Teasing the Korean Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I've been on a real Herrmann kick lately. Just spun "Cape Fear" "Vertigo" and "Taxi Driver." He is simply one of the great composers of the 20th century. Anyone here into Benny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 (edited) There's this great solo disc by pianist Stephan Oliva (I'm a fan of his - a specialist in brooding darkish solo performance, he also collaborated with François Raulin on a Tristano project and leads his own small groups or peforms in duos, for instance with Joey Baron - www.stephanoliva.com): The label is Illusions (www.illusionsmusic.fr), it came out in 2007 (recorded last december) and it's a limited edition of 2000, packed in the nice cardboard digipack style that the Sketch label was using (it looks like some kind of Sketch offshoot, with Philippe Ghielmetti producing and designing the cover, recording at Studio La Buissonne by Gérard de Haro, all very Sketch-like). I gave it a first spin yesterday and found it very good! Here's part of the liners (by Oliva I guess, but it doesn't say so): "I never try to play his music in totally faithful fashion, and am perfectly willing to make allowances for subjective alterations that may arise through tricks of memory, improvisation or the transposition of orchestral work over to piano; yet when I was recording this CD, I had a twofold feeling -- that of re-experiencing all those films and melodies* as they re-emerged at random inside me, according to the emotions evoed, plus the even stranger feeling of being in the actual process of creating the music for yet another film where the subject would gradually draw a life portrait of Bernard Hermann himself, with allt he complexity that implies. For me, he's a phantom figure, the ghost who'll haunt the spirit of these timeless films for evermore" (typos are mine, of course) *) music is from "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", "Journey to the Center of the Earth", "Obsession", "Vertigo", "Psycho", "Fahrenheit 451", "Citizen Kane", "Taxi Driver" and a couple of other films, from 1947 (Mrs. Muir) to 1976 (Obsession). If you enjoy piano music (I bet you do!), Oliva's disc from the 5CD box "Jazz n (e)motion" is fantastic! It's an all solo thing, too (the other pianists tackling film music are Martial Solal, Steve Kuhn, Alain Jean-Marie and Paul Bley, the box contains a short bonus disc but it may be easier to find some of the discs on their own, as it's all been OOP for a while). Seems the Hermann disc isn't even listed on the FNAC website and FNAC is the only store in Paris to carry it... if I had known, I'd have gotten a copy for you when I was there last week, but now I'm home again... Edited October 12, 2007 by king ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Anyone here into Benny? I sure am. Has been since I saw 'Citizen Kane' for the first time decades ago. Hisscores for itchcock are etched in my memory. Herrman also wrote a superb score for François Truffaut 'Fahrenheit 451'. Not Truffaut's best but I stay tuned to the Hermann soundtrack every time I catch the film! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 (edited) Herrman also wrote a superb score for François Truffaut 'Fahrenheit 451'. Not Truffaut's best but I stay tuned to the Hermann soundtrack every time I catch the film! That is one of his best scores ever. There has never been a full recording/release of the score, only suites. That's about to change. Naxos is releasing the full scores of both "Mysterious Island" and "Fahrenheit 451" by the Moscow Symphony with Stromberg conducting. These should be out later this month. Fahrenheit 451 will be an absolute must-have. The music in the film's final scene has to be some of the most poignant, beautiful music ever composed by Herrmann. Edited October 12, 2007 by Teasing the Korean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Ubu, thanks for the info on that Herrmann piano album! Never heard of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Some other startling Hermann ala solo is that heard on Ran Blake's "Vertigo", Owl Records. I don't have it here and find no info on my Googles. Now if I can only get with the ripping from lp thing. -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Naxos is releasing the full scores of both "Mysterious Island" and "Fahrenheit 451" by the Moscow Symphony with Stromberg conducting. These should be out later this month. Fahrenheit 451 will be an absolute must-have. The music in the film's final scene has to be some of the most poignant, beautiful music ever composed by Herrmann. I'll really be getting that Fahrenheit score! And another recommendation for that Stephan Oliva CD even - as Ubu already pointed out - it's a very difficult disc to get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Drake Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Hey, i just picked up the Oliva disc at Paris Jazz Corner last week - they had a bundle in stock so could prob supply via their internet site...only one quick sample listen so far but it sounded promising.. the brooding piano thing can be a bit tricky to sustain over a whole album so I need to see if it stands up to a couple of repeats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I've been on a real Herrmann kick lately. Just spun "Cape Fear" "Vertigo" and "Taxi Driver." He is simply one of the great composers of the 20th century. Anyone here into Benny? You betcha. He's been my favorite film composer for many years. Check out Citizen Kane, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. The man was a genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I have two of those three. TDTESS is one of my very favorites of his. Still need to get "Ghost;" I'll probably go for the Elmer Bernstein re-recording (which is highly regarded, if incomplete). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 If you enjoy Herrmann's music you should read his biography "A Heart at Fire's Center" found here. It really is a history of film music and is a fascinating read. Here's a review I did of it on Amazon.com: 14 of 15 people found the following review helpful: A very detailed look at an infuriating composer., March 24, 2000 By Douglas T Martin (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann (Hardcover) The story of Bernard Herrmann does not begin and end with Hitchcock. It actually begins with Charles Ives and ends with Martin Scorcese. Along the way Orson Welles, Francios Trouffet, Brian DePalma, Sinbad, Gulliver, Rod Serling, and the "It's Alive" baby turn up. A biography of Bernard Herrmann tells the history of the use of music in radio, television, and film. It also tells the story of a brilliant, infuriating, and ultimately tragic figure. If you have an interest in film composing - real composing, not gathering 10 pop songs on a CD and calling it a soundtrack - you owe it to yourself to read this biography. And better yet would be to listen to some of his music while reading - the book vividly describes the music but hearing is believing. He also wrote some good classical music such as his symphony and some chamber music. On another note, I just got a copy of David Shire's soundtrack to Taking Pelham One Two Three which is an unholy mixture of Shaft and Schoenberg. Really. Big band horns playing 12-tone charts over a funk rhythm section. Far out stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bichos Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 bernard herrmann - one of my two favourites (the other one is charles koechlin)! love his "vertigo". and everytime i hear his work "for the fallen", i can´t hold my tears. it´s absolutly deep emotional music for me that touched my mind!! "beneath the 12-mile reef" is also very moving! you can feel the up and down of the sea!! amazing is the "snow ride" of "the magnificent ambersons": the unheard combination of nine (!) celestas!!! have a lot of the "varese sarabande" cd´s with joel mcneely and the seattle symphony orchestra or the royal scotish orch. but i prefer the original recordings with herrmann himself as conductor also on various labels as "varese sarabande", "film score monthly", "tcm", "cloud nine records", "tsunami" and "sound factory". the last two are kind of bootlegs (?). and think of all the music in hitchcock´s films. (including the sound effects in "the birds")! a great, great composter!! keep boppin´ marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bichos Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 ups! i mean composer! -sorry, folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcello Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I have a earlier version of this: Strange, brooding music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I'mm a fann. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Good enough for Hitch and Truffaut - Good enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 If you enjoy Herrmann's music you should read his biography "A Heart at Fire's Center" found here. It really is a history of film music and is a fascinating read. Here's a review I did of it on Amazon.com: 14 of 15 people found the following review helpful: A very detailed look at an infuriating composer., March 24, 2000 By Douglas T Martin (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann (Hardcover) The story of Bernard Herrmann does not begin and end with Hitchcock. It actually begins with Charles Ives and ends with Martin Scorcese. Along the way Orson Welles, Francios Trouffet, Brian DePalma, Sinbad, Gulliver, Rod Serling, and the "It's Alive" baby turn up. A biography of Bernard Herrmann tells the history of the use of music in radio, television, and film. It also tells the story of a brilliant, infuriating, and ultimately tragic figure. If you have an interest in film composing - real composing, not gathering 10 pop songs on a CD and calling it a soundtrack - you owe it to yourself to read this biography. And better yet would be to listen to some of his music while reading - the book vividly describes the music but hearing is believing. That book is a very good and engaging biography. I read it on the recommendation of a board-member, in fact (Kalo), about a year ago. A must for any and all Herrmann fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 On another note, I just got a copy of David Shire's soundtrack to Taking Pelham One Two Three which is an unholy mixture of Shaft and Schoenberg. Really. Big band horns playing 12-tone charts over a funk rhythm section. Far out stuff. "Bump bump BUMP... Ba dump bump BUMP--" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 "Bump bump BUMP... Ba dump bump BUMP--" You said it. I finally got to listen to the whole soundtrack. If I didn't already know that the movie was about a train, I'd have guessed it from the music. Now I gotta rent the movie... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 (edited) years ago when I was doing a lot of transfer work someone sent me cassettes that clearly contained reels of out-takes from Herrmann movie music - orchestral works, fascinating bits and pieces, probably bootlegged from some movie studio - stupidly I did NOT make copies for myself - does anybody have any idea if this stuff has ever come out elsewhere? by the way, Taking ot eh Pelham...is a terrific movie. Robert Shaw was one of my favorite actors. Edited October 13, 2007 by AllenLowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted October 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 years ago when I was doing a lot of transfer work someone sent me cassettes that clearly contained reels of out-takes from Herrmann movie music - orchestral works, fascinating bits and pieces, probably bootlegged from some movie studio - stupidly I did NOT make copies for myself - does anybody have any idea if this stuff has ever come out elsewhere? by the way, Taking ot eh Pelham...is a terrific movie. Robert Shaw was one of my favorite actors. Hard to say without knowing more details. Sometimes contractual isses or the condition of tapes prevent an offical LP/CD releases of film scoring sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted October 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Another thumbs up for Pelham, BTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 years ago when I was doing a lot of transfer work someone sent me cassettes that clearly contained reels of out-takes from Herrmann movie music - orchestral works, fascinating bits and pieces, probably bootlegged from some movie studio - stupidly I did NOT make copies for myself - does anybody have any idea if this stuff has ever come out elsewhere? by the way, Taking ot eh Pelham...is a terrific movie. Robert Shaw was one of my favorite actors. Both Shaw and Matthau are wonderful in Pellham. And one of the great things about that movie is how it's almost a time capsule of mid-70's New York. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 yes, terrific film, very good Martin Balsam as well; also, Jerry Stiller as a transit cop (Stiller, by the way, is a big jazz fan; when I lived in NYC I saw him more than once at various clubs; twice I saw him in the audience to hear Barry Harris) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 It's also kind of funny how much the younger Jerry Stiller resembles the present-day Ben Stiller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.