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 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 2:56 AM   
 By:   Amer Zahid   (Member)

THE BIG COUNTRY (2-CD) (60TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
Jerome Moross



http://www.quartetrecords.com/the-big-country-2-cd.html

Quartet Records and MGM present a 60th anniversary remastered 2-CD edition of one of the most famous western scores ever composed.

Directed by William Wyler and starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carrol Baker, Charlton Heston and Burl Ives, this epic western was based on the serialized magazine novel Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton. The Academy-Award nominated score composed and conducted by Jerome Moross (The Valley of Gwangi, The War Lord, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Proud Rebel) is undoubtedly one of the most popular soundtracks ever released. It changed the landscape of western movie scores, veering the approach away from spare folk songs to a lavish, American-flavored orchestral sound—suggestive of the open-air music of Moross’ friend Aaron Copland.

A 30-minute selection with 12 tracks from The Big Country was released on LP in 1958 by United Artist Records in two versions: stereo and mono, although the “stereo” was electronically processed from mono tapes. This album was reissued many times on LP due the popularity of the score. In 1988, Silva Screen recorded an expanded selection in terrific stereo with Tony Bremner conducting The Philharmonia Orchestra. The 76-minute original score finally appeared in 1991 on a limited release from Screen Archives Entertainment that included the whole score (with some tracks not included in the final cut of the film) sourced from the composer’s personal tapes. La-La Land Records released the same selection in 2007, although that edition sold out and is selling for exorbitant prices on the secondary market.

The 60th anniversary of this masterpiece bring us the opportunity to revisit the score, fully restored and remastered by Chris Malone (in true mono sound, without any fake stereo image), fixing some imperfections inherent on all previous releases and making it sounds better than ever! On the second CD we have included both versions of the historic LP, the processed stereo and the mono, transferred from master tapes vaulted at MGM.

The package comes with a flipper-style, 24-page, full-color booklet including the two covers of the original album and detailed liner notes by Jeff Bond.


DISC ONE. The Film Score

01. Main Title (3:25)
02. Julie’s House (2:14)
03. The Welcoming (3:13)
04. The Hazing (1:52)
05. Courtin’ Time (1:24)
06. The Terrill Ranch (1:38)
07. Old Thunder (1:43)
08. The Raid (Parts 1 and 2) (3:39)
09. McKay’s Decision (1:06)
10. The Capture (1:31)
11. McKay’s Triumph (0:38)
12. Major Terrill’s Party (Part 1) (1:33)
13. Major Terrill’s Party (Part 2) (1:13)
14. The Waltz (2:20)
15. Polka (0:57)
16. Night in Blanco Canyon (0:54)
17. McKay’s Ride (1:24)
18. McKay Is Missing (2:05)
19. The Old House (2:23)
20. Waiting (0:33)
21. Horror Stories (1:09)
22. Big Muddy (2:37)
23. Still Waiting (1:41)
24. McKay Alone (1:24)
25. Night at Ladder Ranch (1:13)
6. The Fight (2:59)
27. Cattle at the River (2:25)
28. Pat’s Mistake (1:24)
29. Buck Comes for Julie (1:17)
30. The Abduction (1:13)
31. The Captive (1:38)
32. The Attempted Rape (2:15)
33. The War Party Gathers (2:44)
34. McKay in Blanco Canyon (2:31)
35. Jim and Julie (0:40)
36. The Major Alone (1:56)
37. The Duel (0:55)
38. The Death of Buck Hannassey (2:49)
39. Ambush in Blanco Canyon (Part 1) (1:20)
40. Ambush in Blanco Canyon (Part 2) (1:52)
41. The Stalking (1:25)
42. End Title (2:04)

Total Disc One: 75:32

DISC TWO. The 1958 (Processed) Stereo LP

01. The Big Country (3:25)
02. The Welcoming (3:13)
03. Old Thunder (1:46)
04. McKay’s Triumph (1:28)
05. The Waltz (2:21)
06. The Old House (2:23)
07. Big Muddy (2:38)
08. The War Party Gathers (2:45)
09. McKay in Blanco Canyon (2:31)
10. The Death of Buck Hannassey (2:51)
11. The Stalking (1:25)
12. The Big Country (2:05)

The 1958 Mono LP

13. The Big Country (3:30)
14. The Welcoming (3:13)
15. Old Thunder (1:46)
16. McKay’s Triumph (1:28)
17. The Waltz (2:21)
18. The Old House (2:23)
19. Big Muddy (2:38)
20. The War Party Gathers (2:45)
21. McKay in Blanco Canyon (2:31)
22. The Death of Buck Hannassey (2:51)
23. The Stalking (1:25)
24. The Big Country (2:05)

