Bernard Herrmann Bio On Sale

by Lukas Kendall

It's the week after Christmas, you're probably out of money, but guess what we have copies of? Steven C. Smith's Bernard Herrmann biography, A Heart at Fire's Center, a terrific 416 page hardcover chronicle of this great composer's life and work, published by the University of California Press.

This book came out in 1991 and is actually still in-print. However, it's not something you see at many bookstores, so it's got the aura of a "rare" book.

This is a fantastic work. It is probably in my top-five of the all-time best film music books... I don't know what the other four are, but it's impossible not to consider this one of the top five. First of all, the subject, is such a legendary figure: a brilliant film composer who was so innovative and ahead of his time, who did some of the greatest movies ever, and on top of that was an irascible and tempermental personality with an interesting life. So not only is it about someone great, but it's terrifically written: thorough, probing, well documented.

We will be selling this book through Film Score Monthly starting with the February issue. Right now I have literally 18 copies in our office which represents the first shipment we ordered from the publishing house. Instead of waiting until February, I figured, why not offer them on the web site? It's not like it's a new product -- but it is a great one.

How to Order!

We're selling Bernard Herrmann: A Heart at Fire's Center at the cover price of is $42.50 plus shipping. I know this seems like a lot, and is twice what we're asking for the out-of-print Dimitri Tiomkin book (still available, see the order form), but it's what the publisher has set up. We have to pay a high wholesale price. But, it's worth it... this is a great read.

Ordering is simple:

1) Use our online ordering form (the Herrmann book should be in the middle) to transmit your credit card information securely over the Internet.

2) Print and mail or fax this form, either with your credit card information or with a U.S. funds check, if you don't want to do the above, or have a problem with the online mechanism.

Please send your comments, any questions you might have, or any suggestions for future CDs to:

MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com