Re: GG: Slaughterhouse 5

[Alun Severn <alun@ukiah.demon.co.uk>]

Tim asked:

>1. If the film credits [Slaughterhouse Five] are correct, I wondered if GG
>picked all the music
>for the film, particularly the pieces that weren't by JSB. For example,
>there is an interior scene about 10 minutes into the film that has faint
>background music. The faint music apparently emanates from an unseen
>barrel-organ (North Americans may call them something else) or similar
>instrument in the unseen street. [....]

>2. Later in the film there is a very funny welcoming march put on by the
>Brits in the POW camp to one of Sullivan's best-known tunes (but not, I
>think, Gilbert's words). Almost Monty Python, except the production was
>too good. Was GG a fan of G&S?
>
>3. Towards the end of the film there is a rendition from a Barbershop
>Quartet, also quite funny. Was GG a fan of BQs?

Pages 261 - 265 of Friedrich's GG: A Life & Variations gives a full account
of the genesis of the music for this film -- though having just reread it
to try and answer your question, I find that it isn't explicit on whether
or not GG actually wrote the non-Bach selections. It does state that
"George Hill retained complete control" which suggests that the final
selection for the soundtrack was his. He also seems to have taken the final
decision about how the Bach was performed; the book notes that GG cut both
piano and harpsichord versions at Hill's insistence....

I'm sure others will be far more precise.

Best,  Alun

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