One of the greatest melodramas in the movies history!!! An original masterpiece, pioneer of a lot of soap operas with an excellent cinematography, a standout music score and topnotch performances especially from the priceless Ann Sheridan who deserved an Oscar nomination as best actress for her unforgettable portrait of Randy Monaghan.
Actually Williams wrote Star Wars first and Korngold heard it one night in a dream when he travelled via a cosmic wormhole to the 1970's. This is a very little known fact.
Everyone says that about their favorite composer. Apparently dozens of composers were creating a Star Wars like theme. Where did THEY get it from? Each other? Give John Williams some credit already.
@@AntiWoke_Autistic Except George lucas told him to listen to Korngold to hear the type of music Lucas wanted for the film. Not only did Williams draw inspiration, but he copied many themes and placed slight changes on orchestration and melody.
@@jugchug9619 John Williams has been accused of "copying" some of his Star Wars music from not just one classical composer, but MANY -- depending on whom you ask. Holst fans will say he stole from "Planets." Korngold fans will say he stole from Korngold. Shosty fans say he stole from Shosty. The list goes on and on. How does a film composer steal the SAME theme from MULTIPLE composers??? Now maybe Lucas DID tell him to make his score sound Korngoldish. But you're forgetting about all the NON-theme music Williams composed for all the tons of scenes within so many movies. I think some of Bernard Hermann's music sounds like Bartok. Does that mean he copied from Bartok? Is it not remotely possible that the human mind can replicate a particular sound without having heard it from someone else? Human brains function very much alike, and it's only a matter of time before a musician comoses something that, without his knowledge, sounds a little like another composition.
John Williams was given a dub of Kings Row by George Lucas who told him he wanted the soundtrack for Star Wars to sound like the opening fanfare and the rest. Credit Lucas with the genius for realizing it was perfect for his space opera. Credit Williams for being inspired by it and making great and memorable ( and hugely , fantastically , incomparably popular) music for the soundtrack for Star Wars. Korngold gets the credit too.
I demur- Williams is a genius and would have been given other assignments by great Directors and would still be the greatest living composer today. Let me emphasize that it doesn't diminish William.s achievement one iota that Kings Row was the style Lucas wanted. He took it and was inspired by it but made it his own and an original score that supported Star Wars perfectly. Credit goes to Corngold , Lucas and Williams . But most all to Williams.
Thank you, as always Fred, for your heroic exertions. You are one of the unsung heroes of the Web. I have listened to no fewer than three different suites to this score, and each has beautiful passages not found in the others. Korngold must have composed over one hour's worth of music that was used in this picture. As an old Ann Sheridan fan, it's so good to see that Korngold, screenwriter Casey Robinson, and Sam Wood did her justice in a way that will keep her memory alive. And you, dear Fred, who keeps the memory of beautiful music alive!
THANKS for sharing with us, Fred ! I just watched "Kings Row" recently on Turner Classic Movies and yes, it's a riveting drama with some wonderful performances. But Mr Korngold's score is TRULY MAGNIFICENT ! One of the screen's BEST !
I believe this was the first bestselling soundtrack album, way back in the 40s? Always loved it. And the movie! It is one climax after another, every five minutes. Quite extraordinary, and the end is a true romantic delirium. Thanks for posting it!
@@Michaelbos Interesting, Michaelbos, I didn't know the music was more popular than the film itself back in the day. Thanks. Certainly now the film is recognized as a classic, but it was a very dark movie and maybe audiences weren't quite in the mood for it in wartime 1942 as much as they could enjoy the exciting music on records without experiencing all the disturbing drama in the film.
When I was a kid, this theme was used for the Midnight Movie that used to end the viewing day. Yes kiddies, TV used to sign off around midnight during the week and later on the weekend.
Ronald, when TV first came out in South Africa it started at 6pm and finished at 11pm. A favourite program of mine was Magnum PI. We didn't have TV so I used to go and watch at the neighbours. I used to dress up and put make-up on...
@@suecollins3246 I have no idea of your age, but from your comment I could surmise you were younger than me. I was born in November 28, 1940. Happy birthday to you.
WOW! You'll be 78 on Wednesday! May I wish you Many Happy Returns of the Day in advance and much Health and Happiness. And thanks for your lovely wishes.. You must have seem some AWESOME stuff in your life! Life and the Blessings of Life be upon you!
For all those saying that John Williams isn't original, well, no composer nor songwriter is truly original. There is always an influence from somewhere else. However, it must be noted that Williams's work is exceptional.
I'm a auto-didactic musician and what allured me the most to music was once hearing the superman OST on LP vinyl over some RadioShack headphones... Hearing this, I can imaging John Williams being subjected to music's awesome spell... And even, Enrich Wolfgang Korngold had to have some of that too. At the end of it, I can imagine humans mocking nature's sound... so ultimately we can say music is in nature* per sé. *Danny 2:21-22
There is one interesting story about this thematic music from this soundtrack. Supposedly when Korngold was chosen to score the film he was given only the title, "Kings Row." He assumed it had something to do with Royalty so he created this regal fanfare. He did not know it was just a melodrama, thus this great music became part of this underrated picture. I say anyone that thinks Ronald Reagan had no talent should watch this film, he poured his whole being into this role. If you catch the final scenes of the film particularly RR's final scene, you may notice just a hint of the future Reagan grin. This film and the actors should have been worthy of an Oscar nod. Many actors have portrayed Presidents of the U.S. some historical, some fictitious but only one did it without a script.
