ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD - Extended sequence from JUAREZ (1939) Video

This is perhaps Korngold's most underrated and little-known score. This remarkable film starred Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Brian Aherne and in a marvellous cameo as Napoleon III, Claude Rains. In this extended sequence (from the soundtrack coducted by Korngold himself), the use of dissonance is particularly effective and proves Korngold was not all about heroic fanfares and romantic melodies. Opening with the triumphantly sinister victory of Benito Juarez over the government forces of Maximilian von Hapsburg, it abruptly changes to the Empress Carlotta's descent into madness (one of Bette Davis' finest portrayals). The shadow of Korngold's operas (especially Die tote Stadt and Das Wunder der Heliane) as well as the slow movement of his String Quartet No 1 can be felt here in the chain of eerie consecutive minor seconds. About 4 minutes in, the music then suddenly bursts forth into a ravishing, bittersweet and totally reharmonised version of Carlotta's love theme, which many may recognise as it also appears in the Violin Concerto (the second subject of the first movement), before a spooky version of the ceremonial march from the presentation of the little Crown Prince ends the sequence. The orchestration throughout is superb, with prominent use of vibraphone, divisi-strings, delicate woodwind solos and even the organ, all mixed with effective Mexican 'colours' . JUAREZ is a fascinating score and needs a modern complete recording.