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I always thought the Gerhard recording sounded fantastic, better then the originals!
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Don't know what to say LeHah, I've always enjoyed these Gerhardt recordings, but yes, Silva's Star Wars recordings (especially "Han Solo and the Princess") are surprisingly good considering they were recorded way back in 1994 when they Praguers weren't as consistently good.
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Posted: |
Dec 31, 2007 - 6:32 PM
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By: |
Joe E.
(Member)
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I don't know the answer to either question, I'm afraid, but if I may ask, how long has it been since you last heard these recordings?
As not only a lover of these scores but of the movies for which they were made, and one who's heard the originals umpty-zillion times, any rerecording, even if it's a great performance in and of itself, can strike me as "wrong" if it deviates from the originals in the slightest (and if it doesn't, then what's the point in the rerecording in the first place?), but over the years I've gotten more and more open to SW rerecordings (quite possibly in part because I've heard the originals so much I need other versions to be able to continue fully enjoying the music without it losing its freshness), and the Gerhardt ones are among those I enjoy a great deal - but then, it didn't take me until the present to do so, so YMMV.
Re: "The Asteroid Field," I don't think I've heard any rerecordings that aren't of the "concert suite" version of the cue (i.e., minus the film timing, the Imperial march at the beginning and love theme at the end, etc.). It just seems to be the way of most rerecordings of this, including Gerhardt's.
That said, Gerhardt's Empire album addresses another classic Episode V theme in a straightforward concert presentation different from any cue with it in the actual movie, but it's a theme mysteriously not "done" as much in rerecordings, for whatever reason - the Han / Leia love theme. Though titled "Han Solo and the Princess," as is the film cue most closely corresponding to it on the OST releases, it's just a "straight" version of the theme, without breaking off as in the movie (when the action shifts to Vader's command, just after Threepio interrupts Han and Leia's moment). It uses a brief snippet of Princess Leia's theme from the first score as a bridge, and is otherwise pure love theme, without the intrusion of the Imperial march or any of that. This album might be unique in having such a concert version of the love theme, and so to me it's essential just for that, in a way that no one concert version of the asteroid chase music is (since there are scads of rerecordings that offer that).
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Posted: |
Jan 1, 2008 - 12:13 AM
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By: |
JSWalsh
(Member)
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Gerhardt's takes on the Star Wars music are wonderful. Empire was such a treat, with the music from the early scenes not on the soundtrack LP. The percussion seems more forward in the mix in Asteroid Field and Battle in the Snow (though I always think the climax of the later sounds rushed, like someone was shouting "Hurry up, we're running out of tape!") and his more languid takes on the Yoda and Solo/Princess music are just grand.
OT: I've never cared much for Williams' Pops performances, but the first time I heard Darth Vader's Theme was on a local (Boston) broadcast, where the theme was, I believe, premiered. It was just magnificent, sounding so much BIGGER than his Pops performances did, and that little repeat of a couple of bars towards the end is just killer. I've never heard a performance of DVT that sounded so overwhelmingly powerful.
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Posted: |
Jan 1, 2008 - 10:58 AM
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By: |
spielboy
(Member)
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the Han / Leia love theme. Though titled "Han Solo and the Princess," as is the film cue most closely corresponding to it on the OST releases, it's just a "straight" version of the theme, without breaking off as in the movie (when the action shifts to Vader's command, just after Threepio interrupts Han and Leia's moment). It uses a brief snippet of Princess Leia's theme from the first score as a bridge, and is otherwise pure love theme, without the intrusion of the Imperial march or any of that. This album might be unique in having such a concert version of the love theme, and so to me it's essential just for that, in a way that no one concert version of the asteroid chase music is (since there are scads of rerecordings that offer that).
I just heard that cue yesterday and it has some very odd transitions along the cue, specially at the end. I dont like it.
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I just heard that cue yesterday and it has some very odd transitions along the cue, specially at the end. I dont like it.
Then take it up with Mr. Williams, it's his concert arrangement of that tune and is part of the EMPIRE suite.
IMHO, it's rather well performed by the NPO under Mr. Gerhardt's baton and I for like him sneaking in a bit of Leia's theme in it.
Ford A. Thaxton
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By any chance are we talking about the Dolby release of Gerhardt's recording? Those do indeed have an oddly flat sound to them, much inferior to the non-Dolby, but sadly rarer, forms of the same releases.
You are quite correct.
The original mixes for the original LP and first CD releases are IMHO vastly superior.
The later mixes are NOT BAD, but have a more distant feeling to them.
Ford A. Thaxton
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By any chance are we talking about the Dolby release of Gerhardt's recording? Those do indeed have an oddly flat sound to them, much inferior to the non-Dolby, but sadly rarer, forms of the same releases.
You are quite correct.
The original mixes for the original LP and first CD releases are IMHO vastly superior.
Anyone have cover scans of those early non-Dolby CDs, or label/number info, to help us obsessives seek out the vastly superior releases?
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here is the non-dolby ROTJ:
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have you heard the pre-Dolbyissue of Jedi, pictured in my post, Erik?
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Here's a copy of a post I wrote almost 5 years ago at JWFan:
"The Gerhardt recordings are the absolute best, rivaling the originals in many ways (and sometimes surpassing them). Top notch sound quality on all of them, too. Easily better than any of the original film recordings in terms of sonics. His Empire Strikes Back album rates as one of my very favorite records.
I'd put Kojian's recording a very close second. Wonderful sound and top notch playing, they just didn't record enough. Gerhardt got us 3 albums, one per film, while Kojian only did one album, and side one (boy am I dating myself) has music from Star Wars and Empire while side two is all Jedi music. The great thing about the album at the time is that it had unreleased music from Jedi on it. Still a great recording and highly recommended.
The Boston Pops recordings are very well done. Nothing spectacular, but you can't go wrong with them. There is a very nice album out from Phillips that collects all of Williams' re-recordings of Star Wars music with them. Unlike the Gerhardt and Kojian albums though, these are all concert versions of the music.
Erich Kunzels recordings are great for showing off your stereo system. Watch out for the bass drum in "The Imperial March". It could destroy your stereo system. The performances are very good too, but it's really the sound quality that stands out about his releases.
The Skywalker Symphony album should only be bought as a last resort. Tired, dull, boring performances, saved only by Shawn Murphy's recording. This album gets the least amount of play in my stereo system."
That post can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yryctn
Neil
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