MOVIE MUSIC UK

GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Original Review by Craig Lysy

Kathleen Winsor’s novel Forever Amber proved to be a sensational success with the public, one fully noticed by the major movie studios. 20th Century Fox executive Darryl F. Zanuck moved quickly to secure the film rights paying an astounding $200,000 to Winsor. Writing the screenplay proved to be torturous with Winsor and then Jerome Cady failing to adapt the massive novel in a way that would gain approval by the National League of Decency. Ultimately the team of Philip Dunne and Ring Lardner Jr. succeeded. William Perlberg was assigned to produce the film with a budget of $3 million and John M. Stahl was tasked with directing. The project went off the rails immediately when star Peggy Cummins collapsed on the set. After a three-month delay, she was pulled from the lead role, Stahl was assigned to another project and the studio found itself $1 million in the hole. Otto Preminger was brought in to direct and salvage the project and a new cast assembled, which included Linda Darnell as Amber St. Clair, Cornel Wilde as Bruce Carlton, Richard Greene as Lord Harry Almsbury, and George Sanders as King Charles II of England.

The film is set in England during its civil war of 1644 and explores the life of Amber St. Clair, a woman of singular determination, guile and ambition who defied patriarchal and Puritan restraints to achieve the wealth and status to which she aspired. She seduces over thirty lovers, mostly men of wealth and power, and marries when necessary, as a means to her goals. Through it all Amber never loses her confidence as every day brings new opportunities. Well, the film’s debut evoked a firestorm of controversy as Cardinal Spellman and the National League of Decency condemned it and organized a boycott, which forced studio executives to pull the film from theaters and make significant alterations. They removed some controversial scenes, and added a prologue, which admonished Amber saying, “the wages of sin is death”. In the newly added epilogue, we hear Bruce declare “may God have mercy on both of us for our sins.” When it was finally edited and redistributed the cost over runs were thought unrecoverable, but the controversy only stirred greater public interest and in the end the film was profitable. The film received mixed critical reviews, and secured just one Academy Award nomination for Best Film Score.

20th Century Fox saw Erich Wolfgang Korngold as a natural fit for this period piece drama and he was hired to score the film, however he had to withdraw due to illness, and so Alfred Newman, Director of Music chose David Raksin to replace him. Raksin understood that this very personal story explored the remarkable journey of Amber St. Clair, a stunningly beautiful, willful and indefatigable woman who rebelled against the patriarchal religious and cultural constraints imposed on women. She wants more of life than what is offered as a farmer’s wife and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her ambition, principles and social conventions be damned. The story is set in 17th century England, and Raksin explained that in conceiving his approach to scoring the film that he was inspired by the great 17th century English composer Henry Purcell. He relates;

“I knew that to the prospective audience the music that says “England” is not that which was being composed during the reign of Charles II, but rather the music written half a century later by a German, George Frederick Handel. Film scores are to an exceptional degree the wrong places to be misunderstood; therefore, I decided I would try to evoke the required atmosphere by playing upon certain musical mannerisms generally thought of as ‘English…Amber was rich and self-indulgent in a way that calls for the composer to go all out. As befits the occasion, the music is opulent, not only in style and color but also in melodic and contrapuntal invention. Indeed, the score reflects all the facets of the screenplay: heroism, saucy lust, romance, humor and tragedy set against dramatic historical events of the Restoration period: The Great Plague and The Great Fire of London”.

To achieve this sensibility, Raksin used a basso ostinato to underpin all the melodies and harmonies used in the score, a unifying element of cohesion. In regards to themes, he wrote only two to support the film’s narrative. Amber’s Theme offers the score’s primary theme, which supports the indomitable and indefatigable woman around which the film’s story explores. It offers a wondrous romance for strings, with a classic ABA construct. The A Phrase offers a repeating ten-note phrase by yearning strings romantico. Yet we detect in the notes a subtle, almost imperceptible sadness, which speaks to the travails of her life as she fights as a woman, for her place in the sun. The B Phrase joins woodwinds and strings with harp adornment, offering tenderness, yet also vulnerability, closing with a forthright and determined reprise of the A Phrase. This is Amber’s story and she is virtually in almost every scene of the film, as such her theme permeates the film and drives its narrative. The other theme offered is Bruce’s Theme, which offers five-note phrasing by horns with and ascending contour, which imparts his strong, confident and masculine bearing. It provides a good contrast to Amber’s Theme, but its impact is minor as he is missing for most of the film.

