Compilations: Rants, Ravings and Reviews 2

by Dennis Logsdon

See Dennis's earlier article.

One of the reasons I like instrumental compilations is because I grew up in the 50's. Orchestral instrumental hits were common and I could go to sleep with the sea gulls, waves, and lush arrangements of Ebb Tide. In the early '60s a new instrumental wave was beginning: The Great Motion Picture Themes LP. United Artists (UAL) had a string of LPs with a mix of Original themes and studio recordings and used their stable of artists like Ferrante and Teicher, Don Costa, Al Caiola and others. It's a rare film music fan who does not have a copy in their collection of Great Motion Picture Themes with Exodus, Vikings, Unforgiven, On the Beach, The Apartment and others or Great Western Themes with Magnificent Seven, Scalphunters, One Eyed Jacks, True Grit, Mclintock, etc. It wasn't long that the '60s was awash with compilations from every well known orchestra such as Ray Coniff, Percy Faith, Boston Pops, and not to forget those great sounds out of England with the likes of Stanely Black. Movie scores were out there but movie themes were everywhere.

I would like to mention a few from the era and they represent how mixed and wonderful a selection was available.

1. Route 66 - Nelson Riddle Capitol Records. Light and breezy are most of the TV themes from this LP. Route 66, Alvin Show, Andy Griffth Show, Ben Casey, Dr Kildare, My Three Sons, Untouchables, Naked City, Sing Along (Mitch Miller), Defenders, Sam Benedict, This Could Be the Start of Something New. This is low key arrangements from the innocent '50s but life was changing and it shows in this selection.

2. The British Labels of London and Command put out some heavy sounds in the mid '60s to mid '70s and one of the best was Bond Themes and Other Spy Themes by Roland Shaw. This double LP set had Bond themes on one LP and Spy Themes on the other. Great big band or Orchestra arrangements on Bond themes up to Diamonds Are Forever and great sounds on themes like The Avengers, The Saint, I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Peter Gunn and one of the best arrangements of Our Man Flint anywhere. Another fabulous Command LP was The Man from Organ with themes done on... you guessed it.

3. Inspired Themes from Inspired Films. Felix Saltkin on the Liberty Label. This was the kind of LP that made you guilty you didn't go to church last week. If you wanted all those lift your head up high themes done in lush strings and shouting trumpets then this was the LP to have. There was a good dose of heavy organ in the arrangements to really put the heaven on earth feeling in your bones. El Cid, Francis of Assisi, King of Kings, The Robe, Ben Hur, Quo Vadis, The Prodigal, Song of Delilah. I get goose bumps everytime.

4. I'll finish by mentioning the above UAL LPs. They had the well known themes but to fill out an LP they had themes that are harder to find. There are not to many places except the scores to find, God Litte Acre, The Wonderful Country, Mclintock, One Eyed Jacks, Some Like It Hot, Hour of the Gun, Big Gundown, Duel at Diablo, In the Heat of the Night, The Corrupt Ones, The Birds and Bees and the Italians, Honey Pot, The Way West, Horse Soldiers and On the Beach.

I love compilations, where else could you find the Music of Jean Harlow movies. As Butch and Sundance would say, "Who are those guys?" who would produce or buy such a compilation?

From: "Maarten van Herpt" <maartenvanherpt@hotmail.com>

My Favorite Compilations.

Reaction to the article by by Dennis Logsdon

The Film Music of Alex North (Nonesuch 7559-79446-2)

A beautiful compilation, with pieces from "The Bad Seed," "The Misfits," "Viva Zapata!," "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Spartacus." Brilliantly performed by the London Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Eric Stern), although track 6, "Gathering of Forces" could be a bit slower, like the version on the Varese re-recording of "Viva Zapata!"

The 6 tracks from "Spartacus" on this album are all I own of that film, so I can't compare it with other recordings. But I love this music. The track "Camp at Night" has moved me to tears a couple of times. I don't want to state that a piece of music is a good one if it makes you cry. I think there's a big difference between crying by manipulation and crying because of the beauty of something). Listen to this piece at night, when the whole world is asleep and experience what happens...

P.S. : I recently asked the Royal Scottish National Orchestra if they had any plans for a Spartacus re-recording with Jerry Goldsmith. This was the answer:

"Plans have been made to re-record Spartacus with Jerry Goldsmith some time in the future, but as yet, no time or place has been confirmed."

Georges Delerue - The London Sessions Vol. II (Varese Sarabande 5245)

This is the second volume of three CDs and the only one I own. I play it very often. The highlight is a 12+ minutes during suite "Hommage: Francois Truffaut," which features music from 10 Delerue/Truffaut collaborations, among which are: "Shoot the Piano Player," "Jules et Jim," "The Woman Next Door," "Love at 20," etc. It's a very varied suite, with jazzy piano tunes, melancholic melodies and haunting themes for strings. Also very beautiful is a suite from "Steel Magnolias," a warm, moving score which melodies carry you up and put you down gently. The theme from "Interlude" is, to quote the liner notes, "one of the composer's most haunting melodies."

Other suites on this album: "The Escape Artist," "Maxie" and "Salvador." Georges Delerue moves me with his beautiful, sometimes simple and straightforward melodies that are often played by the xylophone, flute and piano.

The Truman Show - Original Soundtrack (Milan 60822-2)

As this soundtrack is a mixture of Burkhard Dallwitz's score, music from Philip Glass, Wojciech Kilar and Frederic Chopin, I think it fits in the category "best compilation." Dallwitz's score is very original and perfect for the film it accompanies. "Trutalk" is a great Vangelis-like piano theme, and "Reunion" is a beautiful slow melody performed by strings and synthesizer, against another piano melody. I'm an admirer of Philip Glass' compositions, his music works great in "The Truman Show" and I think that's why I also like it on this CD. Track 8 of the album is the second movement from Chopin's "Piano Concerto No 1 in E-Minor". This work made me realize that it's film music in the first place that learned me to discover and love classical music. The piece is very romantic. When I listen to it, I sit for about 10 minutes in my chair, breathlessly. Beautiful.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:

• The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (all volumes)
• Jean Claude Petit: "Le meilleur des bandes originales de films" (feat. music from "Cyrano de Bergerac, 1990)
• Journey To the Stars (Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, John Mauceri)
• The Classical Filmmusic of Bernard Herrmann (NPO, Charles Gerhardt)
• Bernard Herrmann: Great Filmmusic (The DECCA/LONDON Phase 4 stereo-series)
• Frontiers (Jerry Goldsmith Sci-Fi classics)

From: "L. Rob Hubb" <blackrose@valise.com>

On the compilation article... I agree that the RCA/Gerhardt compilations are a must for anyone. Some other good ones are:

The Valley of Gwangi: The Film Music of Jerome Moross - invaluable for anyone who wondered what else Mr. Moross accomplished besides THE BIG COUNTRY. Very well done - and on Silva!

Silva's Horror film compilations: HORROR! which has great, but short suites from THE HAUNTING (Humprey Searle's score), CURSE OF THE DEMON, KONGA, many others; and THE DEVIL RIDES OUT - Music by James Bernard for Hammer Films - suites from SHE, The Quatermass Trilogy,...

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