The Sea Hawk LP - the one that began the Classic Film Score series |
The Sea Hawk - Classic Film Scores of ERICH WOLFANG KORNGOLD
Lost Horizon - Classic Film Scores of DIMITRI TIOMKIN Captain From Castile - Classic Film Scores of Alfred
Newman Citizen Kane- The Classic Film Scores of BERNARD HERRMANN Here is a important and treasurable reissues!! These thirteen disks are the legendary Classic Film Score series. For the complete story on this and complete listings of contents, check the feature on this site CLASSIC FILM SCORES. The entire series was issued first on LP, later on CD, but most of them eventually were deleted. Now we have them all in magnificent transfers. Engineer Maria Triana has returned to original analog stereo tapes—previous CD versions were in artificially produced Dolby Surround. And the new versions sound wonderful. Gerhardt's magnificent concept of movie music, and the stunning playing by the National Philharmonic, are beautifully conveyed by the rich sonics. Program notes from original LP issues are included are is the covers, although new graphics are on CD booklets. And these are mid-price. If you don't know these recordings, you are missing definitive performances of the best of movie music. Gerhardt was a good friend of mine (see GERHARDT). He told me at the request of RCA he had remastered all of the Classic Film Score recordings, with different compilations and adding some never-issued material. For whatever reason, RCA decided to return to the programming of original CD issues. Too bad, but let us rejoice in what we have. Production values are excellent although it is odd producers elected not to have separate tracks for the six sections of Lost Horizon, although eleven tracks are provided for Gone With the Wind. Collectors surely will wish to have these CD issues from the original analog masters. If you have a quality audio system, check out the uncommon
vividness of the unusual percussion in Bernard Herrmann's White Witch
Doctor,
and stunning
sound
of 9 harps
in Beneath
the 12-Mile Reef. (the composer was at the sessions in 1974 and was
delighted). And don't miss the Franz Waxman CD which ends with a hair-raising
Ride to Dubno from
Taras
Bulba.
If you
owned
previously
versions of these famous recordings, you owe it to yourself to hear what
you were missing. The "odd-man-out" here is the CD of music of
David Raksin. This was issued at the same time as the Classic Film
Scores series but it is not conducted by Gerhardt, and the orchestra
is the New Philharmonia instead of the National Philharmonic. Gerhardt's
only participation
was as producer, which is a guarantee of the highest quality audio..| R.E. B.(December 2013) |