Irwin Kostal (October 1, 1911 - November 23, 1994) was an Academy Award-win… Read Full Bio ↴Irwin Kostal (October 1, 1911 - November 23, 1994) was an Academy Award-winning American musical arranger of films and an orchestrator of Broadway musicals.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kostal opted not to attend college, instead teaching himself musical arranging by studying the symphonic scores available at his local library. His first professional job was as a staff arranger for Design for Listening, an NBC radio show based in his hometown [1].
After moving to New York City, Kostal was hired for Sid Caesar's popular variety series Your Show of Shows, and followed this with a stint at The Garry Moore Show. In the latter part of the decade he began working on Broadway, orchestrating for Shinbone Alley, The Music Man, Fiorello!, and West Side Story. His work on the latter resulted in his being hired to score the 1961 screen adaptation with Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, and Sid Ramin. The quartet won both an Oscar and a Grammy Award for their contributions. Kostal later went on to collaborate with Saul Chaplin for the 1965 film adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music and won an Oscar for Best Music Scoring.
For the remainder of his life, Kostal divided his time primarily between stage and screen, with an occasional detour into television to work with such people as Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and Leonard Bernstein. He supervised the five Sherman Brothers musical film scores at four different movie studios between 1964 and 1978. In 1982, he conducted the digital re-recording of the music to Walt Disney's 1940 animated feature Fantasia. Although he used Leopold Stokowski's original arrangements, many purists were upset by the change, and the studio reinstated the original Stokowski recordings in 1990.
Kostal died of a heart attack in Studio City, California. In 2004 he was named a Disney Legend in recognition of his contributions to films released by the studio.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kostal opted not to attend college, instead teaching himself musical arranging by studying the symphonic scores available at his local library. His first professional job was as a staff arranger for Design for Listening, an NBC radio show based in his hometown [1].
After moving to New York City, Kostal was hired for Sid Caesar's popular variety series Your Show of Shows, and followed this with a stint at The Garry Moore Show. In the latter part of the decade he began working on Broadway, orchestrating for Shinbone Alley, The Music Man, Fiorello!, and West Side Story. His work on the latter resulted in his being hired to score the 1961 screen adaptation with Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, and Sid Ramin. The quartet won both an Oscar and a Grammy Award for their contributions. Kostal later went on to collaborate with Saul Chaplin for the 1965 film adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music and won an Oscar for Best Music Scoring.
For the remainder of his life, Kostal divided his time primarily between stage and screen, with an occasional detour into television to work with such people as Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and Leonard Bernstein. He supervised the five Sherman Brothers musical film scores at four different movie studios between 1964 and 1978. In 1982, he conducted the digital re-recording of the music to Walt Disney's 1940 animated feature Fantasia. Although he used Leopold Stokowski's original arrangements, many purists were upset by the change, and the studio reinstated the original Stokowski recordings in 1990.
Kostal died of a heart attack in Studio City, California. In 2004 he was named a Disney Legend in recognition of his contributions to films released by the studio.
Edelweiss Waltz
Irwin Kostal Lyrics
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Yakovic1999
I recall this being played at my sisters wedding.
Bluejeans0701
I can visualize the scene of the film in which Eleanor Parker and Christopher Plummer were dancing to this lovely waltz. I am glad to listen to it as the previous albums did not contain this waltz.
Patricia Gallardo
Esta película la recuerdo mucho y la llevo en el corazón y el alma, su música, sus paisajes, su melodia y sus grandes personajes, es muy antigua esta película, pero cada vez q recuerdo a mi madre la escucho atravez de youtube ahora esta tecnología nos permite bajar música, y escucharlas una y otra vez, siempre recordaré cada momento q compartí con mi familia en el cine, recordándote siempre
AI 0891
I imagine secretly leaving parties to this music, just like Maria did.
maddie 🌒
I did that before, since I was sad at a party...
AI 0891
@maddie 🌒 Awww. Sorry to hear that (and for this belated reply). It is a convenient way to exit without much fuss. One can thank the host later on anyway.
Manuel Orozco
One day in 4th grade, I watched the movie in my class. I didn’t get to finish it. We stopped right as soon as this music stopped. It took me two years until I watch the second half.
Rachel E.
I can imagine Maria about to leave the house!
Star Blazers
Another Sound of Music instrumental song called "The Grand Waltz" has been blocked across YouTube with no version now available. Why? :(
William Fairchild
End of Act 1 or Act 1 Finale before the Intermission