Bernard Herrmann: Psycho The Joel McNeely CD Track Listing

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Bernard Herrmann Psycho The Joel McNeely (1960)
Psycho: The Complete Original Motion Picture Score (1996 Re-Recording)\nRoyal Scottish National Orchestra - Joel McNeely Conducting\n1997 Varese Sarabande Records, Inc.\n\nOriginally Released 1960\nVarese Sarabande CD Edition Released July 29, 1997 or October 20, 1997\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: N/A\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nMuch has been made of composer Bernard Herrmann's choice to use only razor-sharp, slashing strings for his score to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. And heaven knows it works like a dream (or a nightmare), the music feeling as edgy and colorless as the noir-ish black-and-white photography. But as noticeably effective as the knife-screeching violins are in the famous shower scene (followed by those deadly blows from the basses and cellos), they work just as powerfully--though perhaps not as noticeably--all throughout the picture. Herrmann evokes dread and tension with just a few notes, or captures Janet Leigh's flighty panic in pizzicato as she hits the fateful road to the Bates Motel after impulsively stealing a large sum of money from her employer. --Jim Emerson \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nDefinative, April 12, 2004 \nBy Pat Harris (Maine)\nSpectacular re-recording of what remains one of the most recognizable and imitated film scores of all time. As usual with McNeely and the RSNO, the performance is both electrifying and exact, and the recording is spot on. Herrmann felt that Hitchcock's black-and-white film needed an equally black-and-white score, so he removed the "color" from the orchestra by limiting his writing strictly to the string section. What he accomplished was amazing in its ability to manipulate one's primal emotions, with or without the film. From the panic-stricken opening titles, through the long passages of drawn-out suspense, to the famous murder "stings," few other scores have done so much to build and shape the overall mood and movement of a movie. This completed Herrmann's trilogy of masterpieces for Hitchcock films, the prior ones being 'Vertigo' and 'North by Northwest.' If the former was his most darkly romantic, and the latter his most light-hearted and adventurous, then this one is easily the bleakest and most relentlessly single-minded. Yet it holds up splendidly as a stand-alone piece of work, brought to life once again under McNeely's direction. I'm not usually a fan of re-recordings, but he and the RSNO seem to get Herrmann's work just right time and again. A must-own if you love film music. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe masterpiece of mystery music, December 25, 2002 \nBy scottie (Sintra, Portugal)\n\nIt's hard to believe they gave Bernard Herrmann a small orchestra and he worked it out to make a masterpiece in film music! The score resulted in a genious orchestration of strings and high violins that matches with Hitchcock's film in a perfect way. \nJoel McNeely rerecords the score very similar to the original, and that is good since we don't have any other score available.\nIt must be remembered that Psycho soundtrack is much more than the infectuous music for the shower scene, anyone who has seen the mov will agree with with me. It has a great deal of fantastic mystery music, like the one used in "Temptation" or even the variations of the main theme used in the runaway cues, which create a very quick, suspenseful mood. My personal fave is "The Car", what a sound!\nThe score never develops to an comforting romantic cue, however "Marion and Sam" gives a lighter touch of their troubled romance. \nIt must be said that the "murder" themes are very similar to the original in the mov (they sound strong, and that's good) with the exception of "Discovery" part, where you'll not find the strings of the shower scene, there is instead the original music Herrmann wanted. \n\nThat's what it is-tam tam tam tam tam! That's how begins this must have score! \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nPretty good, but there are some flaws, December 2, 2002 \nBy Varese Fan (Sunny FL)\nJoel McNeely's re-recording of one of the best scores in existence is pretty good. I am impressed at his re-recording of slow cues like "The City" (my favorite of the bunch!), "Marion And Sam", "Temptation", "The Car", etc. However, I am disappointed by his work with the more intense cues like the "Prelude" and "Murder" themes. Like some previous reviewers have stated, it lacks the brutality of the original. Joel McNeely should have taken some notes from Danny Elfman when working on those, because Elfman knew exactly how to record them for the 1999 remake of PSYCHO. \nSo, it is that flaw that keeps this CD from getting 5 stars from me. But nevertheless, the remaining cues are wonderfully re-recorded. In fact, I find them superior to the originals as the originals were a bit too noisy and (given the age of the recordings) not as clear. This version, from my favorite soundtrack label, features the aforementioned slow cues as if they were from the original tapes, only with the volume turned down a bit and with crystal clear sound. It is just the brutal (or, in this case, not brutal) cues that are not up to snuff. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nMr.Herrmann would be very very proud..., November 25, 2002 \nBy "putayuflinch" (Bangor Island)\nThe shower music from "Psycho" is obviously the most recognizable theme in all of cinema history. Although this one is good, there are other themes. My favorite cue is the "Prelude" and it varies from the three copies that I own. I have McNeely's re-recording, the Danny Elfman/Steve Bartek adaptation from 1998, and I also own the original score, conducted by Herrmann himself, which is said to be out of print. Herrmann's conducting was top-notch, even if tempo is the most important thing on a score like this. His version of the "Prelude" was much slower than it should have been. Elfman's version was on the money, being more hyperactive and sounded like he put the score on speed. This version works nicely, capturing the tension, horror, shock, and overall ominous sense of evil. "Prelude" works as the main title cue. "The Rainstorm" is another favorite of mine and its only a variation on the "Prelude". At about an hour of music, this is best recording of the complete score. Herrmann's was too slow, Elfman's was very fast, but McNeely's was just right. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nFinally Free Of The Fruit Cellar, July 27, 2002 \nBy M. Packo (Stratford, CT United States)\nFirst of all, for all of those who have whined about preferring an "original" soundtrack recording -- forget about it! Was never made; never will be. The 1975 Unicorn-Kanchana recording, conducted by Bernard Herrmann, (the 1989 cd is a VERY difficult import to acquire) has been the definitive version of the entire soundtrack -- until this 1997 recording.\n\nMuch as I respect many of Danny Elfman's original scores - particularly Dolores Claiborne, Black Beauty, Mars Attacks and even the amusing MIB II prelude - his treatment of Herrmann's masterpiece is only a nice try.\n\nWith all that out of the way, and after considerable time spent comparing the recording Herrmann finally had the opportunity to make shortly before he died, (which I have been listening to regularly for over 25 years) with McNeely's version which I have been avoiding for a few years, my advice:\n\nThis is now the definitive version and will likely remain so for decades. Barring a much needed remastering of the Naional Philharmonic-Herrmann cd, you will NEVER hear this score, which is simply one of the finest musical compositions of the 20th century, the way it must be heard. Depth, clarity and separation between the various strings - particularly the celli and basses - is exceptional. Like listening to the music for the first time! The prelude has most - though not quite enough - of its frenzy back. The two missing cues are very interesting and most welcome. There is a nice inversion at the start of The Window which makes it more interesting. Every track is engineered impeccably, with a nice sustain and ring-off to the strings just the way it ought to be. Originally I found certain cues, like The City, The Curtain, and even The Water uninspired, too measured and lacking spirit. Likewise, I still find Herrmann's conducting usually has more of the flow and flavor of the music's essence which McNeely sometimes seems to lose track of. However, the overall dedication to craft and total respect for the quality of this score is perfectly obvious. I regret having waited so long to purchase this recording.\n\nLastly: The liner notes, though decent, really deserved to be more detailed and technical. You can hear maestro Herrmann doing such simple yet sublimely subtle things with his score now, and it would have been so helpful for us non-musicians if there had come included a bit more explanation as to what compositional elements they are. And why not have a companion video recording of this recording session? Now THAT would finally free Herrmann's masterpiece even more from its neglected past! \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe Best Re-Created Soundtrack Album Yet!, July 25, 2001 \nBy Sandy McLendon (Atlanta, GA USA)\n\nI usually don't care for recordings of movie scores that aren't directly off the film's soundtrack. They're often poorly played, or they are severely truncated, with many cues missing. This "Psycho" CD sidesteps these pitfalls entirely. All the music is here, and the playing expertly replicates what you hear in the movie itself. \nThe sonic quality is superb, fully state-of-the-art. It's so good, you hear- and FEEL- things you haven't since the last time you saw "Psycho" in a movie theatre. Hermann's shrieking strings truly shock in the shower sequence in a way that just doesn't happen when you hear them on TV speakers. His haunting, ominous bass notes tingle up through your toes; you don't just get the idea of dread, you feel it in your bones.\n\nAny orchestra or recording company planning to re-create a classic movie's soundtrack would do well to give this CD a listen; this is how it is done when it's done RIGHT. \n\nI recommend this one whole-heartedly! And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to make a bank deposit for my boss... \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nUnfortunately not very good, March 16, 2001 \nBy R. Siebrand (Amsterdam, North Holland Netherlands)\nI had high hopes for this re-recording. Everything is sort of OK but it misses aggressiveness. And it supposed to be 'nervous'. This re-recording doesn't make me nervous whatsoever. And it sounds like you are sitting in the back of an empty church while the orchestra is playing in front of the altar, like one big reverb-pit. That's allright for boys choirs if you're into that but Psycho (I think) supposed to sound almost like you're in a dead room. And that's where Danny Elfman comes in. He did an excellent job on that lame Gus van Sant re-make so there's at least one thing that came out right from that movie. The problem with that one is that it's incomplete but it's way, way better then McNeely's version. Go for