Search - Bernard Herrmann, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: The Great Hitchcock Movie Thrillers

The essential Bernard Herrmann CD

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 08/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having this CD available again (used or otherwise) is salvation for Americans, who did without this for many years after the original Phase 4 disks departed. These 1969 recordings by the London Philharmonic, with the composer at the helm, are the definitive versions of the famous scores from "Psycho", "North By Northwest" and "Vertigo".



Everything about this CD is top notch. The sound was recorded in Decca's Phase 4 process, meaning as many as 20 microphones were used to mike every section of the orchestra. This sometimes led to music where all the instruments seemed to be as loud as all the others all the time. It also led to musical realization that cannot be matched through natural means.



If you read the trailer to this CD it might seem like there's not much here to like. True, the timing is not great at about 46 minutes. The "Psycho" section itself is more than 14 minutes in duration and includes music from all the famous scenes including the opening, the first viewing of the Bates Motel, the shower scene, the staircase stabbing and Norman Bates' demise.



The second best batch is the music from "Vertigo", which includes music from the prelude, nightmare section and love scene. The "North By Northwest" theme is the same music you heard in the theater when you saw the movie. Ditto "Marnie".



This is a keepsake for Herrmann fans that has worn its years well and never been equaled in later DDD recordings containing much more music. During intervening years, the version by Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic cames closest to capturing the creepy aura of Herrmann's Hitchocock scores. But they ultimatley failed to make the persuasive case modeled on the composers own work, now available for you on this disk.



The notes to this issue continue to be pretty skimpy, giving only a page to Herrmann's Hitchcock scores while dedicating that much to the Phase 4 recording process that is no longer in use.



Kudos in this recording to the Phase 4 technicians and to the strings of the London Philharmonic, one of the world's most esteemed musical bodies. Buy this one if it's available, for one day it will not be."

Wonderful music, but not the best choice

Danaphile | San Francisco, CA USA | 02/14/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A CD with a similar title (Psycho: Great Hitchcock Movie Thrillers) includes the exact same five tracks on this CD plus 2 more:



SPELLBOUND Theme (Miklos Rozsa) (4:46) - Stanley Black & the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus (arr.: M. David), 1963



ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS TV Theme (Gonoud: Funeral March Of A Marionette) (4:39) - Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Conducted by Alexander Gibson, 1965

"

Bernard Herrmann is the King of all soundtrack composers

ellafan | MI | 11/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sure, there are a great many other soundtrack composers whose works are forever creative and evocative.

But,for my money,nobody touches Bernard Herrmann.

How many times in your life has someone started screeching "Eek,eek,eek,eek"while s/he was pretending to stab someone?? You don't get that sort of thing with other composers.And you shouldn't.That belongs to Herrmann.

The next time you are watching any Hitchcock movie B.H. has scored,pay attention to all of the nuances and thrills and romance his music portrays.You will see that it would be impossible to watch those movies without his music.Not sweet,not flowery,not boring and certainly not common.

"