WMJCPA , first, it's a Great piece of music. But this is what happens when the composer didn't read the outline of the script, not did the film maker make its business to do so. I have seen the movie twice and enjoyed it, but you can imagine the soundtrack being from a more grander movie.
The music is fairly often the star of a film. I'd venture to say that it is true of King's Row. And of The Best Years of Our Lives. And Chinatown. And High Noon (and other Tiomkin films). And with the fine direction and performances of many of these films, this is saying something. Thank you for uploading this.
You can definitely hear the similarities between this piece of music and the Star Wars theme, but as someone has already pointed out nothing truly comes from a vacuum. Art, music, science: they all evolve. Greatness begets greatness. All great artists and scientists will themselves say: that they stand on the shoulders of giants. So well done to John Williams for looking in the direction of Korngold for inspiration!👌
It is unpleasant to know that these large companies can get away with copying works and passing them off as originals, and yet you put even a piece of them on TH-cam, and they even penalize you by hijacking your creation. The Empire in a real personification.
One of the greatest film scores ever, with apologies to Max Steiner and Franz Waxman (the other two members of "The Big Three" at Warner Brothers), and all of the other greats who worked for other studios. By the way, the film itself is one of the best and darkest films ever made at Warners. Korngold's score didn't act alone.
+Grabit T. Big thumbs up to all of that, and to another comment here praising Ann Sheridan's work in this titan of a film. I have to say that to me the score is the standout ingredient. With a stronger voice, Cummings might have gone a lot farther in films.
Korngold wrote unknowingly a fitting royal fanfare for a too-bright American Dream and what was under the shadows it cast. The America of Booth Tarkington, of William Saroyan, of James T. Farrell, of Ralph Ellison, of Robert Penn Warren and Carson McCullers and Edward Arlington Robinson and Sherwood Anderson, , even of James M. Cain and Nelson Algren in the darker corners.Ronald Reagan was a perfect embodiment of all of that, both in his movie and TV roles, and in his political roles.
Fred - I've posted a similar comment on 'Khartoum'. The March opening sounds JUST like this! Obviously Korngold gets it because King's Row came out in 1942 and Khartoum in 1966. But oh man - one wonders what Frank Cordell was humming in the shower the day he wrote the March for Khartoum.
I just heard this on the classical music station and thought it was superb. I don't even really listen to orchestral music, my pet cockatiel does. Glad they mentioned the movie title and the actor's name, sometimes they say the title and composer so fast I can't hear what they said.
Lebhafte Interpretation dieses inspirierenden Meisterwerks mit farbenprächtigen Töne aller Instrumente. Der unvergleichliche Komponist/Dirigent leitet das funktionelle Orchester im erregenden Tempo mit effektiver Dynamik. Die Tonqualität ist auch ziemlich hoch als eine Aufnahme vom Kriegsjahr 1942. Echt erfreulich!
korngold is recognized BOTH as a composer of art ("classical") and film music. his talent is singular and should not be compared to john williams, who never composed any art music...
Read the poem by William Ernest Henley called 'Invictus' - unconquerable. This is quoted by the character Parris. In my opinion the fanfare and main theme of the soundtrack is all about the unconquerable soul of humankind.
The opening strains of this soundtrack are eerily similar to the beginnings of Leni Reifenstahl's "Triumph of the Will." Sorry if that sits wrong with people but the similarities can't be missed. That's not to say that it isn't a good soundtrack, because it is, and I kept thinking it sounds a bit like Max Steiner in parts too. By the way, the novel upon which this film is based is one of the best novels I've ever read and it certainly should have a place of high honor in the canon of American literature or popular fiction. It's too bad it is out of print and difficult to access. It deserves a new printing available to contemporary readers. It's really very good, with rich and inspiring descriptive passages and great characterization of the figures who carry the story.
Whouaaou ! I discover but now your video, and I am amazed! I know this Korngold composition since my teenhood with the C. Gerhardt NPO RCA recording at least the main title. Later I get the Rhino 2 CD sets "Korngold - The Warner Bros. Years in wich I discover 7 reels from the original recording. Great treasure to my eyes, but I was a bit disapointed of the poor audio quality of the digital transfer. And now, listening the selection you published here it is a discovery for me. It must be the same source but what a quality changing! Thus I am now looking for purchase this FSM release. At first look only Amazon.com (USA) sell it at an affordable price. The french Amazon.fr sell the same set at 134 € ! Anyway the FSM are such goods and completes releases of the original recordings, it worth it ! Thank you Fred once more for allowing us to discover, or re-discover such masterpieces of the past
Hello Bernard, thank you very much for the comment! Indeed this FSM recording sounds superior, as ALL the original Korngold recordings sounds when they are not hardly "remastered" (thinking of the Tsunami and "Korngold at Warner" CD's still gives me shivers!). The recordings themself in their un-remastered form have a very decent and natural quality, at all. I am not very very happy with this presentation I published here. Maybe I will re-do it some other time, giving the the score a very well deserved presentation. All the best! Fred
Thank you Fred for these informations. Another fault du to the Rhino 2CD set edition ; it was then sold as the only remainig and available original recordings. But with the many "complete" releases of the Korngold's soundtracks done since, we know they lied :-)
I was very dissapointed by that set. Rhino stood for high quality score restorations and presentations and they had some very nice Max Steiner (complete score) recordings, for example. And the only Korngold they did was that compilation album. You will admit: better than nothing! The scores are mostly well preserved. Before Warner did their great cleaning (= destruction) of vault material, the composers son George rescued his fathers music by transfering the master tapes to private ones, very expensively. Later, after this planned destruction Warner wanted and and even got the tapes back in their vaults from George. With these this Rhino recording was done. So, after this exciting story we can be happy anyway, that the original music is mostly preserved. Much music of many other composers got destroyed... forever.
