Bob Kasenchak wrote:

>believe Mozart's Requiem was playing,

The "Rex" movement. Think about it.

>...  [I understand a Shostakovich waltz is used, but I haven't been able
>to find out which one, or even if this is true.  -Dave]

 From the Jazz Suite #2.

>I'm most interested in the original music, though.  By the end of the 2.5
>hours plus I had to go to the bathroom so badly I couldn't wait to see the
>credits, so to my shame (which grew from relief) I can't even say who
>composed it.  There were really 2 striking musical ideas.

>The first is the strange ritual music of electronic organ (or something!)
>that acts as a theme, and adds chanted voices during the long middle scene.
>Eerie, strange, dark, confusing.  Supposed to be, though.  Adds well to the
>atmosphere.

This was scored by the film composer.  I was less impressed, it is easy
enough to do at home with a synth.

>The second, and most interesting development, is the 2-note theme that
>permeates the movie.  It's just a little 2-note piano theme, it gets a
>little more complicated a few times, but mostly lays there, bare, echoing.
>During the most intense parts it pares itself down to one note, repeated,
>louder, louder, stringent, ever so slightly faster, until the one note is
>banged on the piano to where you can almost hear the other strings
>resonating.  Very very very effective.  And elegant, as you'd expect from
>Mr. Kubrick.

This is a ligeti piano piece, important to the meaning of the film.

Stirling S Newberry
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