Becce - Glanert: Der letzte Mann (The Last Laugh. Music for the film by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau) (1924) 90'
for orchestra; orchestrated, re-composed, arranged and reconstructed by Detlev Glanert (2002)

Scoring
2(II=picc).2(II=corA).2.2(II=dbn)-2.2.1.0-timp.perc(2):SD/BD/susp.cym/cym/tgl/glsp/tam-t/dr set(SD/BD/cym/wdbl)-harmonium(=pft[2players desired for the finale])-strings(min.6.5.4.3.2); rights with ZDF/Arte and the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, Wiesbaden; only for performance with the film

World premiere of version
2/8/2003
Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken / Frank Strobel


Press Quotes      Deutsch
“Becce’s setting is incomplete as only the piano and violin scores exist, giving Glanert, who has closely studied the instrumentation of Mahler and Ravel, the opportunity to prove his masterly art of stylistic adaptation. He commands the whole range of instrumental colours and works with quotations and pseudo-quotations; for instance, the revolving door in the hotel – which, ingeniously put into focus by Murnau, is in fact the linchpin of the film – inspires him to virtually redefine the second act of Puccini’s La Bohème... The audience was delighted.” (Wolfgang Schreiber, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 10 Feb 2003)



Recommended Recording
(film with music)
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken / Frank Strobel
Transit Film 4989 (DVD) / 4983 (VHS)