MovieChat Forums > The Lone Ranger (1949) Discussion > Who wrote the musical score?

Who wrote the musical score?


Yes, I know Rossini wrote William Tell, the show's theme music played at the start and end. But the rest of the background music (from the first few years of the series in black and white) comes from elsewhere. It could have been someone hired to write the music for the show, or perhaps it is taken from some classical piece, perhaps other pieces by Rossini, but I have heard many of Rossini's overtures and don't remember the other music. Anyone know?

reply

I was born the year the Lone Ranger went on the air, and I can't remember not knowing the show and its music.

More to the point for me is not who wrote it, but how can I get it? Does anyone know if this memorable music is available for purchase anywhere?

reply

I finally found something. Some of these are from the radio show, but I find this page useful. I think von Weber's Der Freischutz and Euryanthe overtures were used on the TV show. You can listen to the pieces on youtube to see if they are what you want.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=596932

reply

" The Mystery of the Masked Man's Music " book here is for sale at Alibris, but they want: $31.87 !

reply

I'm no expert but I recognize the occasional passage from Wagner or Beethoven. I think some of it is standard library music as well.

hkfilmnews.blogspot.com
porfle.blogspot.com

reply

I don't know who wrote the music, but I noticed that the climactic music in the "Quicksand" episode is identical to the climactic music from Night of the Living Dead. Has anyone else noticed "Lone Ranger" music turning up in this movie?

reply

[deleted]

Watching "Message to Fort Apache" just now. During the runaway stage sequence recognized an excerpt from Wagner's "Flying Dutchman" overture. I do know that old radio series and much of early TV used classical music because it was in the public domain and would not require royalties to be paid. It often sounds like some studio musician/arranger would borrow existing themes and abridge them or rearrange them somewhat to match the timing of a dramatic sequence.

reply

The Flash Gordon serials did the same thing. Franz Liszt should have gotten a composer credit.

When I think about it, my first exposure to classical music was in Looney Tunes and The Lone Ranger.

reply

they used The William Tell Overture because it was in the public domain and not subject to copyright problems.

reply

[I] recognized an excerpt from Wagner's "Flying Dutchman" overture.
Me too! 

I also recognized a snippet from Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, as well as a very small excerpt from
Beethoven's 7th Symphony. There's probably other stuff too, that I can't quite put my finger on.
... old radio series and much of early TV used classical music because it was in the public domain
and would not require royalties to be paid. It often sounds like some studio musician/arranger would
borrow existing themes and abridge them or rearrange them somewhat to match the timing of a
dramatic sequence.

reply

Another bit, used at appropriate places:
Franz Liszt's "Les Preludes" (which was
also used in the serial version of
'Flash Gordon')

reply

Besides the classical recordings heard in the show from composers like Liszt and Mendelssohn , A lot of the music cues used within the show in the early years were taken from old library recordings from Republic Studios and some NBC library albums. Also cues were used from composers like William Lava who would go on to score shows like " F-Troop " and some later " Road Runner " cartoons for Warner Brothers. In the color episodes,after The Wrather Corporation acquired the rights to the series, a lot of cues were taken from the famous Capitol Records Hi-Q music library. This library consisted of cues from William Loose, Emil Cadkin, Phil Green, Georgie Hormel, and many others. Some cues even ghost written by David Rose of Red Skelton fame. A few cues in the later years of the series were also heard in " Night Of The Living Dead "," Casey Jones ", "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ", " The Donna Reed Show ", " Dennis The Menace " even early Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound shorts and many television shows produced by " Screen Gems "

reply

Good background info. I was just now watching the first
ever episode (the 2-parter) and noticed one particular
bit of Mendelssohn: from "Fingal's Cave Overture."

reply