'King's Row,' Korngold and 'Star Wars'

Synopsis

On today’s date in 1942, Warner Brothers released the film King’s Row, which included in its cast a 31-year-old actor named Ronald Reagan, who claimed the film “made me a star.” The film’s musical score was by someone already a star — Austrian-born composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold, famous for his earlier work for Hollywood swashbucklers like Captain Blood and Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn.

Korngold’s music for King’s Row proved unusually popular, and Warner Brothers prepared a form letter politely declining inquiries for sheet music or recordings. Back then, film score recordings were not common, and the big studios were jealously protective of anything — including music — that they owned. It wasn’t until 1979 — 37 years after the release of the movie — that a full soundtrack recording of King’s Row was released, produced by the composer’s son, George, who was responsible for a major revival of interest in his father’s work.

In fact, Korngold’s main title music from King’s Row may have provided the model for American composer John Williams when he wrote his main title music for the 1977 sci-fi swashbuckler Star Wars. It’s also curious to note that the main title music for King’s Row was requested by the White House in 1981 for use at the inauguration of President Reagan, who, you may recall, later promoted a ballistic missile defense shield nicknamed by its critics — wait for it — Star Wars.

Music Played in Today's Program

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957): Main Title, from King’s Row; National Philharmonic; Charles Gerhardt, conductor; RCA LSC-3330 (LP) & 7890-2-RG (CD)

On This Day

Births

• 1819 - Austrian opera composer Franz von Suppé, in Spalato, Dalmatia

• 1882 - British-born American conductor, arranger and new music champion, Leopold Stokowski, in London

• 1907 - Hungarian-born American composer Miklós Rósza, in Budapest

Deaths

• 1936 - Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, 56, in Rome

Premieres

• 1713 - Handel: Utrecht Te Deum (Julian date: April 7)

• 1800 - Beethoven: Horn Sonata, in Vienna, with horn virtuoso Wenzel Punto and the composer at the piano

• 1898 - Chausson: Symphony, in Paris

• 1909 - Rachmaninoff: The Isle of the Dead (Gregorian date: May 1)

• 1930 - Charles Wakefield Cadman: Violin Sonata, in Los Angeles, with violinist Vera Barstow

• 1944 - Bernstein: ballet Fancy Free, at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, with the Ballet Theater orchestra conducted by the composer

• 1958 - Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 1, in Boston

• 1958 - Quincy Porter: New England Episodes, in Washington

• 1977 - Broadway premiere of Sondheim: revue Side by Side by Sondheim (compiled from various Sondheim musicals by British singer-actor David Kernan and others). This revue opened in London on May 4, 1976.

• 1986 - John Harbison: Music for 18 Winds, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by the MIT Chamber Players, John Harbison conducting