Tribute Film Classics is currently recording Max Steiner's The Adventures of Don Juan & Arsenic and Old Lace and Bernard Herrmann's The Battle of Neretva & The Naked and the Dead in Moscow. Below are some pictures of this week's recording sessions of Don Juan at Mosfilm Studios with The Moscow Symphony Orchestra. According to Tribute, the expected release dates for the CDs is Spring/Summer 2011 at SAE.
The Moscow Symphony Orchestra
Something you don't see everyday in a symphony orchestra: a guitar section.
Bill Stromberg conducting.
Control room, with a cameo by the back of John Morgan's head (far left, bottom). Anna Bonn Stromberg must be hiding somewhere. Could it be behind the camera?!
*Disclaimer* I do not officially represent Tribute Film Classics in any way, although I usually ask for permission to post on their behalf. I do so strictly as a fan with a desire to share information about their work with others. - MF
I thought that I had read on an earlier thread on this website that they were recording Steiner's "Two On A Guillotine". Am I wrong? It seems to me that posting was recent.
The recording sessions have been going extremely well, having completed The Adventures of Don Juan and Arsenic and Old Lace.
Tomorrow we begin recording Herrmann's The Battle of Neretva complete with close to 100 musicians, including 9 horns, 6 trumpets, 6 trombones and a plethora of low woodwinds. I can't wait to hear that wall of sound.
Tribute Film Classics is currently recording Max Steiner's The Adventures of Don Juan & Arsenic and Old Lace and Bernard Herrmann's The Battle of Neretva & The Naked and the Dead in Moscow. ...According to Tribute, the expected release date for the CDs is probably in April at SAE.
Glad to hear the recordings are in progress. These are both sure purchases. And with a new recording of Herrmann's "Moby Dick Cantata" on the way as well it's time to start putting aside the shekels.
Recording of Bernard Herrmann's The Battle of Nerteva is now complete. The series of sessions with The Moscow Symphony Orchestra will wrap up with a suite from Herrmann's The Naked and the Dead tomorrow.
Photos from the Neretva sessions. This isn't your father's orchestra!
Horns o' Plenty
76 trombones, with 110 cornets close at hand. Well, maybe not THAT many and they're trumpets not cornets, but anyway.
Muted trombones. Normally this would be a full symphony trombone section, but with Herrmann...it's only half.
It really is fascinating how small the world has gotten over the last few decades.
It looks like virtually every player in the Moscow Orchestra matches a type you'd find in daily sessions with musicians of Hollywood orchestras---from the varying ages of the players, to the casual dress and the same choices of clothing---to the haircuts.
I'm curious as to how communication is relayed---do William and Anna and John now speak a little Russian---or do some of the players speak English?
Do they enjoy playing Hollywood film music or is it just a gig for them? Do they enjoy the return visits for Tribute projects?
Who is their favorite composer to play? What American film composer's work do they particularly relate to in Russia?
Whose work do they find most challenging to play? What project, including the Marco Polos, Naxos, and Tributes was the most difficult for them?
I can hardly wait for the next Steiner and Herrmann releases on Tribute!
Wishing you all continued success with these filmmusic treasures.
Recording in Moscow is now complete. Bill Stromberg thinks these are their best recordings yet, so it sounds like a very successful couple of weeks for the Tribute folks. Congratulations!
Photos from the 10/21 recording session of Bernard Herrmann's The Naked and the Dead.
Now THAT'S a brass section!
Anna Bonn Stromberg and John Morgan either discussing one of the finer points of the score or trying to decide what to order for takeout lunch.
The Moscow Symphony Orchestra and the Tribute gang take a bow. Bravo!
Thanks for posting the photos, Mark. Looking forward to getting this new recording and, if it's like any of their previous efforts, it should be spectacular.
