“Unless you want a pop score, I don’t see any reason not to avail yourself of the great orchestral music of the past and present.” Stanley Kubrick
And avail himself is exactly what Kubrick did, he was one of the first directors to give assorted classical tracks prominence in films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange. And if you can’t think of any other films who successfully chose classic and popular music to richly enhance their soundtrack music then don’t worry, independent label Cherry Red Records have neatly packed 52 tracks on a stirring 3 CD Box Set.
Kubrick used nothing but classical music in some of his films whereas other tracks in movies are randomly played to enhance scenes, such as Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File who chooses Mozart to cook by. Similarly in The Godfather’s famous baptism scene [interspersed with violent scenes of assassinations] was all played out to Bach’s incredible organ piece Passacaglia in C Minor.
But this collection is not just about the use of classical pieces used in the movies, it also includes popular songs and instrumentals of the day.
One of the biggest pulls of this superb selection is that it covers all types of films from the ’60s up to 2014. It also tells you the films Director, Screenplay Writer, Art Director and the main stars of each movie together with full information on the classic /pop track played in the films. And, as with their 3 CD Deluxe Box Set of Get Carter Get Review – the quality is superb.
Whilst not a soundtrack in its own right, this 3 CD treat is an informative and wonderful collection in its own right. Plus, next time I am watching a movie and a classical piece is played, I have a reference point! It’s an interesting take on non original soundtrack music used in movies.
Particularly of interest and surprise to me were:-
One of my favourite sci-fi thrillers is Seconds. The original 1966 score was by Jerry Goldsmith. But also used in the movie [and to be honest I can’t remember this as it was many years ago that I watched it], was a terrific jazz version of That Old Black Magic played by Andrew Previn. What a treat to stumble upon this track on Volume 1.
Singer Kenneth McKellar also makes an appearance on the same disc singing The Song Of Clyde – this was played in Billy Liar (1963), who would have known this? And who would have thought that within the psychedelic silliness of Head [1968] which starred the Monkees, we would hear The Artist’s Life Waltz by Johann Strauss?
Fun and worth exploring!
TRACK INFORMATION
DISC ONE
BREATHLESS (A BOUT DE SOUFFLE) (1960)
1. CLARINET CONCERTO K 622 – RONDO ALLEGRO – W.A. MozarT
BILLY LIAR (1963)
2. SONG OF THE CLYDE – Kenneth McKellar
3. CONCERTO SYMPHONIQUE NO. 4, OP. 102 – Henry Litolff
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT (1964)
4. A NATION ONCE AGAIN – John McCormack
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW (1964)
5. VIOLIN SONATA NO. 1 IN G MINOR, BWV 1001: I. PRÄLUDIUM – Bach
BLACK GOD, WHITE DEVIL (DEUS E O DIABO NA TERRA DO SOL) (1964)
6. BACHIANAS BRASILEIRAS NO. 5: ÁRIA (CANTILENA) (Bidu Sayao: soprano) – Heitor Villa-Lobos
THE IPCRESS FILE (1965)
7. SERENADE NO. 13 FOR STRINGS IN G MAJOR, K. 525 “EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK”: II. ROMANCE – Mozart
THE DEBUSSY FILM (1965)
