Even those that are unfamiliar with classical music will have pieces that are hidden in their subconscious, thanks to their use in motion pictures. Whether that is childhood memories of Willy Wonka playing the overture of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro or realising that it is Bach’s Goldberg Variations perfectly juxtaposing a particularly violent scene in The Silence of the Lambs. The juxtaposition in that particular scene is a perfect example of classical music subtly adding a further dimension to a scene. It is used to compliment the visuals and bring the two art forms together in a way that enhances the film. As Director Martin Scorsese states "Music and cinema fit together naturally, because there's a kind of intrinsic musicality to the way moving images work when they're put together. It's been said that cinema and music are very close as art forms, and I think that's true.” This is especially true in the opening sequence to Scorsese’s 1980 film Raging Bull. Set to the intermezzo from Mascagni’s opera Cavalleria Rusticana, the mesmerising opening features Robert De Niro darting back and forth and throwing punches in slow motion. Without Mascagni the sequence wouldn’t be atmospheric; set to the piece it becomes the perfect beginning to the film. 
In a different genre, Brief Encounter provides arguably one of the most famous uses of classical music in film, with Rachmaninov’s second Piano Concerto having a presence throughout the story. It is said that Rachmaninov wrote the concerto to about his recovery from clinical depression; the piece is dedicated to a physician who worked on his self-confidence. However in the context of this 1945 film from Director David Lean, the piece perfectly summaries a love affair destined to end. The idea of the meaning of a piece of music coming from each individual listener has been discussed before in this blog, partly because it is one of the most fascinating elements to this particular art form. What’s interesting about music and cinema is that the meaning can be changed in a more controlled way. Everyone involved in creating a film, from the director to the actors, has the ability to shape a scene and use visuals to give a piece of music new meaning.
David Lean and the production team behind Brief Encounter are not the only filmmakers to have achieved this; there are many examples throughout cinematic and musical history. A personal favourite is another example featuring Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, this time introduced not by an eccentric chocolate maker but an inmate of Shawshank State Prison. Whilst Mozart’s work is based on a stage comedy about a love triangle, when used in Frank Darabon’s 1994 classic The Shawshank Redemption it is about hope, freedom and the release classical music can bring. The scene in question features prisoner Andy Dufresne playing the letter duet ‘Che soave zeffiretto’ from The Marriage of Figaro to the whole prison over the public address system. The combination of the image of a normally rowdy group of inmates standing listening in silence, and the script providing the character of Red with rich dialogue, combine with the music to create one of the film’s highlights. As Red says 'For the briefest of moments every last man at Shawshank felt free' and therefore, in that moment, that is what the piece is about.
Whether it changes the meaning of the music or subtly adds another layer of artistic merit, there can be no denying that music and film complement and enhance each other. As Scorsese said, they are a natural fit.
What is your favourite use of classical music in film? Comment below or join the discussion on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
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