How Die Hard Uses Beethoven For Hans & Why It's Amazing

[@HowardHoMusic]

0:00 The Theme of John McClane's BS Defined 3:13 The Meaning of Let It Snow 4:29 The Meaning of Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis 6:01 The Antagonists: The Japanese Represented by a String Quartet 7:46 The Antagonists: The Terrorists Represented by Beethoven 8:17 Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Explained 10:50 Recitative of the Pacific Courier Truck 12:33 The Seed that Michael Kamen Plants 13:21 The Ode to Joy Around the World 14:53 Ode to Joy at the Nakatomi Party 16:15 Hans Sings the Ode to Joy 17:16 Why Not Wagner Instead? Answer: A Clockwork Orange 18:26 Theo Sings and Karl Dances 20:06 The Meaning of the Ode to Joy 22:54 Why Ode to Joy Represents Hans? Answer: Perverted Idealism 23:43 Ode to Freedom Concert 24:26 Winter Wonderland 24:59 Christmas Ending Setup 26:24 James Horner's Magic 27:00 John McClane Deals with His BS

[@zaynevanbommel5983]

no need to convince me I 100% agree

[@bugalaman]

Holy cow, not only is it a Christmas movie, it is a Christmas musical.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yup...thank you for seeing light!

[@jro3213]

This video also really cements how the first Die Hard was in a whole different league than the sequels

[@jimbarino2]

The third one was good. Not in the same league, but good.

[@spiritualru2364]

id say great @@jimbarino2

[@Al-oq7zk]

Both great. Odd numbers and 3 is the magic number. Oh yes it is. 😮🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@spiritualru2364]

@@jimbarino2 Also Die Hard 2 was not on par but still an absolute BlockBuster!! No one can deny that

[@thatguy8514]

Silent Night was written in 1818 for... wait for it... St Nicholas Church. The writer... Franz Gruber. The lead villain in Die Hard... Hans Gruber, who with all the explosives was not about a silent night. Can’t make it up.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Nice. Fun fact: the truck they arrive in is called Pacific Courier, which means messenger of peace.

[@thatguy8514]

Touché. Love your Hamilton work. Cheers

[@Veldtian1]

🤯Jesus Christ in the manger the synchronicities just keep piling up regardless.!

[@Eline_K]

You have managed to make me love Die Hard even more! I watch Die Hard every Christmas. Thank you for this awesome video!

[@priitsan]

Man, you really know how to take one on a rewarding detour, that backround on the 9th was fantastic!

[@CyrusMajin]

I know this is 9 months late to comment on. This is probably the most compelling argument for Die Hard being a Christmas movie I have ever seen... good job.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Actually, this comment will be relevant every year around December!

[@benwilliams5236]

@@HowardHoMusic Ha ha. And the Theme is relevant all year, every year.

[@toweri_li]

@@HowardHoMusic Right after December 2021 - I cannot agree more! :)

[@ebinrock]

Now can we push for Lethal Weapon also being considered as a Christmas movie?

[@streetfightinmanrs]

This is the greatest analysis I’ve ever seen of Die Hard and really helps elevate the movie as a layered artistic work. I have always loved Die Hard and the classical music that was used, but I always thought of it as just a juxtaposition of the brutal basic mechanics of an action movie and the complicated drama of a hostage crisis. I knew the hostages were just a red herring, as the terrorists were later proven to be “exceptional thieves”, but I could never truly make the connection that the movie was deeper than it portrayed itself despite feeling like it was deeper. Thank you for the insight and your inspired research into Die Hard: the musical.

[@entropie138]

I've always been a Die Hard fan (hehe), so I was surprised by your defense of Die Hard as a Christmas movie. And, boy, you just unloaded with so much evidence and behind-the-scenes goodies that I never knew, making me love Die Hard even more. Thank you so much for this!

[@HowardHoMusic]

My pleasure! And that's all I ask...that people check out the argument, not that they agree.

[@AnthonyFlack]

I had no idea there was any dispute. I thought everybody knew it was a Christmas movie. I don't know where this idea started that it isn't. Has Bruce Willis not actually watched Die Hard?

[@shaz2761]

Even Jesus loved this film

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

​@@shaz2761 It's Zeus!