The cue titles are not complete nor precise in synching with the film scenes. I will address this below in the review. We open with Alfred Newman’s 1933 old world heraldic fanfare version of the “Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare”, which supports the company logo. We flow into Part 1: “Main Title”, a score highlight, which supports the roll of the opening credits that appear as ornate script on turning book pages. We open grandly with Amber’s romantic theme, which graces us with an extended ABA exposition, which perfectly sets the tone of the film. At 1:41 horns dramatico resound as on-screen script informs us that Oliver Cromwell leads a civil war in 1644 C.E. against the tyrannical King Charles I of England. We open the film proper at 1:41 with “The Chase” where we see a castle aflame with a carriage fleeing propelled by intense driving strings energico, pursued by cavalrymen firing pistols in hot pursuit. The carriage makes a rolling stop, a man gets out, places something on a bench, knocks on a cottage door, re-boards the carriage and continues his flight. A man comes out of the cottage as the pursuing soldiers roar past him. He sees the carriage lose a wheel, crash to a stop on the bridge, with its driver and occupant shot dead in a fire fight.

At 3:24 we segue into “Escape” as a diminuendo usher in a misterioso, which supports the aftermath as we see a man turn to find a wrapped crying baby on his bench. Soft twinkles support him as he presents the baby to his wife at 3:44. At 3:57 woodwinds delicato gently offer Amber’s Theme as we see the swaddling cloth has Amber embroidered on it as they gaze at the baby girl. “Cromwell is Dead” reveals a reprise of horns dramatico motif as on-line script informs us that Cromwell is dead, the monarchy under Charles II has been restored in 1660 C.E. and life goes on for small town Puritans. Music for this scene is not on the album. A 4:40 we segue into “Marriage”, which offers a score highlight. It reveals Amber now a sixteen-year-old, dressed modestly in the tradition of Puritan women. Woodwinds and strings tenero carry her theme as we see her serving dinner to her father, mother, and the man her father has betrothed her to marry along with his father. Yet at 4:53 her theme darkens as she tells her father that she will not marry the man he forces on her as she will not spend her life living in a pig stye. Her father angrily sends her to her room and is dissuaded by his wife to not beat her.

At 5:17 we segue into “Amber’s Fantasy”, which reveals her in her bedroom. She pulls out a hidden mirror, and a piece of paper, which displays ladies at court dressed in fine dresses. She poses and we see her fancying herself as a sophisticated lady of court. We open with a surging Amber’s Theme, which fully blossoms for a wondrous extended exposition, perhaps the finest in the score. At 6:51 the music demurs as soldiers arrive and ask for quarters for a wounded man, to which her father directs them to the inn as Amber watches the handsome Captain from above. Her theme resurges as she decides to follow the handsome man to the inn. Music for the following two cues is not on the album. “Amber Goes to the Inn” reveals her sneaking out of the house to go to the inn in search of her handsome young man. They are busy and the owner’s wife is thankful for the help. She goes to the table of the dashing young man Lord Bruce Carlton with whom she is smitten. She audaciously asks for him to take her to London, and he declines and departs, leaving her with his friend Lord Harry Almsbury who tries to bed her. The scene is first supported by festive drinking music and later a madrigal-like instrumental.

“Bruce Sleeping” reveals Amber sneaking into the sleeping quarters in search of Bruce. A stealth like xylophone and woodwind ascent motif carries her search, ushering in a gentle iteration of her theme as she watches Bruce sleep. She wakes him and she asks him again to take her with him to which he again refuses. But she does convince him to give her a kiss that afterwards supports her happy departure as he sits bemused. Raksin supports the scene with gorgeous interplay of Amber and Bruce’s Themes for one of the score’s finest moments. At 7:44 we segue into “Fanfare” as we see the royal palace, which is supported by the pomp and pageantry borne by horns reale declaring a resounding fanfare Britannia. At 7:56 we segue into “The Royal Court” a truly delightful piece where Raksin uses a small ensemble to channel Purcell, gracing us with gentile dance rhythms of court.

