I’d like to know more about the four scores on the Criterion release. who are they by and what are they like?
I’ve only listened to the modern classical score by Peer Raben — it’s excellent.
Just purchased Pandora’s Box – am anxious to screen it. I love the packaging!
bump – does anybody know what scores are on the dvd and what they’re like?
EDIT: Yeah, googling before posting helps. I found the information on dvd beaver. Still, I would like to know people’s opinions on the scores, especially the “modern” one… do they mean modern like John Williams or modern like Schoenberg or modern like Steve Reich?
Pandora’s Box is wonderful. I had no idea that any music had been attached to it – I think that would be very difficult to do, unless you had a specially written score, and who would be able and willing to do that? If I were i/c adding music at appropriate moments, I’d be looking at Berg, Schoenberg, Mahler, maybe even Weill.
orchestral score by Gillian Anderson—attempting to recreate what might have actually been played in a theater as accompaniment at the time.
The ‘cabaret score’ score was created by Dimitar Pentchev, was inspired by the cabaret music of the period.
Peer Raben " modern"—closer to what one would expect from an orchestral score of today (Raben composed music for Fassbinder, and if I recall correctly, was his lover for a time). Modern like Bartók with a bit of Weill, maybe.
improvised piano score by Stephan Oliva
@Matt Parks – Your information is very interesting. Thank you. Raben did the score for Berlin Alexanderplatz, the CD of which I have. It’s very good. I have been unable to trace any recording of his score for Pandora. My own DVD is a silent version. The USA Criterion one (which I assume features it) is unfortunately both Region 1 only and rather expensive (at least on Amazon). I can find no trace of any music by Pentchev. Are you sure that’s the right spelling?
Pentchev is Bulgarian. Don’t know much about him as a musician.
I looked him up! He apparently lives on the Isle of Man!
Jonathan Hiott
Just bought Pandora’s Box and I must say I am impressed with the film, although I’m not sure I loved the film. The supplements disc also seems to be very well put together, as usual.
One curiosity about the original audio soundtrack, I am wondering if the original soundtrack was recorded separately from the film. From what I’ve read, the original soundtrack has been lost. I am interested to learn more about this lost original soundtrack. I listened to the Cabaret-style score on the dvd, It seemed to suit the mood the best.