MovieChat Forums > L'albero degli zoccoli (1979) Discussion > Mystery Solved- What's the name of that ...

Mystery Solved- What's the name of that song???

posted 16 years ago by fantauzzo
5 replies | jump to latest

There is a scene, early in this movie, where a boy is playing the pianoforte while a man watches through the window. The second song he plays is so beautiful, I decided to try to find out what it was. (There once was another post here that asked if anyone knew the name of this song, so I know I'm not the only one who wanted to know!)
My research led me to send a desperate email to world-renowned Australian composer, Phillip Wilcher, (http://www.phillipwilcher.com/index.php) who once played for Fernando Germani. Mr. Wilcher was incredibly helpful in solving the mystery; he bought the movie, watched it, and rendered this opinion:
"The first piece he plays is the Rondo alla Turka (Turkish Rondo) by Mozart.
I don't think it is played by Fernando Germani - in fact, I'm sure it's not. As for the second piece, I'm going to suggest it's not a formal piece at all - just an improvisation - nothing in particular. It sounds like the boy is just dallying and making something up....to me, it seems that after his performance of the Mozart, he's "showing off " a little to his select listeners that he can also improvise and make his own tunes up. It also is probably just intended as a piece of "film music" to lead into the following scene as the man walks away from the window etc.....
"It sounds like it could be a folk tune. There are one or two moments where it falters which really does make me think it's meant to sound like the boy is just improvising.....I think too that it sounds like "snow music" which is probably what the director wanted to lead into the snow scene. I can imagine the director asking for folk music that would suit a snow scene. It sounds cold. I doubt very much that it's a formal work.
"Most definitely the organ music is Fernando playing....the piece at the closing credits is Bach's "Arioso".....it's very very beautiful, isn't it!!
"I know the organ music at the beginning of the film is also Bach. It sounds like an Organ Fugue. I'm not sure what piece by Bach it is exactly, but whatever it is it's in the key of G minor and ends on what is known as a tierce de picardie. This is when a piece in a minor key ends in the major. It was a device most prevalent in the 16th, 17th centuries. Also the Arioso can be heard in the scene where the child is being wheeled in the barrow as well as during the closing credits of the film. For those interested, an Arioso is like an aria in singing. It's a melodious piece, sustained and usually quite dignified."
Thank you, Phillip!

[–] evanm-3 16 years ago

Fantastic posting, fantauzzo. Mr. Wilcher is also correct about the piece at the beginning: in fact, the name is Fugue in G Minor, and it is my favorite Bach.

[–] stevem-26 16 years ago

The boy is definitely not playing the Mozart Rondo alla Turca, which is from the A Major sonata; I play it myself, and the fingers are not hitting the right keys. However, he IS playing something, since his hands are moving in a way that could not be fake playing. If there is one person on this planet that can do the musical equivalent of lip reading, perhaps we could be enlightened as to what he is actually playing.

As to the Bach: At first, good ole German Bach would seem out of place in a Lombardian film, but wait, there's more.

I think it may be an excellent device to clue us in to the spirituality of the film.
I just watched it for the third time last night, and the scene where Anselmo planted the tomato seeds moved me to tears. That's right, to tears. So, you know I'm an agrarian at heart.

Unter Solen, filmed in Sweden by British director Colin Nutley, who films mainly in Sweden, has a soundtrack much of which is by the Irish group, the Chieftains. At first it seems odd, but soon comes to fit perfectly, at least to me.

[–] fantauzzo 16 years ago

Mr. Wilcher says:

I've checked Tree of Wooden Clogs again and I may be out of my tree, but I'm going to suggest that the boy is actually playing the Rondo Alla Turca. Perhaps Stevem -yes?? - can double check this for me.

Whilst the boys hand movements are not synchronized with what we are hearing, the movements are much the same as you would make playing this piece. At 34:35-34:36 and then again at 35:51 - 35:52 or there abouts his right hand especially is making the movement you would have to when playing the opening two or three measures of the piece, those notes being an appogiatura (I think) from B to A followed by semiquavers G# and A on to C - this figure is repeated sequentially going up - his right hand seems to do this for me...the "choreography" is there.

I would suggest that perhaps he was filmed play the piece at the piano in the scene - even just roughly - and then later the actual sound was then dubbed over as it has been throughout the film and like in any film where dubbing happens, lips and hands don't always move in sync with what's being said or played.

I could well be wrong here, but I'd be curious to see what Stevem thinks....

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] richard-III 14 years ago

"The boy... the fingers are not hitting the right keys"

That's Cinecittà for you, they never cared if sounds and images were very synchronized. Even Fellini told his actors 'just say something, start counting from one to ten, we'll make the dialogues afterwards'.

"It took more than 20 years for nazi's in Hollywood to speak German - sometimes."