The Original Documentary Series THE TWENTIETH CENTURY host by Mike Wallace which ran in the late 50's and early 60's used the title score from this movie. I would watch it every week to hear the title track. Years later to discover that it was to this Movie.
Thanks for the memory. I too watched and will never lose the music. Now when I hear this, I no longer see Wallace, but Robert Cummings feet over the fence, and hear Ronald Reagan screaming: "Where's the rest of me?" My best and warmest regards.
Some people would benefit from knowing what it's like to create music for hire on a multimedia project. You are hired to help execute someone else's vision of what the production is and should be. It is very common for director's to provide a "temp" track (scenes from film edited to existing pieces of music), or for the director to suggest other existing music tracks for general tone and spirit. This is exactly what George Lucas did with John Williams. John gave George what he wanted...and much more. John Williams took some of the gestures of Kings Row and added a lot more fireworks and excitement. It is a completely different listening experience than the Korngold example, even if somewhat derivative.
In opera circles, Erich Wolfgang Korngold is well known for one of his operas, the brilliant "Die tote Stadt" (the dead city) in 1920. He was born in Austria as a Jew and he fled to the United States in 1934 when Hitler's Nazi anti-semitism was rising. He ended up writing Hollywood film scores with great success, receiving four Academy Awards nominations and two Oscars (for "Anthony Adverse" in 1936 and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" in 1938).
For those who see the parallels between this and John William's "Star Wars" theme, I agree -- but compare Korngold's theme, here, to the "hero" variant of the "Siegfried's horn call" leitmotiv, as it appears in the prologue of Wagner's Götterdämmerung: th-cam.com/video/RMn9fObPH7g/w-d-xo.html This isn't the only echo of Wagner's Ring in John Williams's Star Wars music, either.
It's hard to tell that this is the original and the Star Wars theme is the copy. It's like someone is playing Luke's Theme (that is what it is) but hitting the wrong notes.
The irony is that this is one of the most cynical and darkest movies of the 1940s, based on even darker source material. That said, it ends on a hopeful note.
Recently I heard a good portion of the full soundtrack to Kings Row on my local PBS radio station. Excellent music that was ahead of it's time. They stated that this music was the inspiration for John Williams when he composed the first Star Wars soundtrack.
It was not ahead of it's time, it was of it's time. Thanks to people like Lucas and Spielberg who brought this kind of score back to our time. Listen to Miklos Rozsa's score for Double Indemnity, see what that does for you, almost better then sex.
People will say John Williams ripped off a lot of composers. But the fact is that he drew inspiration from them and made it better, or at the very least, more listenable to the modern ear. If nobody drew inspiration, we wouldn't have music. And definitely not Rock, which draws from the Blues.
Williams used many inspirations. This one, also Mars, bringer of War - Holst the planets. Most of the famous composers did this as well. Handel used Telemann, Beethoven used Mozart, Bach, etc, etc, etc.
well, basically this few notes is a huge part of the thing which is so catchy at the star wars theme, so that you easily recognize it whenever it's played
I can't help but feel those making a John Williams connection are massively overstating matters. Those framing this score as some kind of 'gotcha' moment to paint Williams as a plagiarist surely must have some bizarre axe to grind. Williams is most famous for writing in a 'golden age of Hollywood' style that is best typified by a master like Korngold. That's as significant as it gets. The similarities are so broad and vague (a few notes sound like a few notes in part of a Star Wars theme) that you'd really have to be stretching to say anything more negative than Williams is clearly a fan of Korngold. We live in an era where movie music seems to be ashamed of melody. Let's not take potshots at one of the last remaining champions of that classic style and instead simply listen to this great piece and be glad Korngold's influence lives on (albeit not for much longer if current trends are anything to go by).
Mighty Handel openly adapted themes from his contemporary Telemann with astonishing results. But even he would blush at Williams' plagiarism of Korngold for SW and Superman. ( with a bit of Copland thrown in for good measure)
+Eric Lagace Strauss and Korngold were friends in the good old vienna days. Korngold worked as conductor at the Wiener Staatsoper under the direction of his admired master Strauss, which operas and other music he could play note by note just from his head at partys and other occassions. Strauss was also one of the first people who told Julius Korngold, the father of Erich, that his 11 year old son is a master composer already. I guess Korngold took quiet some chances to quote and honor his beloved masters where he could.
Sam Sparks , facts are,it’s a beautiful piece of music, but he never read or was told what the movie is about. He wrote the score off the title. He thought it was going to be a great fanfare, like an Errol Flynn movie. You can tell by listening.
