Bernard Herrmann Film Scores Conducted By Elmer Bernstein/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

This is an outstanding programme, laid down in 1992 (recall that Elmer Bernstein recorded Herrmann's full but rejected score for TORN CURTAIN for Warners as early as 1977, also with the RPO). This set predates Esa-Pekka Salonen's excellent HERRMANN: THE FILM SCORES (Sony) by four years, and both can be highly recommended, for their overlap is minimal and each set has special virtues I'll attempt to summarize:Salonen offers (theme only) MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, the string shrieks from PSYCHO, a fine chunk from MARNIE, the NORTH BY NORTHWEST fandango, a representative bleeding chunk from VERTIGO, cool excerpts from the scrapped TORN CURTAIN score, wonderful snippets from FAHRENHEIT 451 and finally a totally idiomatic mean-streets potpourri (including "Bloodbath") from TAXI DRIVER. His anthology is unabashedly commercial, appealing to the widest possible audience and a perfect introduction to tetchy BH. It is beautifully played by the LAPO on Herrmann's adoptive home turf and quite spectacularly recorded, with seismic bass penetration in TAXI DRIVER.Bernstein's very comprehensive survey is more scholarly, clearly the result of offbeat programming by the conductor and album coordinator Christopher Palmer. KANE and DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (a fascinating score for a very fey film) are given brief due, then a complete 12-minute performance of Arthur Benjamin's gloriously kitschy (Elgarian pipe organ and unhesitant cymbalist included) "Storm Clouds Cantata" from MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, set to a Wyndham Lewis text which is helpfully supplied in the booklet. This is a recording première (there's a 2012 followup version conducted by Rumon Gamba on Chandos) and reason enough for owning this disc. The purely intentional high-kitsch quotient directly recalls the "impossible" SALAMMBO aria in CITIZEN KANE, thrillingly sung by Dame Kiri on Gerhardt's spectacular RCA anthology. In the Benjamin cantata reverberating in the Royal Albert Hall that foreboding fermata, then the cymbal clash sending Doris Day into complex maternal tizzy, is perfectly recreated in this Bernstein/RPO performance. (Although the booklet carelessly credits the "Ambrosia Singers"—actually the great Ambrosians—that climactic cymbal clash echoes lastingly through film history, a triumph of quick cuts directly edited to the music and even more dramatic than Janet Leigh's fateful final shower.)Bernstein continues apace with brief PSYCHO stretti, the rare Prelude for THE WRONG MAN (another recording première), seven choice minutes from VERTIGO and the NORTH BY NORTHWEST fandango. THE BRIDE WORE BLACK is represented by Palmer's 12-minute pastiche (another première, this is prime Herrmann of special value), five minutes from FAHRENHEIT and the cleansing TAXI DRIVER coda (nine minutes played less authentically in London than in Los Angeles, the Thameside streets being tamer).On balance, this Bernstein set is preferable for including the Storm Clouds Cantata and the generous BRIDE WORE BLACK excerpts, but I'd not be without either this or Salonen's less adventurous sequel. They complement one another, and coupled with Gerhardt's colorful, indispensable RCA anthology (absent any Hitchcock scores) are a dandy synopsis of BH's most important film compositions. His inventive scifi/fantasy films are another matter entirely, and there Herrmann's own Phase 4 recordings, newly remastered by DG and previously compiled by Decca/Eloquence (still sonically weighty), are particularly collectable.

Got this disk so I could hear Bernard Hermann's score from The Man Who Knew Too Much.This from a guy who knew too little.I loved that score as well as the score from North By Northwest.The rest of the album is pretty disappointing.If I was smarter, I would have just gotten the $0.99 download of the song I wanted.Make sure you check all the tracks before you buy.

I was thrilled to listen to the music by this composer this caused me to rent out some of the films for which he composed.

I just love the storm cloud cantata from Hitchcocks Man Who Knew Too Much and have been after it ever since I first saw the film. As a Lover of Movie Scores I highly recommend the entire album.

Love these tunes. They bring back great memories

terrific recording

Storm Cloud Cantata from Man Who Knew Too Much is Finally recorded, along with the Devil’s violin solo from the Oscar winning Devil and Daniel Webster. Genius composer/conductor Elmer Bernstein does tribute to Hitchcock fav Bernard Herrmann, who started with Citizen Kane and literally ended with Taxi Driver. Also on Amazon: Herrmann’s Wuthering Heights, Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Twilight Zone, Fahrenheit 451, Battle of Neretva, Jason and the Argonauts, Sisters, Twisted Nerve, Marnie, Bride Wore Black, and Endless Night. BUY THEM!

Milan Records presents Elmer Bernstein conducting The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with this digitally remastered "Bernard Herrmann Film Scores ", from "CITIZEN KANE" [1942], "THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER" [1942], "THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH" [1956], "PSYCHO" [1959], "THE WRONG MAN" [1957], "VERTIGO" [1958], "NORTH BY NORTHWEST" [1959], "THE BRIDE WORE BLACK" [1967], "FAHRENHEIT 451" [1966], "TAXI DRIVER" [1973]...and the final track is "BERNARD HERRMANN ON FILM MUSIC" [recorded early 1970s]...which clearly states why music is an additional character to any film, without it the film would be incomplete...during the silent film era, the piano player kept the audience tuned into what was happening, whether it was a love scene or danger lurking around every corner.Herrmann completely mesmerizes us with his themes, blending variations with eloquent and subtle cues...depicting each character in the film, and fine tuned to the story-line ~ he was a genius and knew his craft well...relies heavily on strings, usually with lyrical solos for the winds...absolute in capturing the essence of each scene, musically letting the audience in through his score ~ the result is colors come shining through with wonderful arrangements...many of the classic film scores have become cult favorites among "film-score-buffs" like me and collectors alike.Each film score is superb and very strong...the balance of the instruments and experimental touches of Bernard Herrmann are all just brilliant ~ working with directors like Welles, Dieterle, Hitchcock, Truffaut and Scorsese all were very conscious of classic film music and and Herrmann's cues really came through...each outing was nothing less than a bravo performance...those who ignored Herrmann during his career, really missed out...cause all the diehard collectors of film music knew he was a WINNER! ~ Bernard Herrmann [1911-1975].Total Time: 69:35 on 11 Tracks ~ Milan Records 36095 ~ (10/26/2004)

Wonderful collection of tunes from the master of suspence bernard herrmann,worth every penny. played it twice already go out and buy it

OK

Not sure whether this is a review for product or seller. Both fine!

Impeccable :vite reçu,bien emballé !

ヒッチコック監督の「知りすぎた男」の中で出てくる、アーサー・ベンジャミン作曲の「クラウド・ストーム・カンタータ」が収められております。長年レコードの時代から探していた曲がやっと手に入りました。指揮はエルマー・バーンスタイン。映画音楽の巨匠です。演奏水準、録音水準、共に高いです。感無量です。