Part II: “Romance” offers a wonderful romantic score highlight. Bruce and Harry arrive at their inn to find their ‘cousin’ Amber already their cohabitating. Bruce will have none of it and sends Harry to procure someone to take her back. While Harry is gone Amber, in a masterful seduction worms herself into Bruce’s affection crowned with a warm embrace and kiss. Raksin supports with an exquisite romance for strings, which incorporates Amber’s Theme. A comic interlude occurs when Harry returns and finds them kissing (not on the album). Music for the following two scenes is not on the album. In “The Dress Shop” we see Bruce buying her beautiful dresses at a dress shop, which makes both of them very happy. Raksin supports the scene with a sparkling genteelness joined with happy iterations of her theme. In “The Theater” Bruce takes Amber to the theatre, which Raksin supports by again channeling Purcell in a delightful piece borne by spritely strings and bubbling woodwinds animato.

We return to the album cue at 1:33 in “Royalty”, where Carlton has been summoned to the palace by the king. Raksin graces us with a spritely Purcellesque danza felice just bubbling with joie de vie. The King advises that he grants his petition for privateering, grants him command of two ships, agrees to pay him and Harry all monies duly owed, and has a coach waiting to take him to Bristol. At 2:12 we segue into “Amber” an impassioned score highlight with a powerful, extended exposition of Amber’s Theme. Bruce returns to advise Harry as Amber sleeps. A soft rendering of her theme carries the moment. Harry asks him to wake her to let her know he is leaving as she loves him. Bruce declines saying it is not love that drives her, but ambition. His theme joins on woodwinds as he gazes at her and covers her with a blanket, and we are graced with yet another sumptuous exposition. Yet at 4:37 sadness enters as she wakes and is advised by Harry that Bruce has left for see without saying goodbye. He left her £200 and Harry advises that she return to the country. At 5:07 the music becomes angry and impassioned as she refuses, saying she will wait for him, to which Harry counsels that he will never marry her as she has no standing or title. She swears that she will gain them to make her worthy.

“The Prison” reveals the naïve Amber being swindled of the money in a phony investment scheme and indebted to the dressmaker and his wife. In court she is sentenced to prison until such time that she can recompence him. Music enters with dire horns dramatico at 7:09 as we see the prison. Conditions are horrible, and the music for the prison is grim, dissonant, and a grotesque rendering of her theme permeates as she struggles to persevere. Soon Amber discovers she carries Bruce’s child strikes a desperate bargain with Black Jack Mallet, a highwayman who helps her escape. At 8:53 we segue into “Birth” where Amber gives birth in a backroom with a midwife. The music offers a grim, bleak and forlorn soundscape lacking of any warmth. At 10:10 we commence a grim crescendo of pain on her theme as she struggles to give birth, with a dissonant intensification at 10:47, which achieves a truly painful and horrific climax as the baby is born and we hear it scream.

Music for the following two scenes is not on the album. “Death of Black Jack Mallet” reveals Amber seducing men and escorting them home through alleys where Jack lies waiting to rob them. Jack clubs and robs her latest client only to be caught be police who kill him in a gun battle. Amber flees the police who seek her as an accomplice and after a harrowing chase, she dodges them entering a home where Harry is seen playing cards. Raksin propels the chase and sow suspense with a scherzando borne by strings furioso. She pleads with Harry to save her from the gallows and he turns away police who come knocking. In an act of charity, he secures her an introduction with a stage manager to audition for the theater. “Theater Success” reveals Amber years later now a popular and successful actress of the stage taking post performance bows with the cast to festive applause. Raksin supports the scene with vibrant Purcellesque energy. Afterwards the Earl of Radcliffe greets her back stage and offers her twice, invitations for dinner, which she declines. He persists and she flatters him, leaving open the possibility in the future. Harry arrives, now married with a daughter and advises her that Bruce will soon return home, to which she is overjoyed. We close with her beau Captain Morgan arriving to take her home.

Part III: “Amber’s Theme” offers a score highlight. It reveals her escort home by Morgan who voices his affection and desire to marry. Yet she, to his dissatisfaction declines, deflecting his query of her loving another. She manipulates his affections, and secures another £5 as he departs with a kiss on a seven-week business trip to Wales. Later she gives the money to Nan as her final payment to Mother Redcap so she may redeem her son Bruce. Raksin supports the extended scene by gracing us with a wondrous three-minute sumptuous rendering of Amber’s Theme. “The King’s Pleasure” reveals King Charles II smitten by Amber’s stage presence, sending a courier to extend a dinner invitation much to the displeasure of his mistress. Amber is ecstatic, yet when Harry brings Bruce back stage she runs into his embrace carried by a joyous statement of her theme, and kisses him, overwhelmed with happiness. Later a scherzando animato supports as Harry covers for Bruce and Amber by informing the king’s coachman that Amber will not be joining as she is ill with a fever. The music for this scene is not on the album.