+Dizzy Blu it was used as a dummy track for the original edit before they actually composed for the film but the producers got used to how it sounds and pushed for that feel in the final soundtrack
My favourite part is where Ronald Reagan's character duels General von Hindenberg on top of Big Ben with real sabres. He loses a limb, and von Hindenberg reveals he's his father, and asks him to join the German Empire...
I'm not generally much of a fan of this type of 'old-skool' Hollywood movie music - a bit too melodramatic too much of the time as was the style back then - but the composition here does have a certain sweeping grandeur and scope that is very wonderful. Perhaps this type of movie music works best separate from the movies themselves!
Don't forget that the music here is from Erich Wolfgang Korngold, who was one of the most famous serious composers at the time. His opera "Die tote Stadt" was one of the most successfull operas of the entire 20th century. He brought that operatic complexity and late romantism to Hollywood, which steps most Hollywood composers followed. This music here is special, as it was written with absolute dedication. Korngold saw every picture as "opera without singing". He took them as serious as the projects he had in his old vienna days, before he had to leave the country.
I've always thought that the main theme to Star Wars was quite simplistic ... I'm not saying John Williams is or isn't inspired by this particular soundtrack, but it could be really just be a coincidence.
I always found that Holdst´ "War of the Planets" was where Williams "borrowed" his inspiration. Its so close that I lost my respect for JW, but I still love the Jaws theme. I just hope I dont hear its origin somewhere...!
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One of the greatest melodramas in the movies history!!! An original masterpiece, pioneer of a lot of soap operas with an excellent cinematography, a standout music score and topnotch performances especially from the priceless Ann Sheridan who deserved an Oscar nomination as best actress for her unforgettable portrait of Randy Monaghan.
Actually Williams wrote Star Wars first and Korngold heard it one night in a dream when he travelled via a cosmic wormhole to the 1970's. This is a very little known fact.
Turns out it was someone else who probably influenced Korngold: th-cam.com/video/RMn9fObPH7g/w-d-xo.html
Indeed, very little. Amazing!
Ah, the true origin of the Star Wars theme...
hmm: th-cam.com/video/RMn9fObPH7g/w-d-xo.html
Everyone says that about their favorite composer. Apparently dozens of composers were creating a Star Wars like theme. Where did THEY get it from? Each other? Give John Williams some credit already.
Angry Alpha Female no
@@AntiWoke_Autistic Except George lucas told him to listen to Korngold to hear the type of music Lucas wanted for the film. Not only did Williams draw inspiration, but he copied many themes and placed slight changes on orchestration and melody.
@@jugchug9619 John Williams has been accused of "copying" some of his Star Wars music from not just one classical composer, but MANY -- depending on whom you ask. Holst fans will say he stole from "Planets." Korngold fans will say he stole from Korngold. Shosty fans say he stole from Shosty. The list goes on and on. How does a film composer steal the SAME theme from MULTIPLE composers??? Now maybe Lucas DID tell him to make his score sound Korngoldish. But you're forgetting about all the NON-theme music Williams composed for all the tons of scenes within so many movies. I think some of Bernard Hermann's music sounds like Bartok. Does that mean he copied from Bartok? Is it not remotely possible that the human mind can replicate a particular sound without having heard it from someone else? Human brains function very much alike, and it's only a matter of time before a musician comoses something that, without his knowledge, sounds a little like another composition.
I think this is maybe the greatest film score of the 1940's. The opera composer in Korngold comes through brilliantly.
I'd say Sea Hawk is even better, but this is up there in the top 3 for sure.
Mine is 'The Adventures of Robin Hood"!
I think Korngod said he approached scoring a film as writing for an opera without singing. Whatever, it certainly worked well.
John Williams was given a dub of Kings Row by George Lucas who told him he wanted the soundtrack for Star Wars to sound like the opening fanfare and the rest. Credit Lucas with the genius for realizing it was perfect for his space opera. Credit Williams for being inspired by it and making great and memorable ( and hugely , fantastically , incomparably popular) music for the soundtrack for Star Wars. Korngold gets the credit too.
Duly noted. Thanks for sharing the enlightenment. :)
If it weren't for John Williams for creating the incredible soundtrack, Star Wars would never have achieved the level of fame that it did.
I demur- Williams is a genius and would have been given other assignments by great Directors and would still be the greatest living composer today. Let me emphasize that it doesn't diminish William.s achievement one iota that Kings Row was the style Lucas wanted. He took it and was inspired by it but made it his own and an original score that supported Star Wars perfectly. Credit goes to Corngold , Lucas and Williams . But most all to Williams.
lorenzo simpson , how do you know he said that?
lorenzo simpson . Is that right.
One of the best musical scores ever for one of the best dark melodramas ever with the magnificent Ann Sheridan,my favourite actress ever!!!❤❤
Who is here after twoset?
Me🤣
Holy shit, you're that early? The video was just released
Me
yeppity yep, glad we're here at Fred's place.
me 😂
Thank you, as always Fred, for your heroic exertions. You are one of the unsung heroes of the Web.
I have listened to no fewer than three different suites to this score, and each has beautiful passages not found in the others. Korngold must have composed over one hour's worth of music that was used in this picture.
As an old Ann Sheridan fan, it's so good to see that Korngold, screenwriter Casey Robinson, and Sam Wood did her justice in a way that will keep her memory alive. And you, dear Fred, who keeps the memory of beautiful music alive!
