Comments on: Charles In Charge

By: Ros Pratch

Ros Pratch — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:03:41 +0000

I recently interviewed John Steven Lasher, whom you conveniently omit in your mention of record label executives, about his Entr’acte Recording Society. He remarked that the Gerhardt recordings were the raison d’etre for his becoming a record producer.

By: Jim Lochner

Jim Lochner — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:15:18 +0000

It’s funny you mention ON DANGEROUS GROUND. I just checked it out of the library to watch the other day. Haven’t seen it in years. If you haven’t heard the LA Philharmonic’s performance of the “Death Hunt” from the opening of Disney Hall, you must. Guaranteed to give you goosebumps. You can see it on my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DehXokWadu0

Actually the Elmer box set *would* make a great idea for a post…or posts. I’ll keep that in mind.

And, yes, we are certainly spoiled by the availability of all this great music.

By: Robert Emmett

Robert Emmett — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:31:09 +0000

I am glad that RCA took a flyer on classic film music and released that series. I got introduced to a number of movies that way, hearing much of the music before I ever got to see the movie. (My passion for years was trying to see On Dangerous Ground on tv or at a revival house, because of that one track on the Herrmann disc.)
You might write an article about Elmer Bernstein’s FilmMusic collection (which Lukas brought out as a massive, one-shot, box-set). After moving to California, I thought I had found the Holy Grail itself when I would find used copies of the original vinyl.
Elmer didn’t have a record label, he released them by subscription! Amazing. We are most certainly spoiled by the current availability of film scores.

By: CD Review: Exodus | Film Score Click Track

CD Review: Exodus | Film Score Click Track — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:02:19 +0000

[...] The timbres? Will it sound too stuffy or too bright? So many things can go wrong. For every Charles Gerhardt masterpiece, there’s a Leroy Holmes hack job waiting in the [...]

By: Lost In the Shuffle VIII | Film Score Click Track

Lost In the Shuffle VIII | Film Score Click Track — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:01:59 +0000

[...] The Charles Gerhardt series of Classic Film Scores recordings for RCA in the 1970s was responsible for my introduction–and love of–Golden Age film music. My favorite album of the series was dedicated to the score of Franz Waxman. In addition to suites from such great scores as SUNSET BOULEVARD and A PLACE IN THE SUN, the album contained music from Waxman’s breakthrough score–THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. I’m not a big horror fan, so everything I know of BRIDE I learned from YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Fans of Waxman will recognize chord progressions and thematic elements reminiscent of later Gothic films such as REBECCA and MY COUSIN RACHEL. It’s hard to get that three-note motif out of your head, especially when played on the theremin. The timpani keeps a steady rhythm through the track bringing the cue to a thrilling close. [...]

By: Jim Lochner

Jim Lochner — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:39:48 +0000

I wish I’d known that. I would have put it in my original article. I can’t believe that never came up in the research I did for it. Oh well. Thanks for adding the comment. It enriches the article and brings everything full circle to today’s film scoring.

By: Paul Luscusk

Paul Luscusk — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:08:03 +0000

Jim, just to let you know, the The Classic Film series did change the face of modern film music. When George Lucas was looking for music for his new film (Star Wars) he gave a copy of “The Sea Hawk” to John Williams and told him this was the kind of music he was looking for. And “The Rest is History.”

By: Jim Lochner

Jim Lochner — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:44:18 +0000

Dainis, glad you liked the article. Having spent all of my many years of college as a music major and even more working in the classical music world and in conservatories, I can tell you there’s no love in that camp for film music. But I think the more classical composers that “cross over” (an unfortunate phrase) into the world of film and vice versa, the more audiences in both camps can see the commercial value of all sorts of music. After all, good music is good music, no matter the medium. :)

By: Dainis W. Michel

Dainis W. Michel — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:41:58 +0000

Wonderful article. I’ve been contemplating presenting my music for use in film for a while, yet the “purity” concept really blocked me. I’ve lived with the “kiss of death” anecdote for a while, and I’m relieved to find this article, since between the lines, I also read the message that commercial presentation of music does not necessarily require the dilution of artistic value.

Thank you,
Dainis W. Michel