“Ride” offers a sublime score highlight. We see Bruce and Amber traveling by coach in the verdant countryside carried by a sparkling pastorale of happiness that ushers in at 3:40 on joyous strings romantico her theme, which blossoms for a sumptuous performance as they arrive at her country cottage where a surprise awaits. At 4:22 a solo violin abounding with love supports his joy as Amber brings to him his son, whom he lifts up in joy. At 4:33 playful woodwinds animato support Bruce playing with his son indoors as Amber clears the dinnerware from the table. At 4:47 the woodwinds take airy flight as little Bruce goes off to bed. Now alone, her theme unfolds with sumptuous beauty as he contemplates a life with her in the country with more children. Yet at 6:33 we shift to woodwinds delicato as he advises her that he will soon return to the sea. She gently, and lovingly tries to persuade him to stay, only to have Captain Morgan come up, to which she fervently says she does not love, pledging that her heart has always, only been for him. The next day at 07:38 flute delicato voices Amber’s Theme as their carriage arrives back home in London. The melody transfers to sumptuous strings romantico as he accepts her invitation as she again tries to convince him to join her and raise a family in the countryside. Dire strings surge at 8:32 as she opens her door and Captain Morgan step out, angry and voicing grievance. Bruce tries to diffuse the situation, but Morgan’s assertion that his actions with his fiancé were unforgiveable. He departs with the matter now to be resolved with a duel.

At 8:32 we segue darkly into “Death” as Amber denies to Bruce that she is Morgan’s fiancé, and does not love him, but her protests are to no avail as he departs in anger carried by a grave rendering of Amber’s Theme. We shift to a misty field where the two men prepare to duel with swords. Bruce entreats Morgan to accept the duel’s end when blood is draw, only to be rebuffed, insisting that the duel is to the death. Morgan is very aggressive and Bruce parries staying on the defensive. Amber arrives and refuses Harry’s bid to go, fearing Bruce may die. Bruce suffers an arm wound, and takes to the offense, slaying Morgan at 8:39 to drum strikes of death. Amber pleads with Bruce but to no avail as we crescendo on her now anguished theme, cresting as he departs in disgust saying “In heavens name have we not caused enough unhappiness with a nameless child a now, dead man. May God forgive us both for our sins.” In “Marriage” the Earl visits Amber to offer his condolences, relating that he lost his wife two years ago. He then offers a veiled entreaty saying that it was a perfect match as she appreciated living in luxury, and he appreciated her beauty. He offers his hopes that she will heal, and that he will call again in the future. Later we see them together at their wedding reception, she in a radiant gown with sparkling jewels. She finds Harry and they engage in friendly banter where he congratulates her on her advancement and title. She asserts that she still cares for Bruce, but when Harry mentions she is now married, she replies that her husband is old and will not live forever! Harry then adds that Bruce is in London at the docks struggling to unload his cargo because of the Black plague. Raksin supports the ambiance with unobtrusive Purcellesque pleasantry.

“Sickness” offers a masterful composition and score highlight. It reveals Amber in an unforgiveable act, ask Harry to come up with an excuse as she departs her wedding reception to personally drive a carriage to see Bruce as no driver will cross the Thames to enter plague infested London. Harry informs the very angry Earl that Amber departed to London to care for an ‘ailing grandmother’. Music enters gravely at 10:07 as a dirge, a grim marcia della morte as Amber tries to make her way through the densely packs streets of London filled with the stench of death. Within the lament are woven a subtle romanticism, which speaks to what drives her. At 11:14 sour horns sound as she greets Bruce on his ship. He castigates her for coming saying he has had two deaths on his ship. She entreats him to come with her for food and rest, which he does carried by a plaintive rendering of her theme joined with auras of death as they ride through the death strewn streets of London. A crescendo of death swells at 11:58 as he falls ill and she desperately look for shelter, finally paying a guard £10 to let her into an abandoned manor house. At 12:48 tortured strings support draped in auras of death support her laying him on a couch and lighting a fire and cooking him a meal. The music softens and warms as she tends to him with love and devotion.

