Mozart’s Music in Films

After Peter Shaffer’s 1984 film Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, many people not into classical music “turned on” to Mozart. To Mozarteans or lovers of Mozart’s, the general initial reaction about the movie was one of disgust since it was not historically accurate, but that’s Hollywood. On the other hand, the good side is that some people, young and young-once were so taken to pursue knowing about the wunderkind and his music.  Mozart’s music in the film Amadeus include Adagio of Gran partita, Piano Concerto No. 20 (2^nd movement), Requiem, 1^st movement of both Symphony Nos. 25 and 29.  

But this article is not about Amadeus the movie, or just his music in Amadeus. It’s about some of the movies that include Mozart’s music. The list is not exhaustive but my aim is to impart awareness and share those more frequently familiar. For example, Eine kline Nachtmusik appears in more than one film, so does Clarinet Concerto, an all-time favourite.

Ave Verum Corpus

This one motet music of Mozart, Ave Verum Corpus, is one of the most beautiful and famous sacred music. He composed it for Corpus Christi Day in 1971, the year he died. It’s not surprising that the Köchel number is 618, which is close to his unfinished Requiem, K.626.    

Film: Lorenzo’s Oil 

Clarinet Concerto

A favorite by young and old, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.622, is an emotive music he wrote for clarinetist Anton Stadler in 1791. The second movement, Adagio, is most frequently played. It was his last complete work before he died in 1791. Clarinet Concerto in A has three movements in a fast, slow, and fast form: Allegro, Adagio, and Rondo: Allegro.

Films:

American Gigolo:  (2nd movement)
Eye for an Eye:  (2nd movement)
Green Card:  (2nd movement)
Ouf of Africa:  (2nd movement)

Don Giovanni, Opera

Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts by Mozart, the libretto written by Lorenzo da Ponte, premiered in Prague, 1787. It’s one of his four considered best operas. The opera is referred to as “drama giocoso” which is a mixture of comedy and melodrama.

Film: Kind Hearts and Coronets:  (Il mio tesoro)

Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (”a little night music”) is one of the Mozart’s most popular compositions often heard and played in any form of media. It is the Serenade No.13 for Strings in G major, K525. Mozart wrote it the same year as the opera Don Giovanni.

Films:

Ace Ventura, Pet Detective:  (2nd and 3rd movements)
Alien
Batman
Fame:  (1st movement)
G.I. Jane:  (1st movement)
Gentleman’s Game
Nikita:  (1st movement)
Who’s That Girl?
The Bonfire of the Vanities
The Whole Nine Yards    
There’s Something about Mary

Flute and Harp Concerto

This concerto is the only piece of music that Mozart wrote with the harp instrument.  Concert for Harp and Flute in C major, K.299, was written in 1778 during his journey to Paris. It was commissioned by the flautist Duke Adrien-Louis de Bonnières, whose daughter was taking composition lessons from Mozart. This concerto is popular, enjoyable and easy listening. Essentially, it is in the form of a Sinfonia Concertante, which was very popular in France during the time.

Films:

A Judgement in Stone
Cousin Bette
Green Card
The Joy Luck Club:  (2nd movement)

Horn Concerto No. 2

Horn Concerto No.2, KV.417 was written by Mozart in 1783. It is a part of a series of four horn concertos he composed, but not necessarily written in chronological order, so that Horn Concerto No.1, KV.412 was in fact the last one of these horn concertos that he composed in 1791, although for many years, musicologist recorded it as 1782. 

Film:  JFK:  (2^nd movement)

Overture to Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte)

The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte) is easily a favorite among Mozart lovers, this writer included. It is a two-act opera composed by Mozart in 1791 based on the libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The music continuously flows and beautifully alerts the imagination. The fundamental theme is love to which the composer dedicated his entire genius. It’s not a religious play, and from the title itself, it’s not just a “flute” but a musical instrument with charm.

Film: Watch It

Overture to Marriage of Figaro

The Marriage of Figaro, K.492, (Italian: Le nozze di Figaro) is an opera buffa (comic opera) composed by Mozart in 1786. Libretto was written by Lorenzo da Ponte based of Beaumarchais’s stage comedy. This overture is overwhelmingly famous and often accepted worldwide as a concert piece.  

Films:

Runaway Bride
The Last Action Hero
Trading Places

Piano Concerto No. 21

Piano concerto No.21 in C Major, K.467, was written my Mozart in 1785. It has three movements: Allegro maestoso, Andante in F major, and Allegro vivace assai.  It is one of the most popular piano concertos, especially the second movement, Andante, featured in the 1967 Swedish film “Elvira Madigan.” Many people who love the music are often unaware that it is composed by Mozart. 

Films:

Educating Rita
Elvira Madigan:  (2nd movement)
Silent Fall
Virtual Sexuality

Piano Sonata No. 11

Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331 (300i) is a sonata composed by Mozart in three movements: Andante grazioso with a theme of six variations, Menuetto, and Alla Turca: Allegretto. The third movement, popularly known as Turkish Rondo is very popular, often heard on its own in CD selections.

Film: A Beautiful Mind

Requiem

This lovely, haunting music, Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, or simply, Requiem, was Mozart’s last composition before he finally passed away in Dec 5, 1791. It has 14 movements, and is one of his best works and most powerful, with continuing debate on how much his student Franz Xaver Sussmayer actually added to the master’s original work.     

Films: 

Elizabeth:  (aeternam from Requiem)
Incredible True Story of Two Girls in Love
Primal Fear:  (Lacrymosa from Requiem
The Big Lebowski

Symphony No. 40

Of Mozart’s last three last symphonies, #39, #40 and #41, this middle one, Symphony No. 40, is the best-known, interpreted as not only the music of our time but of the future.  Symphony No. 40 is one of the most high-profile of all Mozart’s orchestral works, challenged only by Eine kleine Nachtmusik.   

Film: The Living Daylights:  (1^st movement)