Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you're a collector of Alfred Hitchcock's films and are interested in a superior collection of re-recorded themes and suites from the scores for those films. Avoid it... if you are primarily interested in the Bernard Herrmann cues that dominate the second CD in this set, for they are available alone on a concurrent set from the same label. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Psycho: The Essential Alfred Hitchcock: (Compilation) No director has been the subject of as many film music compilations as Alfred Hitchcock, partly due to his famous collaboration with Bernard Herrmann during the later and more memorable series of suspense and horror films that reached their height in the 1960's. The shelves of record stores were overflowing with albums offering the music of Alfred Hitchcock films in 1999, and certainly there is overlap between most of these albums. Some record labels put forth items that featured original cues both used and unused in the original films, while others have presented all new re-recordings of the most famous cues. Even others have offered a combination of the above through the years. This late 1999 compilation from Silva Screen, titled 'Psycho: The Essential Alfred Hitchcock,' comes after many of the other entries of the year and includes fresh re-recordings of a vast amount of material (over 130 minutes) from many of Hitchcock's films. With the sonic clarity that always accompanies these Silva compilations, this is a chance to hear your favorite Hitchcock cues in resounding surround sound stereo. For astute collectors of Silva products, you'll note immediately that much of the material on the second CD has been released previously by the label. All of the selections by Bernard Herrmann can be heard on the Herrmann-only compilation by Silva earlier in the year; the tracks on both products feature the exact same performances. Working against some of the Herrmann material, as good as it is, is the fact that so many film music collectors have heard so many different renditions of the "Hitchcock/Herrmann" variety of scores that they potentially become tedious. The exceptions to this tendency are the Vertigo cues, which are difficult to neglect under any circumstance, and Herrmann's rejected suite of material from Torn Curtain, which is always an fascinating study for those interested in how the composer's unwillingness to conform to studio expectations brought the famed collaboration to an abrupt halt. The John Williams' selection from Family Plot, with its haunting choral elements, can also be heard on the Williams-only compilation from Silva, much like the Herrmann one. This leaves the only new highlight of the second CD to be Ron Goodwin's "London Theme" from Frenzy, a deceptively upbeat and hearty piece. On the other hand, the first CD is where the true beauty of this compilation is revealed. Featuring new performances by the City of Prague Philharmonic for almost all of the selections, this CD offers an opportunity to enjoy the grand and epic styles that blessed so many of Hitchcock's Golden Age films. His collaborations with Franz Waxman, Miklós Rózsa, and others well grounded in the studios at the time led to a series of films that each boasts a fully energized and elegant prelude cue. From Rózsa's classically complex Spellbound to the warm grandeur of The Lady Vanishes, the first CD is a masterful collection of strong cues. The re-arrangement of Louis Levy and Charles Williams' title theme for The Lady Vanishes into a concerto with a gorgeous rolling piano makes for a truly remarkable piece and the highlight of the entire set. Only Dimitri Tiomkin's rather stale two entries at the end of the first CD hinders its listenability. Important to note is that Silva Screen offered performances of roughly the same material on two volumes back in the early 1990's, and these albums featured older performances that were a bit sketchy in quality. For this 1999 set, there have been some vastly improved, new re-recordings. Inevitably, there are still some flubs here and there, particularly in the brass section, but they don't come at crucial times during the best tracks (and you have to expect some of that with Herrmann's more complicated works). If you're looking for the best compilation of original recordings of the music from the same collection of films, investigate the "Signatures in Suspense" album produced by the Hip-O label earlier in 1999. However, if you seek the same music for Hitchcock films performed by a large ensemble in impressive surround sound, this 2-CD album is recommended above all others. **** Track Listings:
Total Time: 101:36
All artwork and sound clips from Psycho: The Essential Alfred Hitchcock are Copyright © 1999, Silva Screen Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 10/31/99, updated 10/21/07. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 1999-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
