
-Bill

(don't pay attention to the aspect ratio! wink.gif)



and the other, goosebump-inducing-version from the movie smile.gif:
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post #11 of 24
12/1/12 at 7:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post


(don't pay attention to the aspect ratio! wink.gif)

Different duel but same music! Not Ludwig van; I'll try to remember.

Now I want to see it again.

-Bill
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post #12 of 24
12/1/12 at 8:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wmcclain View Post

Different duel but same music! Not Ludwig van; I'll try to remember.
Now I want to see it again.
-Bill

Oh you're right it's not Bullington! Yes same music but the scene you're referring to has yet another arrangement of the Sarabande, just slightly different. This movie is so amazing...
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post #13 of 24
12/1/12 at 8:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wmcclain View Post

It's been years, and my memory begins to fabricate what it likes.
-Bill
Welcome to the club....biggrin.gif
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post #14 of 24
12/1/12 at 11:07am
And then we have Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings in Platoon. Haunting.....
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post #15 of 24
12/10/12 at 8:10am
Rashomon uses an adaptation of Ravel's "Bolero" for one scene. I had to look it up: can't be, I thought.

-Bill
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post #16 of 24
12/10/12 at 9:27am
A Clockwork Orange has the chorale movement of Beethoven's 9th as a central part of the movie.
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post #17 of 24
12/10/12 at 1:12pm
Clockwork Orange has a bunch of classical music including The William Tell Overture. Kubric used a a lot of classical music in all his films. In 2001 he used Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Blue Danube among others.

But, my favorite use of classical music was in Excalibur with the use of the Carmina Burana and of Sigfried's Funeral March. In fact, that rendition of Sigfried's Funeral March is my all time favorite and an example that I often use to point out how seemingly trivial changes in tempo and accents can have a huge impact on the mood of a piece.
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post #18 of 24
12/10/12 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 
...And of course Clockwork Orange has Purcell's March from Funeral For Queen Mary... Amazing piece, both the original and Wendy Carlos's rendition.
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post #19 of 24
12/10/12 at 3:38pm
"Silence of the Lambs" where Hannibal Lechter breaks out of his cell. Johanne Sebastian Bach's "Goldberg Variations." The delicate beauty belies the stark brutality that takes place.
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post #20 of 24
12/11/12 at 7:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by smudge981 View Post

"Silence of the Lambs" where Hannibal Lechter breaks out of his cell. Johanne Sebastian Bach's "Goldberg Variations." The delicate beauty belies the stark brutality that takes place.

And how he enjoys the music while doing his um, "thing"... smile.gif
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post #21 of 24
12/11/12 at 7:08pm
Movies that use pieces from Bach from 31 to 2001.

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Movie/Year.htm
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post #22 of 24
12/12/12 at 12:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by corpgator View Post

Movies that use pieces from Bach from 31 to 2001.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Movie/Year.htm
Wow, great find.
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post #23 of 24
12/12/12 at 7:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post

(movies like Amadeus don't really count, as (classical) music is a central and obligatory element of the story)

Still have to add "Fantasia" which I believe is a wonderful film to introduce child to. What's not to like? You've got Leopold Stokowski conductiong the Philadelphia Symphony. Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite Of Spring" featuring the dinosaur segment stays with me to this day.
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post #24 of 24
12/12/12 at 1:00pm
^^^

I guess Hillary and Jackie wouldn't count either although it obviously has some incredible classical music.
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