I'm looking for opinions from those who have both the Varese McNeely re-recording of Sunset and the Counterpoint Waxman original soundtrack. This has always been my favorite Waxman score so I want to be open to all avenues of its presentation.
I have the McNeely (plus the Gerhardt suite) and love the fact it is complete including music not used in the film and also is recorded using modern day recording technology. Still, I'm curios about the Waxman recording and how it compares to the McNeely in orchestral performance, interpretation or other elements.
Personally I'm not a slave to preferring either original soundtrack recordings or re-recordings. I'm open to both and which I prefer for a score is a case by case thing for me. Quite often I find different things to like about both. I'm short of funds right now so that's why I'm asking in order to get a more informed feel before I make a buying decision. Thanks in advance to all for contributing!
[I know there is a thread about this somewhere, I just couldn't find it with the search terms I entered.]
The pros: The sound is good for such an older score and great performance (tempo seems a bit faster than on the rerecording) and cover art-package The cons: It's not complete (aprox.2/3 of the score - the rest was damaged) and in mono
If I had to choose only one I'd go with the complete rerecording.
Dan... you're the man! Thanks for the plug. Yeah, my explanation can be heard during that show. Both albums, IMHO come highly recommended and compliment each other nicely.
Dan... you're the man! Thanks for the plug. Yeah, my explanation can be heard during that show. Both albums, IMHO come highly recommended and compliment each other nicely.
-Erik-
Erik, I listen oftenly to your shows. They have helped me discovering some scores that otherwise I might have passed (in fact it was after listening to this show that I picked the rerecording of Sunset Boulevard also). Keep the good work!
Eric, I listen oftenly to your shows. They have helped me discovering some scores that otherwise I might have passed (in fact it was after listening to this show that I picked the rerecording of Sunset Boulevard also). Keep the good work!
Awesome news! Thanks for the note and I'm glad my show helped you with a purchase!
I listen to Erik's show too, but haven't listened to that particular one yet (I forgot all about it!). Looks like I need to check it out pronto. It should help. Thanks!
"This has always been my favorite Waxman score so I want to be open to all avenues of its presentation."
Then you should buy them all and then you can be open to all avenues of its presentation.
In a perfect world that would be great. Still unemployed and having to carefully prioritize right now with only a smattering of monthly funds available for non-essentials. I'm sure I'll get the recent release, it just may have to be later. This is just my attempt at trying to determine priority amongst all of the new releases with the help of some of my fellow film music friends!
Whenh I worked at Pioneer laserdisc, the tapes were sent to me to see if we wanted to put a music only track on our laser, but we didn't as some score was missing.
What they had now, is exactly what I had back then.
Paramount had saved what they had. It was recorded on mag, not optical.
However, the actual soundtrack is far superior to the McNeeley recording. The sound is great and you can always get the McNeeley later on.
For my money, it's the Waxman all the way, and I do love the Charles Gerhardt recording, too.
As much as I admire McNeely (and I do), the washy sound, which obliterates all orchestral detail does the album in. You can hear that detail immediately in the original and in the Gerhardt.
For my money, it's the Waxman all the way, and I do love the Charles Gerhardt recording, too.
As much as I admire McNeeley (and I do), the washy sound, which obliterates all orchestral detail does the album in. You can hear that detail immediately in the original and in the Gerhardt.
While the McNeely recording is indeed more concert hall there is still plenty of detail and crispness in the recording (kudos to Jonathan Allen.) And it's a step up compared to some of the other hollow sounding Varese recording that were produced.
Does anyone know where in the sequence "Prelude and Conversing Corpses" is supposed to go? It is a bonus track on my copy. Apparently it is for a deleted scene.
Does anyone know where in the sequence "Prelude and Conversing Corpses" is supposed to go? It is a bonus track on my copy. Apparently it is for a deleted scene.
It was for the opening of the film, but the entire sequence was (famously) cut.
Does anyone know where in the sequence "Prelude and Conversing Corpses" is supposed to go? It is a bonus track on my copy. Apparently it is for a deleted scene.
It was for the opening of the film, but the entire sequence was (famously) cut.
Thank you! So that would be in place of the opening prelude that exists? Was the lost footage ever found?
