# Hertzfeld's Rejected: Background song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290 "2003-09-03T07:40:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Quasar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Quasar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Quasar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/1 "2003-09-03T07:40:08Z")
Ok, this is a rather obscure source I’m needing help identifying something from. In Don Hertzfeldt’s animated short _Rejected_ there is a rather well known orchestral piece playing during a great deal of it and I’ve been wracking my brain trying to place it. Obviously, without lyrics it’s next to impossible to simply look up. I’m willing to bet though that many of you have seen it and I’m hoping that someone recognizes the piece. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![isthatsowrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/35a633/32.png) [@isthatsowrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/isthatsowrong)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/2 "2003-09-03T14:41:23Z")
The music from _Rejected_ is from early movements in Beethoven’s 9th symphony. These movements aren’t the most popular, so you don’t hear them often but the thematic elements are very familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Quasar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Quasar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Quasar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/3 "2003-09-03T17:47:04Z")
Thanks much! ---
**Author:** ![censored](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@censored](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/censored)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/4 "2003-09-03T22:37:42Z")
i am a banana ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/5 "2003-09-04T15:32:27Z")
My spoon is too big. ---
**Author:** ![isthatsowrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/35a633/32.png) [@isthatsowrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/isthatsowrong)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/6 "2003-09-04T16:35:26Z")
And now, angry ticks fire out of my nipples. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/7 "2003-09-04T17:23:50Z")
“Honey, come quick! Poopsie’s taking his first steps!” [baby gurgles, audience goes “aww”] [baby walks towards stairs, falls down stairs, screams] [audience applauds and cheers] “Johnson & Mills Products. Sweet Jesus!” ---
**Author:** ![fdr5061](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@fdr5061](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fdr5061)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/8 "2026-10-18T05:39:58Z")
WHICH RECORDING of Beethoven 9, though? The Orchestra, Conductor, Label, and date should all be credited…and don’t appear to be. Not even on IMdB. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/9 "2026-10-18T05:44:55Z")
> [@fdr5061](#): > > WHICH RECORDING of Beethoven 9, though? Welcome to the SDMB! Just to note that you’re reawakened a conversation which was started, and last posted in, 23 years ago; the person to which you addressed your question hasn’t been active here since 2003. ---
**Author:** ![fdr5061](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@fdr5061](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fdr5061)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hertzfelds-rejected-background-song/199290/10 "2026-10-18T05:58:54Z")
WHICH RECORDING of Beethoven 9, though? The Orchestra, Conductor, Label, and date should all be credited…and don’t appear to be. Not even on IMdB. Simply crediting “Beethoven #9” is only appropriate for a printed excerpt of the music (and even then, there can be different printed editions to choose from). The audio is the work of a specific group of musicians from a particular time period, working with a particular studio-and that’s all critically important. I’m not confident that Hertzfeldt used THE gold standard Karajan recording (since the tempo of the 1st movement sounds faster), but it gives the impression of an older recording potentially with a German orchestra. I’d like to know for sure, though.