Roy Webb fares only a fraction better than the totally ignored Frank Skinner in terms of original soundtrack CDs from our specialist labels. A treasure trove of magnificent film music untapped.
Instead of sitting here for the entire lifetime of the CD medium waiting in vain for some Frank Skinner, I might as well have spent the time on something with more likelihood of reward, like camping for decades in the Himalayas waiting to see a passing Yeti.
As for the superb composer Webb, the offerings have been so meagre that I can easily hold my entire collection of his original soundtrack CDs between my teeth.
The unfortunate problem with Webb is that he primarily worked for RKO, and when they went out of business it seems most of their music tracks were junked (though I'm still not sure where the OST material on that great Cloud Nine compliation came from...)
AND he suffered a big personal tragedy which ended his composing career when most or all of his written scores perished in a fire at his home.
So the only way we can get his music is if somebody spends the time and effort to reconstruct it (as MMM has and as John and Bill did once for Marco Polo). Since even famous Golden Age scores by "fan favorite" composers don't seem to be financially viable any more, I guess we don't have much hope left for Roy Webb.
That said, sometime back Bruce at Kritzerland though he might have tapes for Sinbad the Sailor, my single favorite Webb score...I'm REALLY hoping he wasn't confused.
THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, then you'll like Roy Webb's main title for I MARRIED A WITCH (1942).
I hear some references to Paul Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice in there (underneath all the Wagner bridal music) but no direct "pre-echoes" of Witches of Eastwick.
