The Fantasy Film World Of Bernard Herrman

The Day The Earth Stood Still

The Fantast Film World Of Bernard Herrmann
Conducting The National Philharmonic Orchestra

Album Conceived by Steve Harris

Producer: Raymond Few

Engineer: Arthur Lilley

Art Direction: Glenn Ross

Illustration: Richard Kriegler

Art Coordination: Judith C. Schulma
Phase 4 Stereo Decca / London Records SP 44207
1974

From the back cover: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH – I decided to evoke the mood and feeling of inner Earth by using only instruments played in low registers. Eliminating all strings, I utilized an orchestra of woodwinds and brass, with a large percussion section and many harps. But the truly unique feature of this score is the inclusion of five organs, one large Cathedral and four electronic. These organs were used in many adroit ways to suggest ascent and descent, as well as the mystery of Atlantis. For the scene involving the dangerous serpent, I resurrected an obsolete medieval instrument called a serpent, which has been dropped from contemporary orchestras.

THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD  – For this exciting and colorful Arabian nights fairy tale, I worked with a conventional sized orchestra, augmented by a large percussion section. The music I composed had to reflect a purity and simplicity that could be easily assimilated to the nature of the fantasy being viewed. By characterizing the various creatures with unusual instrument combinations (note the xylophones in the skeleton duel), and by composing motifs for all the major characters and actions, I feel I was able to envelop the entire movie in a shroud of mystical innocence.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL – With this earlier score, I attempted to balance a conventional orchestra consisting of piano, harps, brass and a large timpani section with a sizeable electronic group including two theremins, electronic violin, electronic bass and electronic guitar. There were no woodwinds. My goal here was to characterize a man from another world, and the music had to reflect an unearthly feeling of outer space without relying on gimmicks. The result, represented in this suite, seems to have been successful and most certainly predicted the shape of things to come for electronic scoring.

FAHRENHEIT 451 – Since the story took place in the distant future and involved a society that was politically oppressed from displaying any outward emotion or compassion, I felt that the music score should mirror the innermost thoughts and feelings of the leading characters. This suite reflects their restricted joys in food, sex, and drugs, and it carefully develops to reveal the stifled sensitivity of Montag, the misguided fireman. Attempting to avoid the electronic clichés which are so much in vogue at present, I employed a large string orchestra, plus harps and a few percussion. – Bernard Herrmann

Journey To The Center Of The Earth (B. Herrmann) 15:03

   Mountain Top And Sunrise

   Prelude

   The Grotto

   Salt Slides

   Atlantis

   The Giant Chameleon And The Fight

   The Shaft And Finale

The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (B. Herrmann) 8:31

   Overture

   The Duel With The Skeleton

   Baghdad

The Day The Earth Stood Still (B. Herrmann) 11:35

   Outer Space

   Radar

   Gort

   The Robot

   Space Control

   Terror

   Farewell And Finale

Fahrenheit 451 (B. Herrmann) 10:50

   Prelude

   The Bedroom

   Fire Engine

   Flowers Of Fire

   The Road And Finale