CD includes Digital Download-24 Bit Wav, MP3, Digital PDF
Dragon’s Domain Records, to be distributed through buysoundtrax.com, presents the world premiere release of FRANZ WAXMAN: THE DOCUMENTARIES, featuring music composed by the legendary composer for selected documentaries from the documentary series THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY was one of the most distinguished documentary series in television history. For nine years, from 1957 to 1966, this Sunday-night fixture presented well-written, thoroughly researched and compellingly filmed half-hours on history, science and culture. All were hosted by legendary newsman Walter Cronkite. Many of these programs featured original scores by some of America's most renowned classical composers. Executive producer Burton Benjamin and producer Isaac Kleinerman approved the concept and supported Symphony conductor Alfredo Antonini's series of commissions. Over the course of nine seasons, such noted composers as George Antheil, Darius Milhaud, Alan Hovhaness, Paul Creston and Ulysses Kay contributed original music.
In 1960, one more distinguished figure joined this group: two-time Academy Award winner Franz Waxman, who scored a remarkable two-part episode titled "The Mysterious Deep," about the world's oceans and what scientists were discovering about life beneath the waves. In 1964, he would score "Lenin and Trotsky," which examined the roles of these two Russians during the early history of the Soviet Union. Waxman composed and orchestrated the scores, which were conducted by Antonini in New York a few weeks before each program aired. These three programs are believed to be Waxman's only work in the documentary field.
"The Mysterious Deep" aired on March 22 and April 3, 1960, and is an important documentary for reasons beyond its music: First, it contains one of the earliest American television interviews with legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, whose UNDERSEA WORLD OF JACQUES COUSTEAU would later revolutionize TV's approach to oceanography; and second, for its remarkably prescient view of climate change. Within its first five minutes, scientist Athelstan Spilhaus warns of the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide in the world's atmosphere that could eventually melt the polar ice caps.
Four years later, TWENTIETH CENTURY engaged the composer for another documentary, a historical look at the men behind the Bolshevik Revolution. Waxman was no stranger to the Soviet Union; he was the first American conductor to conduct the major orchestras of Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and Kiev. "Lenin and Trotsky" aired on May 3, 1964, and was considered enough of a television "event" that the venerable TV Guide magazine showcased it in a half-page Close-Up.
Dragon’s Domain Records is excited to present the world premiere release of FRANZ WAXMAN: THE DOCUMENTARIES, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland, with liner notes written by noted author Jon Burlingame.
Ships the week of April 13th
THE MYSTERIOUS DEEP (1960) (Original Score) 01. The Power of the Sea - Titles/Fundy Tide (2:30) 02. The Cage (4:33) 03. Fishing Fleet/Fresh Water/Medical Research (3:50) 04. Aquaculture/Ocean Fish/SCUBA Man (5:09) 05. Innerspace Titles (3:37) 06. Ocean/Submarine Skate (2:23) 07. Submarine Polaris (2:46) 08. Bathyscaphe Trieste (3:17) 09. Jellyfish Life in Ocean/Radioactive Waste Barrels (2:11) 10. Medical Research (alt) (0:47) 11. Bathyscaphe Trieste (alt) ( 2:52)
LENIN & TROTSKY (1964) (Original Score) 12. Czar Amusements/Petrograd (1:31) 13. Ulyanov Lenin/Winter Palace/World Revolution (4:08) 14. Soviet Revolution/Poland/Organize Red Army (3:10) 15. Terror/New Economic Policy/Funeral (4:23) 16. Trotsky Exile/Man Without a Country (2:59) 17. Assassination (1:22) 18. Kerensky (1:27) Total Time: 53:33
Very interesting! Waxman is my favourite Golden Ager, and I've always been curious about his documentary scores. Hopefully, they're remastered well. I tend to prefer rerecordings over original recordings when it comes to scores this age.
This album ist a wonderful surprise. More Waxman is always welcome and this piece and the other clips sound like cues from a "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" score.
There's no need to re-orchestrate scores from the 1960s or earlier unless the tapes are damaged.
Not in my opinion. I will always, without exception, prefer a new, sparkling recording that brings all the colours back to life. But yeah, I've listened to the clips and they sound pretty good for their age. It becomes more of an issue when you go back to the 50s, 40s and 30s, for example.
I think so too... TARAS BULBA was just a fantastic rerecording for example. Those bad mono LPs of this exceptional score ..unlistenable. So many still waiting. JUNGLE BOOK,THE LONG SHIPS,DSCHINGIS KAHN,PRINCE VALIANTetc etc.
Then it's no longer the soundtrack and is a piece of music remade for listening purposes. I prefer hearing what I experienced in the movie, with minor exceptions. And disqualifying something for being mono is just plain weird.
Then it's no longer the soundtrack and is a piece of music remade for listening purposes. I prefer hearing what I experienced in the movie, with minor exceptions. And disqualifying something for being mono is just plain weird.
Not really. I don't really care about the movie. I want as good a listening experience as possible. Crackly, muffled sound in mono rarely provides that. But again, this is more an issue for scores older than this.
Then it's no longer the soundtrack and is a piece of music remade for listening purposes. I prefer hearing what I experienced in the movie, with minor exceptions. And disqualifying something for being mono is just plain weird.
Not really. I don't really care about the movie. I want as good a listening experience as possible. Crackly, muffled sound in mono rarely provides that. But again, this is more an issue for scores older than this.
As a soundtrack fan, not just a music fan, I prefer the originals. Actually I feel that way about popular music as well. Most re-recordings are not trying to fit a film so their tempo is different, as well as using different instruments, etc. so it sounds like you're at a symphony. Herrmann's own PSYCHO recording is not up to the original.
As for the sound quality, tape sources can be greatly improved. It's the old 1930s-40s acetates that make terrible sources. I believe the following was a non-acetate source with simple stereo made by miking the front and back of the orchestra for 1947 "Kiss of Death" soundtrack. Pretty stunning music as it is. From the Twilight Time video (which included slates, deleted here):
Then it's no longer the soundtrack and is a piece of music remade for listening purposes. I prefer hearing what I experienced in the movie, with minor exceptions. And disqualifying something for being mono is just plain weird.
I'm with you. When an original is no longer available, or only partially available, then a rerecording is welcome, and some of them are outstanding. Hearing the music within the film creates a lasting impression that's hard to beat.
Then it's no longer the soundtrack and is a piece of music remade for listening purposes. I prefer hearing what I experienced in the movie, with minor exceptions. And disqualifying something for being mono is just plain weird.
I'm with you. When an original is no longer available, or only partially available, then a rerecording is welcome, and some of them are outstanding. Hearing the music within the film creates a lasting impression that's hard to beat.
I agree with everything you wrote. I don't hate re-recordings, and some are great as exact recreations or as easy listening, but by default I want that original experience. Often the music tells its own story, so it's not necessarily re-experiencing the emotions from the movie, but you won't get the same feel from a new recording.
Days when Kritzerland used to release interesting stuff are long gone. So thanks to DD for doing this one and it was quite an unexpected surprise between all those D-movies.