At 15:15 we segue into “Attack” where the nurse sees Bruce’s amulet and begins to strangle him with her shawl to steal it. His gagging breaths wakes Amber who then fights with the older woman who nearly strangles her, but she turns the tide and strangles her instead. Raksin supports the scene with pizzicato strings joining with an angry string agitato, horns of doom, and shrieking woodwinds, which swell on a horrific crescendo of terror, climaxing at 16:16 as Amber is being strangled by the nurse, feels herself dying, yet finds the strength to flip her over. We close on a diminuendo of expiation as Amber strangles the nurse with a death grip and the life drains from her. “Aftermath” reveals Amber summoning a guard to remove the body, hoping he believes it is just another plague victim. Raksin supports the scene with a tense dirge as she succeeds in her deception. Music for this intervening scene is not on the album. At 17:28 we segue into “Ordeal” atop an aggrieved Amber’s Theme as she hears Bruce writing in pain. She is desperate to help him and runs to the kitchen where she grabs towels and a knife. The music swells horrifically at 17:58 with her anguished theme joining as she ties him down to restrain him so she may slice open the festering boil. Yet she cannot bring herself to do it, until he yells “You Must!”. Horns full of pain resound with her theme at 18:55 as she slices the boils and he cries out in agony. As she cleanses the wound we close on a thankful and loving statement of her theme.

“Bruce Recovers” reveals Amber waking the next morning to find Bruce sitting up in bed, well and smiling. She is relieved and runs to him, earning his thanks and an embrace. Raksin supports the tender moment with a romance for strings. The music for this scene is not on the album. “Count Radcliff and Bruce” reveals the Count tracking down Amber’s location and entering the manor. He is greeted by Bruce who is stunned when Radcliff asks the whereabouts of his wife. Bruce states that she is out buying food. When Radcliff asks of his intentions, he apologizes for what has transpired and informs of his departure to settle in Virginia. He asks Radcliff to expresses his thankfulness for what Amber has done for him and then departs as Radcliff sits and waits for Amber to return. When she does, he confronts her and informs her that Bruce left willingly on his own accord. Music enters with an aching statement of her theme, which descends in despair when he says that it is time for her to return with him to the solitude of the manor so she may learn all the wifely virtues.

It appears that there is an album-film variance in Part IV: “Music of the Court” as the album opens with a dance version of “Greensleeves” by Ralph Vaugh Williams that is not found in the film. Beginning at 1:11 Raskin provides a wondrous parade of Purcellesque dances with shifting tempos and rhythms that support the ambiance of the Gran Balo. Amber, much to the displeasure of her husband shamelessly fawns over the king and accepts his invitation to dance. Afterwards tension rises when Radcliff declines the King’s invitation for a late supper and departs to Amber’s visible displeasure. The long cue is out of film sequence, so we conclude the “Music of the Court” cue at 4:55 and jump to 14:14 with “Fire”, where we see that the dock fires have spread and threaten to engulf the Count’s manor. Pizzicato strings join a surging string agitato, as we see the Count berating his servants for damaging his artwork in the evacuation. At 15:39 dire horns resound and support a crescendo of menace as the flames reach the manor. Nan warns the Count that Amber remains locked upstairs and he goes to rescue her. At 17:01 he arrives and they quarrel when he states that they will return permanently to his country estate, never to journey to London again. Amber will have none of it and when she rebels and says his pride is as shriveled up as his old body, he has had enough and a physical fight begins with him preparing to lock her in the room to die a fiery death. Yet the aggrieved servant enters at 18:44 carried by a crescendo of rage, picks the Count up, and tosses him out the window into the flames below. We end darkly, with finality at 19:15.

“The King” reveals that the ever resourceful and indefatigable Amber has become the mistress of the King. We see her reveling in her quarters as men fawn over her, bringing her many expensive gifts so that she might intercede with the King on their behalf. Raksin’s music commences at 4:56 with a delightful and fanciful danza felice as the King enters, takes Amber by the arm and they depart for a promenade outdoors. The melodic line gains vital energy and trumpets imbue it with regal splendor as we see them in the gardens feeding the pigeons. At 5:23 we segue into “Return” atop Amber’s Theme as her eyes fixate with ardent longing and the King notices that it is Bruce Carlton who had returned. He orders that he be brought to him and we find with introductions that he has returned with his wife Corinna. A plaintive rendering of Amber’s Theme so full of longing supports the encounter, and their eventual departure. At 7:48 we find Amber distraught in her bedroom as Bruce had not yet responded to her letter. Yet when news arrives that he has arrived at 7:55 her theme surges with joy as she prepares herself. At 8:12 a dancing oboe and kindred woodwinds support his entry as he enjoys a tender father and son moment.

