HERRMANN CBS YEARS VOL 2 AMERICAN GOTHIC

Label: Prometheus PCD 153
Dates: 1944-1958
Tracks: 26
Time = 69:22

CD from Belgium

Second volume of music from CBS library composed by Bernard Herrmann. Music is scored for broad subject ideas, designed to be "tracked" into variety of CBS programming during 1940's, 50's. Typical of composer, small ensembles are no obstacle to variety. Herrmann gets myriad color from trumpets playing open and muted, French horns using hand in bell and out, so forth. Other groupings offer woodwind choir, strings alone, variety of harp, chimes, celeste, you name it. Herrmann reduces percussion almost exclusively to tympani but gives his player a workout just the same. CD has: "Walt Whitman Suite"; "Ethan Allen Suite"; Desert Suite"; "Collector's Item"; Moat Farm Murders"; Brave New World". Highlights are many but a few to spotlight are: Exciting series of descending scales for variety of open, muted brass during "Collector's Item", intricate harp, vibraphone, celeste effects during "Brave New World". Score for "Walt Whitman" emphasizes strings in warm pastoral mode. "Desert Suite" compliments western idiom of first CD volume, displays creative use of brass, tympani. Unsold 1956 pilot called "Landmark" affords sole offering of snare drum amongst dynamic marching brass. All scores presented in excellent mono from original elements. Solid production (Ford Thaxton, Luc Van de Ven), crisp audio (Chris Neel), authoritative notes (Jon Burlingame) are further assets. Bullseye!