Yes it does....and I am not in the business of losing too much money these days...so Tadlow passes on all the above unless someone wants to pay for the whole recording?
Yes it does....and I am not in the business of losing too much money these days...so Tadlow passes on all the above unless someone wants to pay for the whole recording?
I agree. But it was a well argued case nonetheless
I love Alex North, but I get the financial aspect. While we're losing Tadlow's money fire me up an album of North's score and Puccini adaptions for Prizzi's Honor. Thank you very much.
Yeah Alex North has never been a great seller. We probably have a better chance (though still almost none) of getting a new Alfred Newman recording than a new Alex North one, because at least certain genre titles like The Robe sell well (on the other hand Cleopatra famously tanked for Varese, and obviously they grossly overestimated the popularity of Spartacus based on how much they've had to discount their expensive Deluxe set).
Even if a complete stereo Spartacus had great sales potential, as James has stated it would possibly be the most expensive new film music recording of all time and virtually impossible to make back its costs.
Hence my suggestion of Unchained -- if done as a Kickstarter to not risk losing money. No one has it in any form beyond the great love theme, but the popularity of that theme might be enough to carry a recording of this otherwise obscure score to success, especially since I'm pretty sure it's a more intimate affair and not large orchestra. How much score is there in the film, anyone who's seen it?
Seriously, has anybody seen Unchained? If so, how much music is in it? I'm genuinely curious. Also, I'm sorry the Cleopatra and Spartacus recordings did not do well. You know, we all have composers we really love that we have to justify to one extent or another, but Alex North is one of those few that sits high on that mountaintop.
I've never seen Unchained Melody so I have no idea how much music is in the film.
I'm also saddened to hear about the poor sales on Spartacus and especially Cleopatra (one of my favorite CD releases), though in the case of Spartacus, Varese kinda shot themselves in the foot with the ridiculously-priced box set.
Seriously, has anybody seen Unchained? If so, how much music is in it? I'm genuinely curious.
(I realize this is several years late, but...)
I still think a new recording (premiere album) of this score would have a better chance of making its money back than probably any other potential new Alex North recording at this point. Not too long, not a large orchestra... and it contains Alex North's single most beloved melody. Worth a shot at a Kickstarter, I think...
I still think a new recording (premiere album) of this score would have a better chance of making its money back than probably any other potential new Alex North recording at this point. Not too long, not a large orchestra... and it contains Alex North's single most beloved melody. Worth a shot at a Kickstarter, I think...
Yavar
Like Friedhofer's "Captain Carey, USA" soundtrack (Intrada) is still selling like hot cakes because it contains the even-more-beloved melody "Mona Lisa" which is central to the plot.
I keep requesting STAGE STRUCK to little interest. This is a very accessible North score: think the exuberance of THE RAINMAKER, with a symphonic, jazzy "New York" sound. If you happen to catch the film, listen to the cue for the confrontation between Eva and Lewis ("I am an actress..."). It appears in full in RICH MAN, POOR MAN for Dorothy Maguire's death scene. The trailer for STAGE STRUCK gives a taste of what this score offers:
Even if a complete stereo Spartacus had great sales potential, as James has stated it would possibly be the most expensive new film music recording of all time and virtually impossible to make back its costs.
Yavar
I'm curious about why SPARTACUS would be so expensive to re-record (twice as much as KING OF KINGS or roughly $ 200,000 as stated in another thread). Is the score twice as long? Does it require twice as many musicians? Is it so difficult to perform that it would take twice the amount of rehearsal and recording time?
It was James Fitzpatrick who made that comment/assessment. Seems like he might have been exaggerating a bit because I don’t think Spartacus is particularly longer than King of Kings. But I could well believe it’d be harder to record in terms of complexity/performance, and require more recording time. Also I think it may have a more unusual expanded orchestra?
I'm curious about why SPARTACUS would be so expensive to re-record (twice as much as KING OF KINGS or roughly $ 200,000 as stated in another thread). Is the score twice as long? Does it require twice as many musicians? Is it so difficult to perform that it would take twice the amount of rehearsal and recording time?
Book clients for two days of recording, get the job done in 1.5 days, send the client happily on his way and then spend the unused half a day recording one's own projects, and all paid for by the client. Do that three or four times and that's a big chunk of Spartacus paid for. Spreads the project over a long time, but that's ok... didn't El Cid get recorded in pieces over years rather than days? Advertising and marketing agencies I worked for did similar all the time, especially with radio commercials and photo sessions. Client would book two hours and the job would get done in one-and-a-bit. The left-over time would be used for anything we liked, like our own promotional material. All free. Of course... before everyone starts howling about how unethical that might be, there's the other side of the coin too, where the agency would book an hour of studio time but the job would stretch to two or even three hours if things didn't go smoothly. In which case, the agency would be working for free. Swings and roundabouts.
Gee, over his decades contracting orchestras, it’s a wonder James Fitzpatrick never hired you as a consultant! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out. Only a matter of time before someone follows your suggestion, I’m sure. Thanks for helping a new recording of Spartacus become a reality! Maybe it can even work to make some unreleased Alex North happen too.
It was James Fitzpatrick who made that comment/assessment. Seems like he might have been exaggerating a bit because I don’t think Spartacus is particularly longer than King of Kings. But I could well believe it’d be harder to record in terms of complexity/performance, and require more recording time. Also I think it may have a more unusual expanded orchestra?
Yavar
I agree. While the orchestra might not be huge per se, it had a lot of unusual instruments, especially percussions, and the complexity, especially rythmically, is daunting. I remember being so excited about the Nonesuch Alex North compilation (I stlll have it somewhere) because it had digital sound AND a top flight orchestra (the London Symphony Orchestra, i.e. the most soundtrack-friendly top orchestra) and.......they made a mess of Spartacus, especially the Main Title.
That said, i would love to see a recording (new or otherwise) of his amazing music for the TV miniseries The Word, but it's just a dream.
