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I would disagree. The Varèse RSNO is perhaps the recording I enjoy the most, but it's a close call.
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I would disagree as well. Love the the Varese re-recording precisely because it's broader, bigger and brighter. The Ava recording sounds too old fashioned to me.
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I would disagree as well. Love the the Varese re-recording precisely because it's broader, bigger and brighter. The Ava recording sounds too old fashioned to me.
Then you also think the music in the film sounds old-fashioned? This score was not written for a symphony-size orchestra and the Varese recording is, for me, of no interest at all. It sounds washy, has no detail at all, and has none of the emotion the score has on the AVA, the soundtrack, and the FMC. In fact, I don't really understand how anyone who actually understands the score and the film for which it was composed could like or even enjoy the Varese. But, that's what makes horse racing.
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I love the AVA recording, and I love the Varèse RSNO recording. Of course, the first time I ever heard the score was on vinyl, gorgeous score, but unfortunately poor, brittle sound quality, a real turn-off. (It was the same recording as the AVA recording.) The AVA recording is closer in tone to the original film recording than his later RSNO recording.
When Bernstein recorded the music then with the RSNO, I thought the music sounded just astonishingly good. It was sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana, grand sound. When Intrada restored the AVA recording to its full sonic glory, I was once again deeply impressed, because that is such a terrific recording as well, and now it could finally shine. The old LP sounded &%$! compared to what the Intrada restoration revealed. The AVA recording is more intimate, closer, more idiomatic. For me, it's not a contest, the score is beautiful and I'm very happy to have it in two very different recordings. I would not part with either.
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Am I right in thinking the only way to have the FMC version is either in the FSM set or an old LP?
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Posted: |
Sep 21, 2021 - 6:25 AM
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By: |
mgh
(Member)
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I love the AVA recording, and I love the Varèse RSNO recording. Of course, the first time I ever heard the score was on vinyl, gorgeous score, but unfortunately poor, brittle sound quality, a real turn-off. (It was the same recording as the AVA recording.) The AVA recording is closer in tone to the original film recording than his later RSNO recording.
When Bernstein recorded the music then with the RSNO, I thought the music sounded just astonishingly good. It was sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana, grand sound. When Intrada restored the AVA recording to its full sonic glory, I was once again deeply impressed, because that is such a terrific recording as well, and now it could finally shine. The old LP sounded &%$! compared to what the Intrada restoration revealed. The AVA recording is more intimate, closer, more idiomatic. For me, it's not a contest, the score is beautiful and I'm very happy to have it in two very different recordings. I would not part with either.
My feelings exactly.
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So...No love for the 1996 Varese re-recording with the RSNO under the baton of the composer?
I do have it on CD, and plan on spinning it this week, as a result of this thread.
Nice booklet and notes.
Anyone like it at all?
I actually LOVE the Varese. But that's all I've ever been exposed to. I somehow haven't watched the movie. I bought the FSM FMC set when it first came out, but have never had the chance to go through all of it. I just bought the Intrada AVA set a few weeks ago before it went out of print at Intrada, and haven't had time to go through that, either.
But now, after reading all these comments, I'm super excited to experience those AVA and FMC versions that people think are so good! Perhaps, though, I should actually catch up and watch the movie first.
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Yes Jim, as far as I know, the FMC was released on LP around 1976 by Elmer himself, then (re-issued) on WB Records in 1978 and then as part of that stupendous 12 disc FSM Box set (which I've just thrown a couple of hundred euro's at, cos I was a hesitating D-Head when it was first released!!).
Cheers Kev. Much appreciated.
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Posted: |
Sep 21, 2021 - 7:30 AM
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By: |
Dana Wilcox
(Member)
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So...No love for the 1996 Varese re-recording with the RSNO under the baton of the composer?
I do have it on CD, and plan on spinning it this week, as a result of this thread.
Nice booklet and notes.
Anyone like it at all?
I actually LOVE the Varese. But that's all I've ever been exposed to. I somehow haven't watched the movie. I bought the FSM FMC set when it first came out, but have never had the chance to go through all of it. I just bought the Intrada ADA set a few weeks ago before it went out of print at Intrada, and haven't had time to go through that, either.
But now, after reading all these comments, I'm super excited to experience those AVA and FMC versions that people think are so good! Perhaps, though, I should actually catch up and watch the movie first.
Highly recommended. It's impossible really to gauge the relative quality of the re-recordings without understanding the context, and the brilliance of the scoring in relation to the story presented on screen. Plus, it's a hell of a great film!
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Posted: |
Sep 21, 2021 - 7:43 AM
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By: |
Dana Wilcox
(Member)
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When Bernstein recorded the music then with the RSNO, I thought the music sounded just astonishingly good. It was sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana, grand sound.