THANKS for sharing with us, Fred ! I just watched "Kings Row" recently on Turner Classic Movies and yes, it's a riveting drama with some wonderful performances. But Mr Korngold's score is TRULY MAGNIFICENT ! One of the screen's BEST !
I can hear both Star Wars' and Superman's notes here and there.
WHAT A WONDERFUL COMPOSER.
His music is so inspirational. I loved his Robin Hood score.
Very underrated as a 'Great Composer'!!!
Very good music!!!
Cheers - Mike
I hear bits of the superman soundtrack (1978) in here as well, especially at 2:02
Yes.. lighter with Korngold but the chording is very simillar to the superman theme.
Oh yes!
i don't hear it
That love music is something else. An amazing score.
I believe this was the first bestselling soundtrack album, way back in the 40s? Always loved it. And the movie! It is one climax after another, every five minutes. Quite extraordinary, and the end is a true romantic delirium. Thanks for posting it!
Irv O. Neil , it was, it was more popular then the movie back then. The movie grew over the years and regarded as a fine movie.
@@Michaelbos Interesting, Michaelbos, I didn't know the music was more popular than the film itself back in the day. Thanks. Certainly now the film is recognized as a classic, but it was a very dark movie and maybe audiences weren't quite in the mood for it in wartime 1942 as much as they could enjoy the exciting music on records without experiencing all the disturbing drama in the film.
ONLY because for some odd reason they didn't release the album for Gone with the Wing for 15 yrs.
When I was a kid, this theme was used for the Midnight Movie that used to end the viewing day. Yes kiddies, TV used to sign off around midnight during the week and later on the weekend.
Ronald, when TV first came out in South Africa it started at 6pm and finished at 11pm. A favourite program of mine was Magnum PI. We didn't have TV so I used to go and watch at the neighbours. I used to dress up and put make-up on...
Sue I'm a lot older than you. I remember standing in the street watching TV with others. It was the 1950 World Series.
@@trevorcorso473 Trevor - how do YOU know how old I am? I don't even know how old I am although I was born in November 1956.
@@suecollins3246 I have no idea of your age, but from your comment I could surmise you were younger than me. I was born in November 28, 1940. Happy birthday to you.
WOW! You'll be 78 on Wednesday! May I wish you Many Happy Returns of the Day in advance and much Health and Happiness. And thanks for your lovely wishes.. You must have seem some AWESOME stuff in your life! Life and the Blessings of Life be upon you!
star wars brought me here
jiji, somos varios!!
Twoset brought me here.
My favorite Korngold main title...Love it!
For all those saying that John Williams isn't original, well, no composer nor songwriter is truly original. There is always an influence from somewhere else. However, it must be noted that Williams's work is exceptional.
I'm a auto-didactic musician and what allured me the most to music was once hearing the superman OST on LP vinyl over some RadioShack headphones... Hearing this, I can imaging John Williams being subjected to music's awesome spell... And even, Enrich Wolfgang Korngold had to have some of that too. At the end of it, I can imagine humans mocking nature's sound... so ultimately we can say music is in nature* per sé.
*Danny 2:21-22
This is facts, Beethovens most popular Moonlight Sonata is very close to Mozarts Don Juan death scene
There is one interesting story about this thematic music from this soundtrack. Supposedly when Korngold was chosen to score the film he was given only the title, "Kings Row." He assumed it had something to do with Royalty so he created this regal fanfare. He did not know it was just a melodrama, thus this great music became part of this underrated picture. I say anyone that thinks Ronald Reagan had no talent should watch this film, he poured his whole being into this role. If you catch the final scenes of the film particularly RR's final scene, you may notice just a hint of the future Reagan grin. This film and the actors should have been worthy of an Oscar nod. Many actors have portrayed Presidents of the U.S. some historical, some fictitious but only one did it without a script.
WMJCPA , first, it's a Great piece of music. But this is what happens when the composer didn't read the outline of the script, not did the film maker make its business to do so. I have seen the movie twice and enjoyed it, but you can imagine the soundtrack being from a more grander movie.
Probably the darkest film made at Warner Brothers in the 1940's, and it didn't even take place overseas during WW II. It happened right here.
The music is fairly often the star of a film. I'd venture to say that it is true of King's Row. And of The Best Years of Our Lives. And Chinatown. And High Noon (and other Tiomkin films). And with the fine direction and performances of many of these films, this is saying something. Thank you for uploading this.
You can definitely hear the similarities between this piece of music and the Star Wars theme, but as someone has already pointed out nothing truly comes from a vacuum. Art, music, science: they all evolve. Greatness begets greatness. All great artists and scientists will themselves say: that they stand on the shoulders of giants. So well done to John Williams for looking in the direction of Korngold for inspiration!👌
00:00 - Main Title - The School
03:28 - Operation - Farewell-Parris Returns
06:29 - Farewell-Randy - Flirt
08:39 - Randy - Accident
11:20 - Vienna - Letters Across the Ocean
13:02 - Kings Row (reprise) - Elise - Beethoven's Pathetique - Randy Weeps - Parris' Letter - Parris-Elise - Invictus - End Cast
Most incredible movie I've ever seen
It is unpleasant to know that these large companies can get away with copying works and passing them off as originals, and yet you put even a piece of them on TH-cam, and they even penalize you by hijacking your creation. The Empire in a real personification.