[@shaz2761]

RIP the brilliant Alan Rickman. Gone too soon. Hans Gruber will always be my favourite bad guy

[@ebinrock]

I always knew Die Hard was a great movie, but I never realized how truly BRILLIANT it is!

[@Boundwithflame23]

RIP Alan Rickman I feel the need to say it.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Indeed. He is greatly missed.

[@tycho3301]

Notice on the rooftop shootout how Alexander Godunov walks almost like hes in tune with his Aug. They took a ballet dancer and made him a lethal killing machine. I love it when they take a guy from a walk in life like that and use them in a movie like Die Hard. The worlds come together, the music just makes this whole movie a one of a kind action-opera.

[@quebrandomitos5910]

In tune with his aug?

[@ChipandTucker]

Completely concur. I thought he was a panther stalking his prey… just smooth and flowing.

[@exceptionvideo]

@@quebrandomitos5910 His rifle model is a Steyr AUG.

[@quebrandomitos5910]

@@exceptionvideo thanks a lot!

[@farabrick3678]

This is amazing, thanks for explaining to the non-believers and further reaffirming my love of this holiday classic. I really appreciate the extra layer of Beethoven you’ve shown me and I’m watching Die Hard again now to catch it all.

[@Jurgan6]

I can think of one other reason why Wagner would be the wrong choice: Hans and co. are not ideologues. In the original novel, the villains were actually ideological terrorists. Wagner playing over German criminals would suggest they were Nazis with some sort of racial motivation. Since they are in fact apolitical thieves, it’s more appropriate to use a song that has, as you point out, been associated with causes across the political spectrum.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Good point. Die Hard stays fresh partly, because the villains can't be easily demonized like that.

[@freakyold]

The implied back story of the terrorists is that they started out as left-wing ideologues who eventually degenerated into nothing more than violent thugs out to get rich AND disappear from the radars of all the world's security services who were hunting them (like Interpol) by faking their own violent deaths.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Also: Marco is Italian Uli is Chinese Theo is American Eddie is American Franco is French Not entirely sure Karl is German, since he can't understand Hans when he says "Schieß dem Fenster", even though his brother is speaking German when he shouts "Nein! Nein! Warte noch!" and gives himself directions: "Links. Rechts. Und wieder links." But then again, it may be because of the adrenalin rush that he didn't understand Hans immediately.

[@dreadsocialistroberts]

@@bloodymarvelous4790 IIRC, none of the german is intelligible. Whether on purpose or just not necessary since the actions show the dialogue's meaning clearly.

[@Papageno1986]

Worth noting that Wagner was a leftie.

[@thatguy8514]

Holly Gennero. Holly. That Christmas bush of green and red. Gennero. Can be translated to January, essentially Winter, that begins near Christmas and the month days after Christmas. Argyle. Contrasting colors like Red and Green, Christmas colors. In diamond shapes, a valuable gem, like family. Holly got a present of a Rolex. Commercialism v. family values and the true meaning of Christmas (Peanuts reference). Same can be said for the reporter putting his career over the McClane family when he uses them. The whole job that can be done anywhere and reunion of love is pure Hallmark channel Christmas movie stuff.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Nicely done!

[@314rft]

It should be noted that the Rolex was bought by Ellis, aka the coke head sleeze ball who was clearly into Holly and hitting on her. And don't forget that, when John breaks Hans's last grip sending him falling, the cut right before that shows the Rolex breaking apart, and Hans's hand slipping away. So, the Rolex breaking away both symbolizes the business world and Ellis's weird hold over Holly, and John breaking it away means he broke her free from said hold, and Hans's other business hold (if you wanna say that), and was able to bring her back to him. And what do the 2 of them do right after Hans (the bad business) and the broken watch (the not bad but still commercial AF business) fall to their demise? Kiss.

[@gusoleary5244]

Truly spectacular video! I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of life’s great pleasures is to see a piece of art that you enjoy anyway revealed to be even more complex and carefully created than you at first realised. You’ve done that here in spades!

