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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000085.txt from 2003/11

From: "William R. Brohinsky" <onlyocelot@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] bsn - The Wizard of Oz
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 11:03:48 -0500

BSNCASE@-----.com wrote:

> Did anyone ever notice the brilliant use of bassoons in the score of
> the movie "The Wizard of Oz"...whoever orchestrated that score was
> such a genious...i wonder if the score is gone forever? Anyone have
> any input?

www.imdb.org's extended entry for the 1939 Wizard of Oz lists:
Original music by
Harold Arlen
(additional music by)
George Bassman
George E. Stoll
Robert W. Stringer

Non-Original Music by:
Robert Schumann (Happy Farmer)
Herbert Stothart (from "Wizard of Oz"(!) and "Marie Antoinette")
H. R. Bishop (from "Clari, The Maid of Milan")
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (from "Scherzo in C Minor")
Modest Mussorgsky (from "A Night on Bald Mountain")
Egbert Van Alstyle (from "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree")
[the last four are uncredited]

The score is probably in the vaults in Hollywood. I don't think they
ever throw anything away. It might rot in a vault, but...

Compositionally, the writing in Hollywood between the start of 'talkies'
and the '60's was mostly exemplary. If you really want to be pleased,
get yourself copies of Warner Bros. cartoons from the period. The
bassoon and oboe work are amazing!

raybro