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Anyone a Bernard Herrmann fan? Seems that if you like Elfman, you’ll like Herrmann. I’m just starting to get some of his scores. I heard Psycho first but couldn’t decide which album to buy (I bought Elfman’s1998 CD in the end, of course). I bought the original recording CD of North by Northwest a wile ago, love that fandango theme!
It’s fun to find instances of Elfman borrowing from Herrmann, obviously a bit of the Batman main title is inspired by a cue from Journey to the Centre of the Earth, anyone hear anyother potential links?I’m a big fan of MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (the Tribute re-recording is very good, but the sound on the original recording is OK if you’ve gotta stay true). His fantasy album for Phase 4 is also excellent. I’m definitely a fan of his genre work.
I hated him in the beginning of my film music fandom (and didn’t really see the Herrmann connection in Elfman that everyone talked about). Too much repetitive clusters and intense gratuity. Well, as the years have gone by, I’ve come to both see and hear the connection and even like many Herrmann works. Not too keen on VERTIGO (and scores in similar territory), but love stuff like GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, PSYCHO, WILLIAMSBURG, THE KENTUCKIAN, CITIZEN KANE and THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY. The sci fi/fantasy stuff is a little hit and miss. I generally prefer more subdued music.
I don’t agree with THOR. VERTIGO is one of the greatest scores of all time! It’s better appreciated when you know and love the film. But it’s a great score! It’s definitely a must have Herrmann! TAXI DRIVER is pretty good too although I’m not a big fan of the film. You should always see the films if you can. It’s worth it!
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I’ll add that Herrmann’s work for SISTERS is one of the nuttiest, over-the-top film scores I’ve ever heard – and one of my favorites from him. Any Elfman way can indulge in that soundtrack.
Yeah, I know that VERTIGO is a classic and I’ve seen the film a couple of times (it’s pretty good). Still, I just can’t connect to it as a soundtrack experience. I just find the constant “breathing” chord-stop effects grating to my ears. Herrmann did this quite a lot, none more so than VERTIGO, and it’s not my favourite aspect of his sound.
I DO like TAXI DRIVER, though, one of the best scores to portray a sullen, neon-lit urban landscape by night or sunset. It’s that and Goldenthal’s HEAT that really capture that particular thing extremely well.
I haven’t listened to all of the Vertigo score yet, only heard it in the film. It’s not my favourite of his, he can be a little hard to listen to, and Vertigo seems to one such score where you have to persevere to appreciate it.
I love the Ghost and Mrs. Muir; the ascending, rolling opening to the theme is wonderful.
Taxi Driver, anyone hear some inspiration for the harps in Red Dragon there? The throbbing two notes?
I havent heard as many of his scores as I would like, I’ll have to work on it. What do people roccomend?I love Herrmann, his score for “Psycho” is my favorite thing he’s ever done, with “Vertigo” being close behind it. Of course, his scores for “The Twilight Zone” were also superb.
There’s always one bit of music that Elfman has written that reminds me of Herrmann, and it’s “Stolen Bike” from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The strings in that piece just make me think of “Psycho” every time and I really love it.Try on Hermann’s Symphony, there are things in it that makes me think Elfman has heard that piece before!
mongoose_mania Wrote:
> I love Herrmann, his score for “Psycho” is my
> favorite thing he’s ever done, with “Vertigo”
> being close behind it. Of course, his scores for
> “The Twilight Zone” were also superb.
> There’s always one bit of music that Elfman has
> written that reminds me of Herrmann, and it’s
> “Stolen Bike” from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The
> strings in that piece just make me think of
> “Psycho” every time and I really love it.That’s probably because it was a very deliberate reference to that score!
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