[@emilybennett6567]

This brings back so many memories. In the mid-80's, Japan was the LOOMING THREAT that was gonna eat up America. And my all-time favorite 80's plot device was the baddies wanting "untraceable" bearer bonds. These are physical items printed on ginormous sheets of paper, and you really need at least a Radio Flyer wagon to move them around. Can you pay for a cab ride or Holland Tunnel toll with a bearer bond? Make it rain in a strip club? How about cashing a bearer bond at a bank teller window? All you can DO with them is store them in vaults. But thank you Howard for the explication of Beethoven's Ninth. I recognized the Ode to Joy, of course, but the theme usage throughout the film never registered 'til now. There is a Ninth Symphony/Japan link that you may not have known - the length of this symphony was directly responsible for the development of the industry standards for the original compact disc. In Japan. www.classicfm.com/discover-music/why-is-a-cd-74-minutes/

[@HowardHoMusic]

Oh dang. That's so cool!

[@emilybennett6567]

@@HowardHoMusic I know, right? I got chills as you were discussing the length of the symphony and had to pause to go look up the link. So incredibly meta.

[@TheMelbournelad]

This is just amazing. I had no idea the 9th was so ingrained in Japan of all places.

[@fiveywimey1965]

These people who say that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie do not understand anything about Christmas

[@scottloessel6493]

Seriously so many so called “Christmas movies” have almost nothing to do with Christmas “white Christmas” “It’s a wonderful life”

[@fezmancomments]

The only thing “Christmassy” about Die Hard is that it’s on Christmas Eve.

[@patrickdrazen8411]

@@fezmancomments VERY WRONG, sir! In Japan, they listen to Beethoven's 9th at Christmas the way westerners listen to Handel's Messiah, which is also not really Christmas music at all!

[@AnthonyFlack]

​@@fezmancomments - why do you think they decided to make it happen on Christmas Eve?

[@fezmancomments]

@@AnthonyFlack If a movie is set at Christmas time and plays Christmas music, does that make it a Christmas Movie? Yes, to some extent. But I’d still say that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas Story; Where is baby Jesus? Three Wise Men? Shepherds, King Herod, Journey to Egypt, Murder of the infant boys, Return to Glory and Immortality? One Good Guy who wins against the odds is really an Easter Story.

[@AbigailRTeh]

Very sophisticated analysis of a very sophisticated musical score.

[@lowlowseesee]

saw this today in theater with the vibrating seats. me and my brother, the only two in the theatre shocked that whoever is in charge of that did such a great job. ive used them before and the seats during a regular film feel like a novelty for the theatre to make a little extra cash. for Die Hard today, they took so much care. it was phenomenal. had to come back and watch this again since it really helped me appreciate the score even more today.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Ohhhhh...sounds like the ideal way to watch it!

[@AdaKitten]

I love Die Hard -because- it tempers action with Christmas, love and the wonderful music. Plus, even though John McLane is heroic, he is not a superhero and gets hurt, both his ego and his body.

[@eldo59]

11:45 The low bass version was played quietly when Hans and Theo first found the vault. Awesome analysis!

[@DMINATOR]

Wow, what a breakdown. I didn't know Die Hard had an extra musical dimension and my mind is blown !

[@azeomcstill]

Such fascinating insights, I always wondered why I was so entertained and so emotionally drawn in by the menace and eventual joy of this movie, the feel of it's depth and subtleties that you don't have time to analyse but tell the story so believably in each moment - thank you!

[@subtextualarchives]

Excellent analysis. One of the most in-depth film analysis' I've ever seen. Great job. Well done.

[@vsrr83]

The first video in months that literally has made me cry about the beauty of hidden realities that only now have been articulated to me. You have made something that is vaguely very true explicit and clear.

[@ohdarn693]

It snowed in LA the day my parents got married. I watch Die Hard every year at Christmas time and yeah, it's a Christmas movie. Had no idea how much of a role the music played. Makes me love it even more.

[@jaycosper8048]

You've got great content, but this episode is on another level. So insightful. And convincing, at least for me. Die Hard is a Christmas movie

[@gregorychants]

Not one scene is wasted, not one word or action without later meaning - fists with your toes and glass, taking off the rolex symbolically ridding herself of Nakatomi whilst doubly ridding the Nemesis- a perfectly crafted piece of art that gives more and more each time you watch. That such geniuses came together to make this for us- that is the true Ode to Joy.