Elfman's version. Money well spend (and better art-work). \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\n..Close, but no cheese sandwich, January 22, 2001 \nBy Michael M. Wilk "Eccentric" (Howard Beach, NY)\nI have mixed feelings towards this umpteenth recording of Bernard Herrmann's chilling score for Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". I congratulate Joel McNeely for use tempi closer to those of the original soundtrack, but I still feel that there is something lacking, particularly in the Prelude. It does sound muffled and a little "timid", lacking the jarring ferocity of the original soundtrack. That is probably my biggest "beef" about this recording. And I have yet to hear a re-recording of the notorious "murder" music that is as effective as it was in the film. Maybe it was the placement of the microphones, maybe it was in the post-recording, giving it that almost distorted sound, (which was innocently mistaken by late writer Ivan Butler as sounding like "distorted screaming bird-cries", which, actually, it does!), but in the several re-recordings of the score, do sound like very high-placed strokes on violins, and almost always played too slow. But enough kvetching. This is probably the best re-recording of the score I have heard so far, and for that I congratulate Joel McNeely and Varese Sarabande. Now, how about a digitally remastered recording of the ORIGINAL soundtrack? \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nQuite Good....but!, October 24, 1999 \nReviewer: A music fan\n\nJoel McNeely's re-recording of Bernard Herrmann's "PSYCHO" is actually quite good. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra's performance is superb (although I have head better!) and McNeely's conducting is surprisingly secure. The tempo's are well matced with that of the original. \nOf course, this recording gains much of it's worth by the fact that "PSYCHO" is one of the best scores ever comosed, and that it is the complete score. But I cannot give it a five-star rating at all. The main complaint I have about McNeely's recording (and a BIG one that is) is, that it completely lacks the brutality and intensity of the original. This can be clearly heard in the "Prelude". While the original was SUDDEN and SURPRISING (thus putting the audience in discomfort) this version seems more "dramatic" (when it really should be "BRUTAL.") This, I think, comes from a general misunderstanding on McNeely's part - "PSYCHO" should not be played as a concert piece, but as a movie score for a horror-movie (!) \n\nNever the less, I've never regretted getting this CD. Bottom line: It is an impressive re-recording (although I do rank Elfman's higher). \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGreat rendition of this classic score, but not the only one, June 11, 1999 \nBy Malcolm Armstrong "armstrongm@aol.com" (Tallahassee, Florida United States)\nA previous customer reviewer (staysun@hotmail.com) mentioned that up until the McNeely recording, the original score for Herrmann's "Psycho" had not seen a commercial release. Actually, Unicorn- Kanchana's Souvenir Series released the "Complete Music for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho" conducted by Bernard Herrmann and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra in 1989. The only variation in this newer release is the addition of track #23 (Cleanup) and a second version/take for track #31 ("The Search B", instead of "The Search A").\n\nThe Uni/Varese rendition of the complete score to Psycho is wonderful and quite faithful to Herrmann's own rendition of his classic score. If you can't locate the Unicorn-Kanchana 1989 CD recording, the Uni/Varese is a fine substitute. \n\n\nHalf.com Details \nProducer: Robert Townson \n\nAlbum Notes\nThis reissue of PSYCHO contains the full audio program from the movie, much of which has been unreleased until now.\n\nOriginal score composed by Bernard Herrmann.\n\nPerformed by The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Joel McNeely.\n\nBernard Herrmann was not only responsible for completely changing the face of film soundtracks, he also had his finger on the pulse of contemporary classical music. His innovative, brilliantly conceived soundtracks from the 1950s and '60s often employed structural rhythmic patterns, repetitions, and melodic theme and variation in evocative, minimal ways, and as such, have much in common with the music of Phillip Glass and Steve Reich. Like all his best work, PSYCHO stands as a unique, absorbing musical experience.\nBefore Herrmann, film music was often overpowering and melodramatic; it told the audience what to feel, rather than creating an atmospheric subtext to complement the images. The PSYCHO score, with a few exceptions (namely the piercing, avant violin attack of "The Murder," which cues the famed shower scene), is understated, using dynamic tension and subtle instrumental interplay to create incredible tension. The string section carries most of the weight, with violins and cellos surging and playing pizzicato; veering from lush orchestral calm ("The City") to unsettling abstract movements ("The Peephole"). In writing for Hitchcock's brilliant, deeply disturbing film of psychological horror, Herrmann created one of his finest scores: a masterpiece for a masterpiece.\n\nIndustry Reviews\nRanked #13 in EW's 100 Best Movie Soundtracks - ...Great subtlety...The harpy chorus of violin shrieks that accompany Marion crane's death changed the art of scoring...\nEntertainment Weekly (10/12/2001) YEAR: 1960
This soundtrack cd contains 40 tracks and runs 61min 11sec.
Freedb: 6a0e5528
Buy: from Amazon.com

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