• Franz Waxman
  • Classic Love Themes
    (Medley)

  • Fidelio Music Publishing (World)
  • 3(I,III:pic).3(III:ca).3(I:Ebcl;III:bcl,tsx)[+bcl].3(III:cbn)/4.3.3.1/timp.perc/2hp.pf(cel)/3man/str
  • 8 min 30 s

Programme Note

Movements
1. Prelude, from Peyton Place
2. Rosanna, from Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
3. Many Dreams Ago, from Elephant Walk
4. Aicha’s Theme, from The Lost Command
5. The Wonderful Season of Love, from Peyton Place

Note
Together with Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Max Steiner, Franz Waxman (1906-1967) represented the great romantic tradition in film scoring. From 1935 through 1966, Waxman composed the music for 150 films and won the Oscar twice in a row for Sunset Boulevard (1950) and A Place in the Sun (1951).

During the 1930s, “Theme from...” titles became popular, particularly love themes from films. This medley is drawn from some of Waxman’s best-known cinematic love themes.

Peyton Place (20th Century Fox, 1957) with Lana Turner was followed in 1961 by Return to Peyton Place with Eleanor Parker. As the granddaddy of nightly soap operas, the thrice-weekly television series of the middle-1960s featured Dorothy Malone, Mia Farrow, and Ryan O’Neal in the cast. Three made-for-television movies were produced during the last two decades. All of these Peyton Place properties, based on Grace Metalious’ bestseller about New England, have used Waxman’s best-known theme (popularized as “The Wonderful Seasons of Love”). The medley opens with this theme, a curtain-raiser as the composer used it in the “Main Title” of the original production. As the music is playing, the audience sees, behind the screen credits, various shots of the New England countryside — snow-covered fields, covered bridges, etc. Here is Waxman at his romantic best.

The “Rosanna Love Theme” was heard in Hemingway’s Adventures of A Young Man (20th Century Fox, 1962). The film was based on Ernest Hemingway’s first great success, The Nick Adams Stories, and Rosanna, Nick’s ill-fated girlfriend, was portrayed in the film by Susan Strasberg. The love scenes were set in Italy during World War I.

The next love theme in the medley is “Many Dreams Ago” for Elizabeth Taylor in Elephant Walk (Paramount 1954). This Rebecca-like drama was set in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and co-starred Peter Finch.

Claudia Cardinale’s haunting “Alcha” Love Theme from The Lost Command (Columbia 1966) is heard next. 

The medley returns to a reprise of “The Wonderful Season of Love” from Peyton Place.  

The optional finale “Prelude” and “Aleta” themes are from Prince Valiant (20th Century Fox, 1954). Robert Wagner played the King Arthur knight while Janet Leigh portrayed Aleta in this exciting swashbuckler based on the comic strip.

Richard Hayman has recorded “Classic Love Themes” to open his Classic Film Scores CD for Naxos International.

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