Album

Chandos' outstanding Chandos Movies series, helmed by conductor Rumon Gamba with the BBC Philharmonic, has not heretofore visited the cinematic output of Bernard Herrmann, reckoned by some as the greatest film music composer ever. For this initial Herrmann foray, Gamba and Chandos have decided on two early and definitive scores, for John Brahm's horror film Hangover Square (1945) and Orson Welles masterpiece Citizen Kane (1941) which was Herrmann's first film assignment. Parts of both of these scores have been recorded numerous times, particularly Citizen Kane, though Hangover Square is especially notable in that it contains a short piano concerto of the kind common to movies in the 1940's; this is represented by Laura Shepherd's 1992 performing edition, entitled Concerto Macabre, which was based on Herrmann's own sketches towards a concert version of the concerto which he never completed. The whole of both scores are included, along with some fantastic photographs of Welles and Herrmann taken during the production of Citizen Kane. While the recording might not attempt to reproduce actress Dorothy Comingore's deliberately bad performance of Rossini's "Una voce poco fa," it does include soprano Orla Boylan singing—far more credibly than did Comingore's character—Herrmann's fake opera "Salammbò."

The performances are, as is usual with Chandos' series, exceptionally well done. Sometimes the digital recording gets a bit quieter than would be ideal, but for those used to collecting these soundtracks only the short sets or suites of cues that have been generally available the very completeness of these Gamba/BBC Philharmonic recordings will be a boon.

© Uncle Dave Lewis , All Music Guide

CD 1
Bernard Herrmann Composer Hangover Square, film score Work 16:55 Yuri Torchinsky Orchestra Leader, Rumon Gamba Conductor, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
1	The Dealer - Murder and Fire - Confession	6:21			$0.99
2	Netta - The Spell - The Murder - Fame	4:29			$0.99
3	The Cat - Netta's Death - The Bonfire - Recovery	6:05			$0.99
Norma Shepherd Composer Concerto macabre, for piano and orchestra (after Bernard Herrmann's concert version of music from Hangover Square) Work Yuri Torchinsky Orchestra Leader, Martin Roscoe Piano, Rumon Gamba Conductor, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
4	Concerto Macabre (Hangover Square, 1945)	11:01			$1.99
Bernard Herrmann Composer Citizen Kane, film score Work 48:33 Yuri Torchinsky Orchestra Leader, Orla Boylan Soprano, Rumon Gamba Conductor, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
5	Prelude - Rain - Thatcher Library - Manuscript Reading and Snow Picture - Mother's Sacrifice - Charles Meets Thatcher	8:10			$1.49
6	Galop - Dissolve Thatcher Reading Document - Second Manuscript - Thanks - Bernstein's Narration - Kane's New Office - New Hornpipe Polka - Carter's Exit - Chronicle Scherzo - Bernstein's Presto	7:15			$1.49
7	Kane's Return - Collecting Statues - Valse Presentation - Sunset Narrative - Theme and Variations	7:38			$1.49
8	Kane meets Susan - Susan's Room - Mother Memory - The Trip - Geddes's Departure - Kane Marries	5:40			$0.99
9	Salammbo's Aria	4:12			$0.99
10	Leland's Dismissal - New Dawn Music - Xanadu - Jigsaws - Second Xanadu	7:10			$1.49
11	Kane's Picnic - Susan Leaves - El Rancho - The Glass Ball - Finale	8:28			$1.49