Due to the musical nature of the story line, Korngold was more involved in the production of The Constant Nymph than in almost any other Hollywood movie he worked on. The original script by Margaret Kennedy called for a symphonic poem at the film's dénouement, but Korngold decided to change this to a piece for voice, chorus and orchestra, based on a theme which has appeared throughout the score in dramatically opportune moments. Kennedy willingly acquiesced and provided a text, "When I am dead, another love will cheer thee..."

This piece has the distinction of being one of the very few instances on film in which a musical work is played in its entirety without interruption. Running something under seven minutes, it is a deeply emotional work, sonorous with bells, a wordless chorus and a steady rising motif throughout the orchestra towards a richly orchestrated climax. Korngold was obviously pleased with it, since this is the only occasion on which he took a major piece of his film music and published it separately under an opus number. In this guise it was first performed in New York in May 1944.



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