Total Disc Two: 58:01

Total 2CD Time: 133:33

Limited Collector’s Edition of 1000 units.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 3:16 AM   
 By:   Martin B.   (Member)

Oh nice. I missed out on the LLL release.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 3:48 AM   
 By:   .   (Member)

The original LPs always featured dreadful sound. That's why the SAE and LLL presentations were so warmly welcomed. After playing the fine Disc One of the new Quartet set, why would anyone then want to listen to the awful LP versions on Disc Two?
Still, it's very good news indeed that the Disc One version is now available again.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 3:57 AM   
 By:   .   (Member)

d/p

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 4:14 AM   
 By:   MCurry29   (Member)

Good news! Missed past release.

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 4:15 AM   
 By:   Josh "Swashbuckler" Gizelt   (Member)

After playing the fine Disc One of the new Quartet set, why would anyone then want to listen to the awful LP versions on Disc Two?

Including the original album is often nice when that album has been the form people have known the score in for decades. If the sound is improved, it often makes a nice companion piece to the complete score.

In this particular case, however, I agree that there is little benefit to truncating this score, as it plays in complete form just fine. There are no dull moments in it at all.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 4:59 AM   
 By:   Rameau   (Member)

Yup, I'll have that.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 9:46 AM   
 By:   celluloid70   (Member)

A Big Surprise and a Big Welcome back from this Big Score. Well done Quartet, missed out on the previous two releases and will be ordering for sure.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 11:31 AM   
 By:   PFK   (Member)


The Big Country is one of my all-time favorite scores!

While I have previous versions, I will buy this for sure. This should be the best sound quality yet!
Don't miss the milestone classic by the great Jerome Moross.

Thanks Quartet! smile

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 11:46 AM   
 By:   Bill Carson, Earl of Poncey   (Member)

Hey i had the mono LP!!

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 2:06 PM   
 By:   PFK   (Member)

The original LPs always featured dreadful sound. That's why the SAE and LLL presentations were so warmly welcomed. After playing the fine Disc One of the new Quartet set, why would anyone then want to listen to the awful LP versions on Disc Two?
Still, it's very good news indeed that the Disc One version is now available again.




Basil, the mono "LP" version is " transferred from master tapes vaulted at MGM. "

I don't know the source of the complete score on CD #1, so I would guess the mono version on CD #2 has the best sound quality of this release. Plus, it's cool to have the original LP selections. In 1964 this was one of the first soundtrack LPs I ever bought. Love this score!

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 2:17 PM   
 By:   CDDA   (Member)

It was originally recorded in mono back then?
I think, even in the early 60's, the stereo recording still expensive.

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 3:09 PM   
 By:   Doug Raynes   (Member)

It was originally recorded in mono back then?
I think, even in the early 60's, the stereo recording still expensive.


There have been previous threads reporting that it was recorded for the film in stereo. Presumably the stereo tracks were lost a long time ago.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 3:53 PM   
 By:   joan hue   (Member)

It is one of the best film scores ever composed. We did have a very long discussion about the movie and the score on the thread posted below if anyone is interested.

http://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?pageID=1&forumID=1&threadID=117957&archive=0

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 4:03 PM   
 By:   'Lenny Bruce' Marshall   (Member)

42 tracks
vs.
12 tracks

I choose the lp.
Brm

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 4:36 PM   
 By:   Rameau   (Member)

It was originally recorded in mono back then?
I think, even in the early 60's, the stereo recording still expensive.


There have been previous threads reporting that it was recorded for the film in stereo. Presumably the stereo tracks were lost a long time ago.


I think it was only Joe Caps that said it was originally stereo, no one else seems to think so, & he said the same about The Vikings.

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 8:09 PM   
 By:   Josh "Swashbuckler" Gizelt   (Member)

42 tracks
vs.
12 tracks

I choose the lp.
Brm


You have chosen… poorly.

 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 8:16 PM   
 By:   'Lenny Bruce' Marshall   (Member)

42 tracks
vs.
12 tracks

I choose the lp.
Brm


You have chosen… poorly.


Maybe.
But while you are plowing through the complete score I will be making out with Scarlet Johannesburg.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 9:00 PM   
 By:   .   (Member)

I enjoy the original tracks of course, but the Silva re-recording is the one that gets most plays from me.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 10, 2018 - 9:51 PM   
 By:   pp312   (Member)

I think it was only Joe Caps that said it was originally stereo, no one else seems to think so, & he said the same about The Vikings.

Isn't it true that most major widescreen films of the time were automatically recorded in stereo? After all, The Robe is '53 and that was recorded in stereo.

 
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