[@williamtobin7282]

The education of how the music was selected for example deep, dark, verboten pieces to play whilst the villins arrive or pull heavy's is amazing. The tapestry the music plays as the backdrop to the story is amazing in its selection , along with the story line, the cast, etc. This has enabled "Die Hard" to become a timeless, classic tale. BRAVO

[@pghCaretaker]

Great vid! You make music theory accessible to a newbie and your narrative deconstruction is delightful. Edit: I'd written this before I'd finished the video and wanted to add something. Great job explaining all the music/film history.

[@HurrikanEagle]

I appreciate the musical breakdown of the Christmas feelings in here. I've always also said it's a christmas movie, since if you break the plot down into it's standard elements, could it work as a story WITHOUT being at Christmas/Christmas Time/Christmas Eve. And the fact of the matter is, with how the plot goes down, the movie HAS to be set at Christmas time in order to work best.

[@Boundwithflame23]

Don't feel like editing my other comment. So I was a Best Buy recently and I saw a copy of Die Hard with a Christmas themed case cover and it made me laugh cuz I remembered this video.

[@HowardHoMusic]

The more comments, the merrier! Thanks for the merchandise spotting!

[@ajmittendorf]

Dude, I owe you a HUGE debt of gratitude! For YEARS I have heard James Horner's style in the Powel Climax of this movie, but, of course, Horner, so far as I can tell, is uncredited. I have always wondered about that. For me, that moment in the music SCREAMS Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, but I was never able to substantiate that ... until now. May you receive an extra Christmas blessing today, ONE MONTH after Christmas (January 25).

[@AMoniqueOcampo]

You have officially won this Christmas!

[@andyjabez9780]

Yaaaaas

[@TheChriscrowder]

This is interesting. Die Hard started my love for classical music as a kid. In the forefront was Beethoven's 9th, but now I wonder how much of it was also subliminally.

[@interdimensionalsteve8172]

Just re-watched this on 4k the other day, and I always laugh because the music being played for the Christmas party is the SAME TRACK for at LEAST a half-hour, if not up to an hour in movie-time from the beginning to when Hans and crew show up. I just imagine the band being forced to replay the song over and over and they're all sitting there exhausted with a gun to their heads. Always make me giggle.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Hilarious!

[@BlackCanary87]

I have heard tell of a string quartet being forced to play Pachelbel's Canon for an entire 4-hour wedding reception.

[@krb88ify]

Thank you for making this!! I've been trying to explain to people for years how brilliant the score of this movie is. And there were so many great parts I hadn't realized. This is great!

[@WilliamTeller]

This video is incredible! It's a brilliant introduction to and overview of the ninth by Ludwig Van... the way you peel back it's complexity alongside its use in the film is a delight for musical laymen and aficionado alike is worthy of a standing ovation. The way you reveal all the easter eggs (to use modern parlance), like the Turkish march... really just all of it! I had the pleasure of listening to the ninth at Walt Disney Concert hall a few times before the pandemic, and while I always thought it was cool to see people like Frank Gehry or Christopher Nolan in the audience, I know think how cool it is that I might have been seeing/listening to you as well! As a lifelong amateur fan of Beethoven, I saw thank you for this! Truly, bravo!!

[@inexstase]

Thank you SO Much for this brilliant analysis. Just watched it yesterday at the cinema.

[@TheKenPrescott]

IT WAS DECLARED A CHRISTMAS MOVIE AT THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICEA READ YOUR CHURCH HISTORY I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO GET ANGRY ABOUT THIS!

[@KidFresh71]

Was so lucky to see this in the movie theater, the summer before starting college. Such a great film at such a fun time in life.

[@carboncringe9558]

“The Ode To Joy as been used in many films.” *Immortal Beloved is listed.* Well I sure hope so.

[@quigonkenny]

One of the most underrated scores of all time.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Agreed!

[@923crono]

I love these little tidbits on Die Hard. You truly showed how in sync/Important the music was and wasn't just simple added in

[@ronyorobio7096]

This is astonishing! The amount of joy (no pun intended) you bring by disecting the music of an action christmass movie is unbelievable! thank you!

[@Mcrafi139]

A voice on the plane in the beginning says have a merry Christmas lol, love this

[@the_bared_freckle]

God bless the KZbin algorithm for bringing me this video. Amazing. I didn't realize how deep Kamen went with the score. Now I have to watch Die Hard again.

[@nicole-ls4jb]

Your thoroughness and analysis is nothing short of stunning!