One of the greatest film scores ever, with apologies to Max Steiner and Franz Waxman (the other two members of "The Big Three" at Warner Brothers), and all of the other greats who worked for other studios. By the way, the film itself is one of the best and darkest films ever made at Warners. Korngold's score didn't act alone.
Grabit T. Indeed, it's so good even Ronald Reagan comes off great.
+Grabit T. Big thumbs up to all of that, and to another comment here praising Ann Sheridan's work in this titan of a film. I have to say that to me the score is the standout ingredient. With a stronger voice, Cummings might have gone a lot farther in films.
@@porcospino289 he was very wishy washy not masculine but a good actor and leading man
Korngold wrote unknowingly a fitting royal fanfare for a too-bright American Dream and what was under the shadows it cast. The America of Booth Tarkington, of William Saroyan, of James T. Farrell, of Ralph Ellison, of Robert Penn Warren and Carson McCullers and Edward Arlington Robinson and Sherwood Anderson, , even of James M. Cain and Nelson Algren in the darker corners.Ronald Reagan was a perfect embodiment of all of that, both in his movie and TV roles, and in his political roles.
All I know, is the Beautiful Ann Sheridan is in it, with of course other fine cast members.
Fred - I've posted a similar comment on 'Khartoum'. The March opening sounds JUST like this! Obviously Korngold gets it because King's Row came out in 1942 and Khartoum in 1966. But oh man - one wonders what Frank Cordell was humming in the shower the day he wrote the March for Khartoum.
I just heard this on the classical music station and thought it was superb. I don't even really listen to orchestral music, my pet cockatiel does. Glad they mentioned the movie title and the actor's name, sometimes they say the title and composer so fast I can't hear what they said.
The force strong in this piece
The answer to why it sounds like Star Wars - search - Rick Beato Film Scoring: What The Pros Know | Getting Started :)
The soundtrack Show brought me here! Props to HSW!
Great score, one of the best. I understand the climatic chorus track is lost.
Probably a consequence of climate change!
Great into🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶💫
Intro 🤗🎶🎶🎶🎶🌈
Lebhafte Interpretation dieses inspirierenden Meisterwerks mit farbenprächtigen Töne aller Instrumente. Der unvergleichliche Komponist/Dirigent leitet das funktionelle Orchester im erregenden Tempo mit effektiver Dynamik. Die Tonqualität ist auch ziemlich hoch als eine Aufnahme vom Kriegsjahr 1942. Echt erfreulich!
notaire2 Deine "Urteile" sind immer identisch! Hört doch auf!
Can we all stop talking about god damned Star Wars and listen to how beautiful Korngold is?
korngold is recognized BOTH as a composer of art ("classical") and film music. his talent is singular and should not be compared to john williams, who never composed any art music...
@@josephgraif2588 Not doing something and being incapable of doing something are two totally different things.
@@josephgraif2588 John Williams wrote many concertos and concert pieces
Devin Cowan , thank you. You think people would read the comments and notice they were not the bright stars that mentioned it first.
Read the poem by William Ernest Henley called 'Invictus' - unconquerable. This is quoted by the character Parris. In my opinion the fanfare and main theme of the soundtrack is all about the unconquerable soul of humankind.
1942? woah!
Thank you for sharing this!
The opening strains of this soundtrack are eerily similar to the beginnings of Leni Reifenstahl's "Triumph of the Will." Sorry if that sits wrong with people but the similarities can't be missed. That's not to say that it isn't a good soundtrack, because it is, and I kept thinking it sounds a bit like Max Steiner in parts too. By the way, the novel upon which this film is based is one of the best novels I've ever read and it certainly should have a place of high honor in the canon of American literature or popular fiction. It's too bad it is out of print and difficult to access. It deserves a new printing available to contemporary readers. It's really very good, with rich and inspiring descriptive passages and great characterization of the figures who carry the story.
Whouaaou ! I discover but now your video, and I am amazed!
I know this Korngold composition since my teenhood with the C. Gerhardt NPO RCA recording at least the main title.
Later I get the Rhino 2 CD sets "Korngold - The Warner Bros. Years in wich I discover 7 reels from the original recording.
Great treasure to my eyes, but I was a bit disapointed of the poor audio quality of the digital transfer.
And now, listening the selection you published here it is a discovery for me. It must be the same source but what a quality changing! Thus I am now looking for purchase this FSM release. At first look only Amazon.com (USA) sell it at an affordable price. The french Amazon.fr sell the same set at 134 € !
Anyway the FSM are such goods and completes releases of the original recordings, it worth it !
Thank you Fred once more for allowing us to discover, or re-discover such masterpieces of the past
Hello Bernard, thank you very much for the comment!
Indeed this FSM recording sounds superior, as ALL the original Korngold recordings sounds when they are not hardly "remastered" (thinking of the Tsunami and "Korngold at Warner" CD's still gives me shivers!). The recordings themself in their un-remastered form have a very decent and natural quality, at all.
I am not very very happy with this presentation I published here. Maybe I will re-do it some other time, giving the the score a very well deserved presentation.
All the best!
Fred
Thank you Fred for these informations. Another fault du to the Rhino 2CD set edition ; it was then sold as the only remainig and available original recordings. But with the many "complete" releases of the Korngold's soundtracks done since, we know they lied :-)
I was very dissapointed by that set. Rhino stood for high quality score restorations and presentations and they had some very nice Max Steiner (complete score) recordings, for example. And the only Korngold they did was that compilation album. You will admit: better than nothing!