It's a nice piece of music, with "grand sound," but not successful as a representation of the film score. All those words, "sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana," are in complete contrast to the intent of the score to support a story being told through the eyes of a child, growing up in a small Alabama town during the height of the Depression era. I have to think Bernstein was thinking "legacy recording" when he made the Varese, rather than "definitive presentation of a score beloved for its warmth, intimacy and childlike sensibility." I'm not criticizing anyone for liking it, just making the point that the Varese is everything that the actual film score (and subsequent recordings for Ava and the FMC) was not, and was not intended to be.
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It's a nice piece of music, with "grand sound," but not successful as a representation of the film score.
It's a very successful performance of the film score "To Kill A Mockingbird".
All those words, "sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana," are in complete contrast to the intent of the score to support a story being told through the eyes of a child, growing up in a small Alabama town during the height of the Depression era.
I have to think Bernstein was thinking "legacy recording" when he made the Varese, rather than "definitive presentation of a score beloved for its warmth, intimacy and childlike sensibility." I'm not criticizing anyone for liking it, just making the point that the Varese is everything that the actual film score (and subsequent recordings for Ava and the FMC) was not, and was not intended to be.
It was not what it was intended to be? Elmer Bernstein, an experienced conductor, was the composer and he himself conducted it that way, so I would say it was certainly his intent. (It would be a great recording even if someone else conducted it like that, but that's besides the point.)
The RSNO recording is very warm, intimate, and has a very childlike sensibility. I used terms like "epic" and "intimate" to contrast these two recordings with each other, not to deny one has the qualities of the other. It's just a matter of emphasis. It's not as if the the RSNO recording is not a perfect and fitting interpretation of the music. It is. It is just a different one from the earlier interpretations. Which is what I would expect when a conductor/composer revisits his work after years. Would not be much point in doing an orchestral recording that tries to emulate another orchestral recording now, would there be?
The RSNO recording is a very beautiful recording of the music.
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Posted: |
Sep 22, 2021 - 12:32 AM
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By: |
Dana Wilcox
(Member)
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It's a nice piece of music, with "grand sound," but not successful as a representation of the film score.
It's a very successful performance of the film score "To Kill A Mockingbird".
All those words, "sweeping, epic, lyrical Americana," are in complete contrast to the intent of the score to support a story being told through the eyes of a child, growing up in a small Alabama town during the height of the Depression era.
I have to think Bernstein was thinking "legacy recording" when he made the Varese, rather than "definitive presentation of a score beloved for its warmth, intimacy and childlike sensibility." I'm not criticizing anyone for liking it, just making the point that the Varese is everything that the actual film score (and subsequent recordings for Ava and the FMC) was not, and was not intended to be.
It was not what it was intended to be? Elmer Bernstein, an experienced conductor, was the composer and he himself conducted it that way, so I would say it was certainly his intent. (It would be a great recording even if someone else conducted it like that, but that's besides the point.)
The RSNO recording is very warm, intimate, and has a very childlike sensibility. I used terms like "epic" and "intimate" to contrast these two recordings with each other, not to deny one has the qualities of the other. It's just a matter of emphasis. It's not as if the the RSNO recording is not a perfect and fitting interpretation of the music. It is. It is just a different one from the earlier interpretations. Which is what I would expect when a conductor/composer revisits his work after years. Would not be much point in doing an orchestral recording that tries to emulate another orchestral recording now, would there be?
The RSNO recording is a very beautiful recording of the music.
I'm happy that you enjoy this recording. Beyond that, we shall agree to disagree.
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I'm happy that you enjoy this recording. Beyond that, we shall agree to disagree.
Sure, it certainly is my gain. :-)
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Posted: |
Sep 22, 2021 - 12:59 AM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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I prefer the Varese, and glad to see that there are at least a couple of other who do too. I've sampled the other albums too, but they didn't quite do it for me the same way. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I got the Varese first, and "grew up with" it, sort of, before I ever sampled any of the others, or saw the film. I've never cared diddly-squat about "film fidelity", so the more concerty performance is a-ok with me. Plus, I tend to prefer rerecordings of scores that age, as the old "artifacts" in older recordings have an alienating effect on me.
That being said, I would be interested in the film recordings at some point. If only for the Williams piano performances.
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This week Doug Fake posted this at Intrada:
For anyone wondering, of the many recordings of To Kill A Mockingbird thus far released, none really compares with the original 1962 album. Captured in crisp stereo sound, this very first version has the particular detail and intimacy from close miking that the treasured score benefits from. With many of the players from the actual soundtrack sessions involved, it is simply the one to enjoy.
That settles it for us pro-Ava fans.
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