We segue at 9:21 into “Memories” atop a solo violin romantico, which emotes her theme with an exquisite exposition. She asks Bruce to sit down and they begin to reminisce supported by a romance for strings, however at 11:05 distressed string surge as he asks to adopt Bruce and take him back to Virginia. She ridicules his wife who she says will hate him and we discern a rising anger in the music at 11:37, which swells for a molto tragico final statement as he departs on business in Essex. At 13:01 we segue into “Whitehall” where we see Amber writing a dinner invitation for Corinna to join the King and her for dinner. The music has become twisted and dissonant, reflecting her dark intentions. The album music ends a 13:37 and a gentile Purcellesque dance (not on the album) provides ambiance for the dinner with Amber purposefully trying to sabotage Bruce’s marriage by feigning a headache so as to leave Corinna alone with the King. Yet he perceives her ill-will and duplicity and comes to her afterwards to banish her from court. The next day as she packs Bruce arrives to again ask for his son. She refuses, he persists, and she calls young Bruce in saying that he can make the decision. When he says he would like to go to Virginia with his father, the album music resumes at 13:38 with an orchestral deathblow of devastation, which ends with a diminuendo of despair at 14:13.

We segue into the “End Title” at 19:16 with a grim, aching iteration of her theme full of regret as she sees her little boy slip from her grasp. At 19:55 her theme brightens as she says he can take him now as she will be very busy planning a grand ball for the King, yet we see that this is a pretense, shattered at 20:31 with grave strings as she yells at Bruce to just go, and then runs into her bedroom sobbing. As they depart her grieving theme emotes with an aching pathos of loss and regret. We close at 22:10 as she runs to the window and watches her beloved son and the love of her life walk away to a waiting carriage, the music swelling on a last grand declaration of her theme, which ends in a flourish. Bravo!

I would like to thank the late Nick Redman for this wonderful reissue of David Raksin’s masterpiece, Forever Amber. The remix of the original film optical elements and digital mastering by Dan Hersch provide excellent sound quality, however it does not achieve current 21st century audio standards. Nevertheless the beauty of Raksin’s compositions shine through to provide a fine listening experience. In conceiving his soundscape Raksin understood that the story was set in the 17th century England, and he sought to embrace the musical sensibilities of the great 17th century English composer Henry Purcell. In multiple scene Purcellesque music of the Court and dance enrich the film’s narrative. Regarding Amber, given that this is a tale of a singular woman with ambitions constrained by patriarchal sensibilities, Raksin understood that he would need to provide her a memorable and malleable theme as she is virtually in almost every scene of the film. I believe his Amber’s Theme may be the finest in his canon. It offers a wondrous romance for strings, with a classic ABA construct. The A Phrase offers a repeating ten-note phrase by yearning strings romantico. Yet we detect in the notes a subtle, almost imperceptible sadness, which speaks to the travails of her life as she fights as a woman, for her place in the sun. The B Phrase joins woodwinds and strings with harp adornment, offering tenderness, yet also vulnerability, closing with a forthright and determined reprise of the A Phrase. The theme is expressed with a multiplicity of expressions encompassing the full spectrum of emotions she experiences in the film; confident, defiant, seductive, romantic, bitter and tragic. In scene after scene her theme joins with Raksin’s opulent 17th century writing to create breath-taking confluences. I believe this score to be his Magnum Opus and one of the finest of the Golden Age. I highly recommend you purchase this fine album as an essential score for your collection.

For those of you unfamiliar with the score, I have embedded a YouTube link to Amber’s Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpRa-_SPmEE

Buy the Forever Amber soundtrack from the Movie Music UK Store

Track Listing:

• Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare (written by Alfred Newman, 1933 Version) (0:12)
• Part I: Main Title/The Chase/Escape/Fanfare/The Royal Court (10:13)
• Part II: Romance/Royalty/Amber/The Prison/Birth (11:44)
• Part III: Amber’s Theme/Ride/Death/Sickness/Attack/Ordeal (19:39)
• Part IV: Music of the Court/The King/Return/Memories/Whitehall/The Fire/End Title (22:41)

Running Time: 64 minutes 29 seconds

Varese Sarabande VSD-5857 (1947/1998)

Music composed by David Raksin. Conducted by Alfred Newman. Orchestrations by Maurice de Packh, Herbert W. Spencer and Edward Powell. Recorded and mixed by XXXX. Score produced by David Raksin and Alfred Newman. Album produced by Nick Redman and Robert Townson.