The scores are mostly well preserved. Before Warner did their great cleaning (= destruction) of vault material, the composers son George rescued his fathers music by transfering the master tapes to private ones, very expensively. Later, after this planned destruction Warner wanted and and even got the tapes back in their vaults from George. With these this Rhino recording was done.
So, after this exciting story we can be happy anyway, that the original music is mostly preserved.
Much music of many other composers got destroyed... forever.
Thank you Fred. Such a shame to destroy these treasures instead of auction selling !
The Original Documentary Series THE TWENTIETH CENTURY host by Mike Wallace which ran in the late 50's and early 60's used the title score from this movie. I would watch it every week to hear the title track. Years later to discover that it was to this Movie.
Thanks for the memory. I too watched and will never lose the music. Now when I hear this, I no longer see Wallace, but Robert Cummings feet over the fence, and hear Ronald Reagan screaming: "Where's the rest of me?" My best and warmest regards.
They are not the same Marchgreen. Listen to it I iust posted a sample . Similar but not the same.
Whoa, there are the Star Wars theme and Superman theme in less than 1 minute in.
Some people would benefit from knowing what it's like to create music for hire on a multimedia project. You are hired to help execute someone else's vision of what the production is and should be. It is very common for director's to provide a "temp" track (scenes from film edited to existing pieces of music), or for the director to suggest other existing music tracks for general tone and spirit. This is exactly what George Lucas did with John Williams. John gave George what he wanted...and much more. John Williams took some of the gestures of Kings Row and added a lot more fireworks and excitement. It is a completely different listening experience than the Korngold example, even if somewhat derivative.
"You too, John?.....my son!"
Nice one. This was a reference to ceasars brother who was among the murderers that conspired against caesar I guess.
Possibly Ronald Reagan's greatest performance !!!! And the beautiful Anne Sheridan !!! Maria Ospenskya .
the oomoph girl and the maleva the gypsy lady
His greatest performence was as president
In opera circles, Erich Wolfgang Korngold is well known for one of his operas, the brilliant "Die tote Stadt" (the dead city) in 1920. He was born in Austria as a Jew and he fled to the United States in 1934 when Hitler's Nazi anti-semitism was rising. He ended up writing Hollywood film scores with great success, receiving four Academy Awards nominations and two Oscars (for "Anthony Adverse" in 1936 and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" in 1938).
George Sigalos: He also wrote a very fine violin concerto that is still played often.
ah. Thanks for the interesting informations.
STAR WARS X TWOSET
For those who see the parallels between this and John William's "Star Wars" theme, I agree -- but compare Korngold's theme, here, to the "hero" variant of the "Siegfried's horn call" leitmotiv, as it appears in the prologue of Wagner's Götterdämmerung: th-cam.com/video/RMn9fObPH7g/w-d-xo.html
This isn't the only echo of Wagner's Ring in John Williams's Star Wars music, either.
Wow - hi John Williams, what's up?
It's hard to tell that this is the original and the Star Wars theme is the copy. It's like someone is playing Luke's Theme (that is what it is) but hitting the wrong notes.
The irony is that this is one of the most cynical and darkest movies of the 1940s, based on even darker source material. That said, it ends on a hopeful note.
My sentiments exactly.
Recently I heard a good portion of the full soundtrack to Kings Row on my local PBS radio station. Excellent music that was ahead of it's time. They stated that this music was the inspiration for John Williams when he composed the first Star Wars soundtrack.
It was not ahead of it's time, it was of it's time. Thanks to people like Lucas and Spielberg who brought this kind of score back to our time. Listen to Miklos Rozsa's score for Double Indemnity, see what that does for you, almost better then sex.
Great coup. If you have the legitimate rights to this music.
People will say John Williams ripped off a lot of composers. But the fact is that he drew inspiration from them and made it better, or at the very least, more listenable to the modern ear. If nobody drew inspiration, we wouldn't have music. And definitely not Rock, which draws from the Blues.
Williams used many inspirations. This one, also Mars, bringer of War - Holst the planets. Most of the famous composers did this as well. Handel used Telemann, Beethoven used Mozart, Bach, etc, etc, etc.
Handel was arguably the biggest musical plagiarist of history. He didn't just learn from them, like Beethoven, he pinched their best tunes.
funny how the less people know about music, the more indignant they get when a few notes are the same.
@guinness4life Funny, when I first started listening to Mahler, I though 'So *that's* where John Williams comes from!' :-)
well, basically this few notes is a huge part of the thing which is so catchy at the star wars theme, so that you easily recognize it whenever it's played
Superman Theme!
YES!! :)
Randy wheres the rest of me!!!
Let's win one for the Gipper oh sorry that's another movie
the final choral moment is missing. it is from Invictus.
Dvorak's 9th symphony, 4th movement.
Listen to Korngolds 'return to the Albatross' from 'The Sea hawk' movie and get a little bit of 'Harry Potter.
I can't help but feel those making a John Williams connection are massively overstating matters. Those framing this score as some kind of 'gotcha' moment to paint Williams as a plagiarist surely must have some bizarre axe to grind. Williams is most famous for writing in a 'golden age of Hollywood' style that is best typified by a master like Korngold. That's as significant as it gets. The similarities are so broad and vague (a few notes sound like a few notes in part of a Star Wars theme) that you'd really have to be stretching to say anything more negative than Williams is clearly a fan of Korngold. We live in an era where movie music seems to be ashamed of melody. Let's not take potshots at one of the last remaining champions of that classic style and instead simply listen to this great piece and be glad Korngold's influence lives on (albeit not for much longer if current trends are anything to go by).
