Hanns Eisler (1898–1962) The Grapes of Wrath
Alternative Music to the Film “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Ford edited by Johannes C. Gall [orch] 1941/42 Duration: 11'
1.1.2.2. – 2.3.2.1 – perc(3) – str
Expanding Eisler's film music experiment
Film lovers are familiar with John Ford's film "Grapes of Wrath" with the music of Alfred Newman. The filmic transposition of the eponymous novel by John Steinbeck was taken by Hanns Eisler as the starting point for compositional experiments in the framework of the Rockefeller film music project. Up to now, only the three orchestral pieces "Aufbruch nach Kalifornien I and II" and "Death" were available. The Eisler scholar Johannes C. Gall was able to identify another piece as a further component of the film music on the basis of a shellac recording of 1942. This piece, for small orchestral setting or ensemble, is called "Largo." With this new addition, Eisler's film music for the "Grapes of Wrath" has been expanded from 8 to altogether 11 minutes' duration.
| Aufbruch nach Kalifornien I |
| Aufbruch nach Kalifornien II |
| Death |
| Largo |