[@yoranw4608]

Another reason why DieHard is such an awesome movie. It has taken every single detail to near perfection. #XmasMovieYES #bestACTIONmovie #familyMOVIE.

[@emidom2004]

The revelations on this video gave me chills several times. Thank you, it deserves much more views, I'll do my part!

[@HowardHoMusic]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@brainfat1]

As if I didn't love Die Hard before this.. . I knew they weaved other songs in there but I didn't know the depth to which it went. Having characters essentially singing their own leitmotifs is something I didn't realize until you mentioned it, but what strikes me the most is just how critical the music is to this film and why we call it a masterpiece. Strip it out and replace it with a more generic soundtrack and you still have a taut action movie with great pacing, but this music and all the thought that went into it elevates the film in a way few others have. BTW, your detailed analysis of the ninth symphony has convinced me I need to go to my local symphony for the first time since I was a kid. Congratulations!

[@RisingSunfish]

Coming in late, but this was such a good analysis! I came for the Hamilton videos but I would love to see more film score analysis from you. It's not just the subject matter, but your writing is SUPER tight and accessible. I'm so impressed by how deftly you weave your ideas in and out... much like a leitmotif, now that I think about it. Makes sense that the music expert's writing would itself be musical in a way.

[@ajmittendorf]

So far, at the 4:00 mark, I am quite content to listen on. But I must point out that Powell says that he's buying Twinkies for his pregnant wife, but that notion is strongly subverted later in the movie. The suggestion is that he only SAYS that he's buying the good for his bride, but he's actually looking for a late-night snack.

[@tykahmg]

I watched Die Hard for the first time this year and I couldn’t decide if I was crazy for hearing all the Christmas music in the score 😂 This was the exact video I needed! Thank you for the work you do! 🤌

[@HowardHoMusic]

You're not crazy at all!!

[@r.girouard5886]

Welcome to the party pal!

[@jamesbyrne9312]

Why would u think u were crazy? weird comment

[@TheMelbournelad]

@@jamesbyrne9312 well for someone somehow coming into die hard fresh maybe being told it’s JUST an action movie, it would spin your brain

[@jamesbyrne9312]

@@TheMelbournelad yeah but it's that people don't get it's a Christmas film..it's set at Christmas with Christmas references throughout. Permission to scold the team sir?

[@ChipandTucker]

Really terrific job, my friend. Insightful, calculated, structured, revelatory, and filled with love… just like the film. Well done!!

[@MinMovieMaker]

Great analysis. At the time Run DMC's Christmas song was not a "classic" Christmas song. It is now. It was new. Mclane's prejudice was not in play. All he hears is the opening which sounds like a horn section if the tape was started when the jingling bells begin he would think Christmas but when they start rapping, his prejudice would appear. He might say "Don't you have any real Christmas Music?

[@HowardHoMusic]

Okay, that's fair.

[@iconoclastic12007]

Thank you, Howard, for this wonderful video that is very entertaining and enlightening. I ran a movie theater when this film was released and saw it, mostly in small increments, many, many, times yet I still enjoy it to this day. I noticed some of the things you mentioned but I had no comprehensive view, which you do elegantly provide here. Thank you so much!

[@stanletters]

Die Hard is a Halloween movie. Wait, wrong argument

[@HowardHoMusic]

LOL

[@AronSternlof]

FUCKING HELL WHAT A VIDEO! This might be my new favorite video on the entire platform

[@HowardHoMusic]

Whoa, thanks!

[@linkingyourthinking]

Deeply enjoyed

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

Thank you! Bookmarking this for the yearly Die-Hard-Christmas-discourse!

[@gwickle1685]

Thank you for showing me wonderful things about a movie I already thought was wonderful.

[@MelancoliaI]

That scene where the vault opens and we hear the greatest melody of all the greatest melodies ever melodied...that shit hits, and hits hard EDIT: And may I add that *IT'S A GOD DAMN CHRISTMAS MOVIE*

[@TheJmaniar]

I'm not sure how I'm only seeing this now! Beautifully done, I like the insight, the detailed explanation, and the pacing. Die Hard is my number 1 film and i've bored my friends and family to death over its detail. (btw there's another amazing video detailing Hans Gruber and his motivations, how they're shown on the screen which is well worth checking out) I've always loved Ode to Joy, but now i feel I've come away with a much deeper understanding. Thank you

[@FedeVicente88]

I love this thesis/analysis, every few months I see it and I love it more and more.

