Old movies-dirge for funeral procession

[Keats9264]

What is the music played in many old movies - during funeral processions - that sounds like Love's Old Sweet Song? My mother thinks it is Love's Old Sweet Song, but I can't imagine why such a pretty song would be played as a dirge in the old days. The song itself wasn't written until the 1880's - so for it to be so ingrained in the culture by the early 20th century seems odd to me.

 

Is it perhaps a coincidence of two melodies that sound similar?

Thanks

 

Edited by: Keats9264 on Feb 15, 2014 3:31 AM

 

Edited by: Keats9264 on Feb 15, 2014 3:39 AM

[Ray Faiola]

Definitely not "Love's Old Sweet Song"! Lots of films use the Chopin funeral march:

 

 

 

There is also Mendelssohn's funeral march, used by Max Steiner in THE LIFE OF VERGIE WINTERS. That recording was cut into the newsreel sequence of CITIZEN KANE. Here's a youtube of a martial band playing it:

 

 

[slaytonf]

If you're talking about the well-known funeral dirge, such as played here:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyFyAqLtHq8,

 

it's by by Chopin. It's the third movement of his Piano Sonata No. 2.

[FredCDobbs]

I think it is the Chopin funeral march that was used most in old movies.

 

This is the same one used during the JFK funeral.