Mighty Handel openly adapted themes from his contemporary Telemann with astonishing results. But even he would blush at Williams' plagiarism of Korngold for SW and Superman. ( with a bit of Copland thrown in for good measure)
there is no copying, only inspiration and coincidence
Star Wars brought me here as well!
#daspodcastufo brought me here :)
I wonder who or what influenced Korngold to compose this lovely piece! ☺
There's certainly some Richard Strauss in there!
+Eric Lagace
Strauss and Korngold were friends in the good old vienna days. Korngold worked as conductor at the Wiener Staatsoper under the direction of his admired master Strauss, which operas and other music he could play note by note just from his head at partys and other occassions.
Strauss was also one of the first people who told Julius Korngold, the father of Erich, that his 11 year old son is a master composer already.
I guess Korngold took quiet some chances to quote and honor his beloved masters where he could.
Never mind what influenced Korngold, Sam - go and listen to the soundtrack for 'Khartoum' and then ask yourself what influenced Frank Cordell!
Listen here: th-cam.com/video/RMn9fObPH7g/w-d-xo.html
Sam Sparks , facts are,it’s a beautiful piece of music, but he never read or was told what the movie is about. He wrote the score off the title. He thought it was going to be a great fanfare, like an Errol Flynn movie. You can tell by listening.
序曲ってなんでも似るんやな。
サマーウォーズ冒頭も似た雰囲気だもん。
ところであんた、two set violin から来たかい？
That bit at 0:50 !
George Lucas loved this theme. He wanthed too use it in Star Wars but then Williams came en he made his own version.
Bas van Nieuwland , Is that right.
source?
I read where Korngold thought he was writing a score for a King.
Amybody else hear star wars?
Dizzy Blu: John Williams heard it before he composed STAR WARS. You can hear elements of this score all the way through.
Dizzy Blu John Williams is not exactly original.
SugarTomAppleRoger Paying homage is not the same as being unoriginal.
+Dizzy Blu George Lucas used the track to demonstrate to John Williams what kind of score he wanted for Star Wars.
+Dizzy Blu it was used as a dummy track for the original edit before they actually composed for the film but the producers got used to how it sounds and pushed for that feel in the final soundtrack
All the people stating Star Wars...
It's just a little brass fanfare. Millions sound similar.....
so, can you give the list of millions.
Gee, where did John Williams get the idea? ;-)
I also hear Superman's theme.
My favourite part is where Ronald Reagan's character duels General von Hindenberg on top of Big Ben with real sabres. He loses a limb, and von Hindenberg reveals he's his father, and asks him to join the German Empire...
" can I copy your homework? "
may somebody tell me which instruments are played in this?
all of them?
to clarify, the instruments not played are not included
I'm not generally much of a fan of this type of 'old-skool' Hollywood movie music - a bit too melodramatic too much of the time as was the style back then - but the composition here does have a certain sweeping grandeur and scope that is very wonderful. Perhaps this type of movie music works best separate from the movies themselves!
Don't forget that the music here is from Erich Wolfgang Korngold, who was one of the most famous serious composers at the time. His opera "Die tote Stadt" was one of the most successfull operas of the entire 20th century.
He brought that operatic complexity and late romantism to Hollywood, which steps most Hollywood composers followed.
This music here is special, as it was written with absolute dedication. Korngold saw every picture as "opera without singing". He took them as serious as the projects he had in his old vienna days, before he had to leave the country.
POV: You're here to hear how hilariously similar the Star Wars theme sounds to this
But who did Kings Row copy?
Wagner and Strauss
star wars & indiana jones
I've always thought that the main theme to Star Wars was quite simplistic ... I'm not saying John Williams is or isn't inspired by this particular soundtrack, but it could be really just be a coincidence.
Listen to the first five notes. It was more than inspiration.
So how bout that Twoset upload
it is a period of civil war
Stop watching videos. Go practise!
Laurence Rosenthal brought me here
・・・！
Ling ling wannabes where are u 👁️👄👁️
Hollywood copies Korngold, Star Wars, Superman, ...
Superman
Twoset anyone?
I still can't believe Star Wars copied this
I always found that Holdst´ "War of the Planets" was where Williams "borrowed" his inspiration. Its so close that I lost my respect for JW, but I still love the Jaws theme. I just hope I dont hear its origin somewhere...!
Lisa Thomsen Jaws is sort of based of Dvoraks New world symphony movement 4
Lisa Thomsen , I’m sure he’s heart broken over it.
I lost respect for Beethoven when I heard his piano sonatas that sounded like Mozart and Haydn...NOT
Nerf herders unite!
Shame, Korngold, traveling into the future and copying John Williams. SMH
Jhon Willians rat of two foot
How is this not plagiarism?
These morons don’t even know when THIS score was written.
Because John Williams's melody is different.
@@Michaelbos Hey Offended, I was referring to the Korngold.
100th like... And yet nobody cares... And nobody should.
Wikipedia brought me here.
And yet... Nobody cares, once again.
I do