[@marcmarc4776]

This changes so much on my thoughts about Die Hard!

Wow, I thought I knew both the symphony and the movie pretty well, but I learned so much about both, you blew my mind! Thanks for this awesome video!

[@sunjoexys7251]

Wow, this video blew my mind about how McTiernan understand Beethoven and Ode to Joy. Since McTiernan said he thought of his movies as having musical structures, can you also analyze his other great movies like Predator?

[@HowardHoMusic]

Very tempting. I'd probably be most interested in Hunt for Red October.

[@BobBloom]

Brilliant analysis coupled with excellent editing. It is pure joy!

[@jonathanpittock1447]

Glad you mentioned the James Horner score at the end.. I always wondered why that was in there

[@CalBruin]

CC @Howard Ho I recognized that fragment immediately upon first viewing because Horner repurposed that theme in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"

[@mauriciovillegas7285]

Bad ass level: singing your own theme song

[@ljdobles8104]

Ahora amo esta película aún más. ¡Genial manejo musical del director! 🤯 Buenísimo video, gracias.

[@lowlowseesee]

i also believe that maybe the foil is usually also the b story character. since the b story character is usually used as a vehicle for the theme of a story and also of course helps the lead character finish their character arc

[@KINGSMAN_101]

this is the best and most enjoyable music lesson i have ever sat through. thank you for uploading.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Haha, thank you for saying that! Ultimately, that was my goal, to talk about the phenomenal score.

[@felipemedeiros8863]

Nice vídeo

[@Ruylopez778]

And while Japan does 'celebrate' Christmas (in the commercial sense), it's not an actual public holiday, it's seen more like a date night, like Valentine's, which also fits the idea of reconciling a relationship.

[@arm_613]

I think that I need to see this film! Thank you.

[@AaronHorrocks]

With all of the commentary and opinion videos from random people on the internet (who's knowledge and options are often worthless - but they're still posting on the internet), I was very hesitant to click on another half hour video. It turns out that this video was very well researched and presented. You dove deep into the music of the movie, and I have a new admiration of this film. It's more of a work of art than I had ever thought of.

[@waynegoldpig2220]

Die Hard was a Summer Blockbuster. I saw it in the theatre in July 88

[@HowardHoMusic]

Nice! Wish I could've seen it in the theaters.

[@meteorplum]

There’s a story that claims the maximum length of music that can be fit on a CD was determined by the standard performance of the 9th by the Berlin Phil, as conducted by von Karajan. Once I heard Norrington’s version with original tempo markings and instruments, I can’t listened to the Wagnered versions without getting a bit bored.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yeah, John Eliot Gardiner does a great period rendition too.

[@tomyoung9834]

I think it was the ceo of Sony, who were developing the cd format, who, as a classical music conductor himself, demanded the entirety of Ode fit on one cd, so…70 minutes!

[@johnnyerdoel]

"An audio compact disc (CD) holds up to 74 minutes, 33 seconds of sound, just enough for a complete mono recording of Ludwig von Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (‘Alle Menschen werden Brüder’) at probably the slowest pace it has ever been played, during the Bayreuther Festspiele in 1951 and conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler." [...] "According to the Philips’ website with the ‘official’ history: "The playing time was determined posthumously by Beethoven". The wife of Sony's vice-president, Norio Ohga, decided that she wanted the composer's Ninth Symphony to fit on a CD. It was, Sony’s website explains, Mrs. Ohga's favorite piece of music. The Philips’ website proceeds: “The performance by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, lasted for 66 minutes. Just to be quite sure, a check was made with Philips’ subsidiary, Polygram, to ascertain what other recordings there were. The longest known performance lasted 74 minutes. This was a mono recording made during the Bayreuther Festspiele in 1951 and conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler. This therefore became the maximum playing time of a CD. A diameter of 120 mm was required for this playing time”." (From a short paper written by one of the Philips engineers who worked on the CD format)

[@qrefrain3695]

