I just finished listening to the whole thing and I must say, I FREAKING LOVE IT. I have not seen the film so I took a chance, but a big plus was Herbert's name and also a stereo recording from 1941. I was curious to hear what it sounds like. It sounds just incredible!
And I've always said that my favorite Stothart score was for "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
Maybe because it sounds more like Franz Waxman than anything he ever wrote.
That's because Franz Waxman is listed as a composer on the film at the ASCAP website. So is Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco as well as Alberto Columbo.
And doing a search at that website of "Dragon Seed" I see where Bronislau Kaper is listed along with Stothart. So is Alberto Columbo, William Axt, Anello Alberto and Daneile Amfitheatrof.
David Raksin told me that Stothart was more of an arranger-conductor than a true composer, that he relied on lots of help. On the other hand, Alfred Newman who at times also relied a several ghostwriters could, providing he had the time, compose an entire score. And notate it showing exactly where he wanted his orchestrators to emphasize various instruments. Then of course he was the finest conductor working in Hollywood with the finest studio orchestra.
I just checked ASCAP for "Random Harvest." Stothart had lots of help. Listed are Franz Waxman, Richard Heymann, Daniele Amfitheatrof, J. Rosas Michael William Semple and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
An ASCAP listing, or listing on a cue sheet, of a composer's name does not necessarily mean that said composer worked actively on a cue or score. If the composer/musical director used a few bars of a previously composed cue by another composer, both would have to be given credit. The most glaring example of this is the number of scores Max Steiner is given credit for when it is merely his Warner Bros. fanfare that is employed for the film.
An ASCAP listing, or listing on a cue sheet, of a composer's name does not necessarily mean that said composer worked actively on a cue or score. If the composer/musical director used a few bars of a previously composed cue by another composer, both would have to be given credit. The most glaring example of this is the number of scores Max Steiner is given credit for when it is merely his Warner Bros. fanfare that is employed for the film.
There are more detailed searches that can be done. I did this in order to discover just how much additional music Ray Heindorf and Roy Webb composed for "The Spirit of St. Louis."
Their names popped up showing which cue they worked on and its length.
From what I gathered, the film was recut and then either Waxman was not available to make the necessary changes or the studio and especially Billy Wilder felt some of the score wasn't working. Wilder said as much the day I spoke with him. He felt the music as originally written for the Lindbergh landing at Le Bourget Field wasn't suspenseful enough. The cue was reworked by Heindorf using Waxman's thematic material. The cue as heard in the film is terrific. I love the way Heindorf held the note until Lindbergh shut off the engine.
The most glaring example of this is the number of scores Max Steiner is given credit for when it is merely his Warner Bros. fanfare that is employed for the film.
You mean with the films in question that Steiner's name appears on the main title, yet he didn't compose a note of the background score? How'd he pull that off?
Just received this (the package having unusully taken a month to arrive in the post!) and after a first listen I am pleased to say what a delightful and impressive score it is. Stothart's lyrical and emotional music is perhaps most closely matched in style to that of Max Steiner although with less reliance on big themes. It will be interesting to hear more scores of his (more Stothart is on the way according to the notes) especially as he is so under-represented on disc; not to mention under-appreciated. I can't see that any label other than FSM would have taken the care and trouble to issue such a comprehensive 2 disc set of a 1944 score, along with the label's customary attention to presentation.
I can't see that any label other than FSM would have taken the care and trouble to issue such a comprehensive 2 disc set of a 1944 score, along with the label's customary attention to presentation.
With due repsect, SAE has lovingly restored many Alfred Newman scores that otherwise would have languished.
I can't see that any label other than FSM would have taken the care and trouble to issue such a comprehensive 2 disc set of a 1944 score, along with the label's customary attention to presentation.
With due repsect, SAE has lovingly restored many Alfred Newman scores that otherwise would have languished.
You're right of course (and I've got all of SAE's Alfred Newman CDs). I should have said "any label other than FSM or SAE"!
I can't see that any label other than FSM would have taken the care and trouble to issue such a comprehensive 2 disc set of a 1944 score, along with the label's customary attention to presentation.
With due repsect, SAE has lovingly restored many Alfred Newman scores that otherwise would have languished.
And we have a 2-disc CYRANO DE BERGERAC (Tiomkin) coming out very soon!
Still one of the best sounding recordings from MGM in the 40s. So grateful that Lukas and FSM preserved this gem. While Stothart wasn't in the same league as Newman, Steiner and that gang, he was a gifted composer and worked on many classic films. THis score is a real gem.
