Classics from the Silver Screen (FAQ)

Classics from the Silver Screen
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List

These are the most common questions I have received from visitors over the past year, collected here into the FAQ.

General Questions
  1. Why didn't my suggestion(s) appear ?
  2. Why isn't (composer's name) or (movie) included in the list ?
  3. Why don't you provide more detailed information on the pieces (e.g. the timing of the movie in which the piece appears, names of the artists) ?
  4. Why aren't television shows and/or advertisements included ?
  5. Can you help me identify (a particular theme) ?

Movie-Specific Questions
  1. In Star Trek: First Contact, where can I get the recording of "Vallon Sonore" ?
  2. In The Hunt for Red October, what was the music in the opening title ?
  3. In Sphere, why is the work credited here as Mozart's Horn Concerto No.1 although in the movie it is identified, in the credits as well as on screen by Harry (Samuel L Jackson's character) as Horn Concerto No.3 (K.447) ?
  4. A list of soundtracks commonly mistaken for classical works.

 

General Questions

  1. Why didn't my suggestion(s) appear ?

    This is probably due to the fact that I haven't been able to verify the entry yet. While I appreciate all the suggestions that visitors make, I sometimes do get erroneous information, so I try to verify them before adding them to the list.

    My general method for verification is either to personally check it out when the opportunity presents itself or when I receive the same information from a second, separate source (the rationale being that the chances of an error occuring that way is greatly reduced).

    I do make exceptions for regular contributors who have proven themselves in providing reliable information - the bottom line here being to provide the information as accurately as possible, and not compromise quality for quantity.
     

  2. Why isn't (composer's name) or (movie) included in the list ?

    There are several reasons for this:

    One reason, as I've explained in the home page, is because I have had to make some arbitrary decisions as to which movies to exclude because of their age or obscurity. But if you feel strongly about a particular movie, just drop me a line with your suggestion.

    Another reason is because some composers, especially those of the neo-classical era, are actually represented in both classical as well as movie soundtracks, e.g. Prokofiev, Korngold. Therefore I've drawn an arbitrary line here: works from the classical repertoire are generally included and soundtracks excluded. One of the main objectives of this list was to provide a resource for movie fans who have heard a classical piece in a movie but didn't know what it was.

    The last reason, of course, is simply that I haven't watched the film yet.
     

  3. Why don't you provide more detailed information on the pieces (e.g. the timing of the movie in which the piece appears, names of the artists) ?

    I would if I could - if I only did this full-time, that is. But I'm doing this mostly as a matter of interest and a labour of love, and is simply unfeasible to document each entry in depth.

    Of course, if you need to find out more about the details of a particular piece in a movie, please drop me a line and I'll be happy to help you out if I can.
     

  4. Why aren't television shows and/or advertisements included ?

    Good question. The short answer is that I can't afford the time or energy to do it.

    (The truth, in any case, is that I watch very, very little television. The fact that advertisements tend to be localized to specific geographical regions or population segments means that most of the information outside where I live will not be applicable.)
     

  5. Can you help me identify (a particular theme) ?

    Sure. Just drop me a line with your query.


 

Movie-specific Questions

  1. Where can I get the recording of "Vallon Sonore" which appeared in Star Trek: First Contact ?

    The actual recording used in the movie is presently still available as part of the complete opera, Berlioz's "Les Troyens". This particular album comes on the Philips label, catalog number 416 432-2, performed by the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Choir and Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis.

    While there are other versions of the same opera, there is, to the best of my knowledge, no separate "highlights" disc presently available which contains this particular aria, so anyone interested in just this song will have to weigh it against the cost of acquiring the entire work.
     

  2. What was the opening title in The Hunt for Red October ?

    Despite the authentic-sounding Russian lyrics, both music and lyrics of the opening title, "The Hymn to Red October", were written for the movie by soundtrack composer Basil Poledouris.

    It should not be confused with the "Anthem of the Soviet Union", which is sung by the sailors later in the film, shortly after the submarine sails out of port.
     

  3. In Sphere, why is the work credited here as Mozart's Horn Concerto No.1 although in the movie it is identified, in the credits as well as on screen by Harry (Samuel L Jackson's character) as Horn Concerto No.3 (K.447) ?

    This is a blooper on the part of the film producers. The music used in the movie is from the first movement of Mozart's Horn Concerto No.1.
     

  4. A list of soundtracks commonly mistaken for classical works.

    This is a list of original music from movies which have been mistaken, one way or another, for classical themes. In another words, these movie tracks are not classical works, but similar-sounding derivatives.

    MovieTrack Title
    (where applicable)    		 Classical Work Mistaken ForComposer
    GloryCharging Fort Wagner "O Fortuna !" from Carmina BuranaOrff
    The Hunt for Red OctoberThe Hymn to Red October FinlandiaSibelius
    Star Wars: The Phantom MenaceDuel of the Fates "O Fortuna !" from Carmina BuranaOrff
    WillowEscape from the Tavern "Rhenish" Symphony, 1st movt.
    Romeo and Juliet    		Schumann
    Prokofiev
    Battlestar Galactica "Mars" from The PlanetsHolst
    A Man for All Seasons Symphony No.3 "Organ", 4th movt.Saint-Saëns
    UEFA Champions' League Anthem
    (Not a movie, but since I get asked this a lot...)     		Zadok the PriestHandel

Text and graphics © 1997-2002 Benjamin Chee.