Great video, I loved it so much! I came here late to the game after being lured in by all your amazing Hamilton videos, so it feels kinda weird to point this out 2 years after this video was released, but at 14:33 you mention that the Japanese name for Ode to Joy is Daiku = Big Nine. While sound-wise yes, Dai can mean Big. However, the kanji (Chinese characters) for big is 大. The Dai used in the Ode to Joy is 第 (as you've put in your video correctly) which is a prefix for numbers ( jisho.org/word/%E7%AC%AC ). In other words, the Daiku is actually just short for the Ninth Symphony, basically just calling it The Ninth. But I totally get it calling it the Big Nine, especially since it really IS a huge thing in Japan and in a way, just calling it The Ninth and it making sense sorta implies The Big Nine feel to the nickname as well. I'm sorry if this felt nitpicky, I really mean no offense. Thank you for your awesome videos, I've listened to the Ode to Joy so many times and I've never even considered the reason for why the 9th takes on that Turkish feel in the middle, even though it's one of my favorite parts of the music!! I look forward to watching more of your awesome works!!!

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yeah, you are correct. I went with "Big" nine because it worked better with my explanation, but yes, you're right with the longer explanation of this word.

[@ultor__]

This deserves six-figure views. Great job.

[@Petrichorscreen]

This was Brilliantly well written, thank you so much for this. :)

[@tankndg26]

Found on eBay the great 3cd edition,,, just great to listen to!

[@ebinrock]

I try to get all my soundtracks from either La La Land, Intrada, or Varese Sarabande labels (and Film Score Monthly before they stopped releasing soundtracks). These labels do a thorough job with movie scores and embarrass the actual studios. Their restoration/mastering and liner notes are often unbeatable.

[@libraryanne2392]

Excellent video essay! BRAVO!!!

[@daddiodizzle8990]

Wow.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Amazing analysis, deepening the enjoyment of a well loved piece of film history. This is what youtube is for. Minus the commercials for phone games

[@j24601valjean]

I love being in a world where people can gift such exceptional analysis of iconic cultural fayre. Diehard is a christmas film!!

[@lowlowseesee]

revisited this and had to sub. its an education. as a musician who also has been in film production, this is everything. oh and this being one of my favorite and best films ever made lol

[@HowardHoMusic]

Thanks for sub! Glad you were able to appreciate it on so many levels!

[@lowlowseesee]

indeed yo, great great stuff

[@magnumcornetto]

Michael Kamen's score for Die Hard 2 is built around Finlandia, and then for Die Hard 3 Kamen went with When Johnny Comes marching home, all while keeping the main leitmotifs from the first movie. I don't know if Marco Beltrami kept any of Kamen's sound for Die Hard 4 and 5, only watched the 4th one once, and the other one is unwatchable.

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yeah, Finlandia was a pretty brilliant choice as Die Hard 2's director was Finnish!

[@ihatethatyoutubedisplaysyo8106]

5? What 5? There's only four Die Hard movies!

[@DNulrammah]

..You missed the version used when the bad guy exit the truck, . and enter the building. Great musical buildup there. Damn shame about Kamen dying so young.

[@Doofus5152]

You've convinced me! Ho Ho Ho! Well done!

[@HowardHoMusic]

Welcome to the party, pal!

[@lowlowseesee]

yo the trifecta prejudice portion was so gangster. i love this vid lol

[@jdmapple]

At ~ 25:49 you surmise the 'snow' is falling office paper but I always thought it was the stolen bearer bonds... free money! Merry Christmas!

[@HowardHoMusic]

If you look at the paper closely, it's just blank pieces of paper.

[@CalBruin]

@@HowardHoMusic for ainor effect, they are not going to reproduce facsimile of bearer bonds 😆

[@joanmilton9986]

Wow. I just finished watching Die Hard and this video is one of my favourite things ever. Thanks so much!

[@nkwhite]

I actually found myself crying during the end credits tonight (Christmas 2022), I was so looking forward hearing the full choral Ode to Joy. I was both confused and elated...

[@adisha_kariyawasam]

Superb video and great analysis of one of my favourite Christmas movies of all time! 👏 Ho ho ho! 🎅

[@brironmanbtl1162]

Amazing video and thoughts. I instantly subscribed. Thank you Howard! Cheers, B

[@HowardHoMusic]

Sweet, thanks for the sub!

[@captainjohann7708]

My... Life... Is... Enriched (Better, more joyful, informed, etc.) from having watched this video! THANK YOU!!!!