8. DANSE PROFANE – Claude Debussy
HELP! (1965)
9. LOHENGRIN (PRELUDE TO ACT III) – Richard Wagner
10. 1812 OVERTURE, OP. 49 (EXCERPT) – Tchaikovsky
11. SYMPHONY 9 (ODE TO JOY) (EXCERPT) – Beethoven
12. BARBER OF SEVILLE – OVERTURE (EXCERPT) – Rossini –
PERSONA (1966)
13. ADAGIO FROM CONCERTO NO. 2 IN E MAJOR FOR VIOLIN, STRINGS AND CONTINUO, BWV 1042 – Bach
SECONDS (1966)
14. THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC – Andre Previn
WRONG BOX (1966)
15. MINUET IN G – Beethoven
GEORGY GIRL (1966)
16. VIBRATION – Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan
WEEKEND (1967)
17. ALLEGRO FROM PIANO SONATA NO.18 IN D MAJOR, K576 ‘HUNT’ – Mozart
DISC TWO
PRIVILEGE (1967)
1. MESSIAH – Handel
INTERLUDE (1968)
2. RACHMANINOFF SYMPHONY NO. 2 – 3RD MOVEMENT (EXCERPT) – Rachmaninoff
TOBY DAMMIT (1968)
3. RUBY – Ray Charles
THE IMMORTAL STORY (1968)
4. GNOSSIENNES NO 3 LENT – Erik Satie
5. TROIS MORCEAUX EN FORME DE POIRE NO. 6 – Erik Satie
6. GYMNOPEDIES NO 2 LENT & TRISTE – Erik Satie
DELIUS – A SONG OF SUMMER (1968)
7. A SONG OF SUMMER – Delius
ROSEMARY’S BABY (1968)
8. FÜR ELISE – Beethoven
HEAD (1968)
9. KUNSTLERLEBEN (ARTIST’S LIFE), OP.316 – Johann Strauss II
THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)
10. THE BRITISH GRENADIERS – Wally Stott
MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
11. THE LAST ROUND-UP – Norman Luboff Choir
TRISTANA (1970)
12. ÉTUDE NO 12 IN C MINOR, OP 10 ‘REVOLUTIONARY’ – Chopin
FIVE EASY PIECES (1970)
13. CHROMATIC FANTASY & FUGUE – Bach
14. CHROMATIC FANTASY & FUGUE – Bach
STRAW DOGS (1971)
15. CARO NOME FROM RIGOLETTO – Verdi
SOLARIS (1971)
16. PRELUDE BWV639 ‘ICH RUF’ ZU DIR, HERR JESU CHRIST’ – Bach
17. WELL TEMPERED CLAVIER – BOOK II : PRELUDE & FUGUE NO. 12 IN F MINOR – Bach
DISC THREE
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
1. SYMPHONY NO. 9 – SECOND MOVEMENT – Ludwig Van Beethoven
HAROLD & MAUDE (1971)
2. PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 (EXCERPT) – Tchaikovsky
THE GODFATHER (1972)
3. PASSACAGLIA IN C MINOR, BMV 582 – Bach
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION (Modest Mussorgsky) (1970-1973)
4. PROMENADE – Mussorgsky
5. GNOMUS- Mussorgsky
6. THE HUT ON FOWL’S LEGS (THE HUT OF BABA YAGA) – Mussorgsky
YES – YES SONGS (1973)
7. THE FIREBIRD – COLLAPSE OF KASHCHEI’S PALACE AND DISSOLUTION OF ALL ENCHANTMENTS / REANIMATION OF THE PETRIFIED PRISONERS / GENERAL REJOICING – Igor Stravinsky
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1975)
8. PLANETS : MARS – Holst
LISZTOMANIA (1975)
9. HARMONIE POÈTIQUES ET RELIGIEUSES: NO. 7, FUNÉRAILLES – Liszt
ANNIE HALL (1977)
10. SYMPHONY NO. 41 IN C MAJOR, K551 ‘JUPITER’ – MOLTO ALLEGRO – Mozart
PINK FLOYD : THE WALL (1982)
11. THE LITTLE BOY THAT SANTA CLAUS FORGOT – Vera Lynn
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (1986)
12. THE SLEEPY LAGOON – Eric Coates
WITHNAIL & I (1987)
13. PIANO SONATA NO. 21 IN B FLAT MAJOR, D960 – THIRD MOVEMENT – Schubert
TOPSY TURVY (1999)
14. THREE LITTLE MAIDS FROM SCHOOL ARE WE (FROM THE MIKADO) – Gilbert & Sullivan
PETER WARLOCK – SOME LITTLE JOY (2005)
15. SWEET AND TWENTY – Peter Warlock
16. REST SWEET NYMPHS – Peter Warlock
17. SLEEP – Peter Warlock
LAMBERT & STAMP (2014)
18. DANCE FOR THE FOLLOWERS OF LEO (FROM HOROSCOPE BALLET SUITE) – Constant Lambert
Filmic Tracks 