DIAL M FOR MURDER (RE-RECORDING)

World premiere recording of complete Dimitri Tiomkin score for classic Hitchcock thriller! 1954 suspense classic about romance, deception, murder with dramatic Alfred Hitchcock twists and turns put Grace Kelly, Ray Milland and Robert Cummings through tense paces. Frederick Knott scripts from his own very successful stage play. Legendary Hitchcock cameraman Robert Burks lenses and then-frequent musical collaborator Dimitri Tiomkin scores. (Tiomkin also wrote the music for Hitchcock’s Shadow Of A Doubt, I Confess and Strangers On A Train.) This is Intrada’s debut Excalibur re-recording made under the baton of William Stromberg, recorded in Glasgow’s new state-of-the-art recording venue with world-class acoustics, top players and the peerless engineering of Simon Rhodes, helmsman for numerous James Horner sessions. In pre-production discussions, all involved agreed to approach the music not only with authenticity in both tempo, stylistics… but also to capture the 1950’s feel via 21st technology. A re-recording with crisp, polished performances that ‘felt’ like Tiomkin. No easy feat. From the opening fanfare (under the WB logo) all the way to the final resounding fortissimo coda, Maestro Stromberg delivers! Tiomkin’s music is complex, involved, busy. Brief respite comes with the love theme for Kelly and Cummings but director and composer focus primarily on building tension with sinister Milland plotting, unleashing frightening terror during the murder scene itself and tightening suspense afterwards. Elegant waltz-theme (marked ‘Tempo di Valse Elegante’ in Tiomkin’s score) captures attention during early portions but suspense takes command in final third of “Hidden Key/Swann The Intruder” via intricate orchestral ‘clock’ device (frequently in muted trumpet, percussion) that digs into the conscience, refuses to exit. Interestingly, Tiomkin gains tension not so much through dissonance but instead through incredibly intricate web of orchestral colors: flutter-tongue flute & French horn, ethereal harmonics in strings, delicate harp glissandi, pianissimo woodwind flurries, triple-divisi violin passages, other performance techniques. When the orchestral fireworks erupt during “Dial M For Murder”, entire orchestra leaps into tour-de-force mode. Dynamic! But neither Hitchcock nor Tiomkin are finished yet. Second half of film and score work deeper, tightening noose around the villain’s neck until the very end. Recording also includes both used, unused “Intermission Cards” for 3-D presentations plus alternate main title as well as unused arrangement in big-band style of love theme. Exciting “extra” features premiere recording of dazzling Tiomkin suite from Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train, prepared for performance by Christopher Palmer. Collaborative efforts by many result in Intrada’s successful first Kickstarter project! Thank you’s to all of those who supported the efforts. Enjoy the results of your support! Recorded under the supervision of Olivia Tiomkin, who gracefully attended the recording sessions. Music preparation by Anna Stromberg. William Stromberg conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.