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Best use of classical music in films

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E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
My two examples are:

ibjyAeS3r1UlXv.jpg



The funeral scene featuring Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

The scene isn't available in video form on the net, so the piece of music will suffice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BI1dT1F3qY



iRsjC0apKTEUI.jpg



The Apocalypse Now helicopter assault scene featuring Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHQXqFGhNK8


Honourable mentions to:


The Fall - Symphony No. 7 Allegretto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhARR-zmTCE&feature=related

Titanic - Nearer, My God, to Thee (Bethany)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPLcZ5Rk3Lg&feature=related
 
G

Grakl

Member
Beethoven's 7th, 2nd Movement during the conversation from The Man from Earth

The_man_from_earth.jpg


No clip is available online - just watch this excellent movie!
 
J

jett

D-Member
dmshaposv said:
Hey now, I didn't mention it because the entire movie is based around classical music composers.

I think he meant in an anachronistic context, no?
Click to expand...

Well I guess, but how Mozart's compositions are used as incidental music is still fantastic.

Recently I liked the use of Beethoven in the King's Speech's...speech.
 
M

Mgoblue201

Won't stop picking the right nation
dmshaposv said:
Hey now, I didn't mention it because the entire movie is based around classical music composers.

I think he meant in an anachronistic context, no?
Click to expand...
Sure, but its use of classical music is undeniably brilliant. Some of the transitions in the film, such as Queen of the Night from the The Magic Flute, always struck me as very clever. And Salieri's voice overs always provide a great context for the viewer.

Anyway, some of my favorites have already been mentioned: Master and Commander, the Figaro scene from Shawshank, and Rise of the Valkyries from Apocalypse Now. And, of course, just about anything from Kubrick's films.
 
A

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
I am intending that my buddy comedy include a soundtrack entirely comprised of classical music.

The decision is two-fold:

1. Classical music is timeless. The music in Dumb and Dumber was funny back then, now it is just terrible. Sure, it has charm to it because it is in Dumb and Dumber, but in any other setting, there is no way almost any of those songs would get listened to by anyone on an iPod or set of speakers.

2. Classical music is free. The music itself, outside of mid-to-late 20th century stuff (like Sibelius and others) are in the public domain, so if you don't want to pay for the rights from a recording that a symphony have already done, it would not be unreasonable to pay to have it recorded.

That said, the short list to be included in the movie involves at least:

Paganini - Caprice No. 24 in A Minor. The performance will need to be flawless and even more brave and over the top than what even the skilled player can typically churn out. One Sunday, on my way to church, I heard this in a way I had never heard before. I wish to recreate that for a scene in my movie.

Liszt - Les Preludes (so incredibly loud and perfect. Love the swelling and triumphant sounds of this piece)

Gliere - The Russian Sailor's Dance (rock music of 100 years ago)

and either the Call to the Cows part of the William Tell Overture or Morning Mood by Grieg in a nod to classic cartoons.

We will see what else works, but I have a couple else as possibles

Gabriel Faure - Eligie Op. 24
pieces of Dvorak's New World Symphony
and there is a Brahms piece I really like, but can't quite remember right now.



By the way, there are only two right answers to this thread's question and a shock that neither have been said so far:

2001: A Space Odyssey
or
The Right Stuff

Shame on GAF!
Space travel makes for such lovely music!
 
S

Snowman Prophet of Doom

Member
AlteredBeast, 2001 was literally the first reply.

Also, the use of Carnival of the Animals for the opening credits of Days of Heaven has to be up there. Has a dreamy quality that, mixed with the images, really puts you into the mood of the film.
 
A

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
Snowman Prophet of Doom said:
AlteredBeast, 2001 was literally the first reply.

Also, the use of Carnival of the Animals for the opening credits of Days of Heaven has to be up there. Has a dreamy quality that, mixed with the images, really puts you into the mood of the film.
Click to expand...

LOL. Yeah, I had multiple tabs open and merely did a cursory ctrl + f to search for 2001. :p My bad!
 
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