Bernard Herrmann - Symphony No.1; Concerto Macabro; For the Fallen; The Devil and Daniel Webster (Suite)

Bernard HERRMANN (1911-1975)

Symphony No. 1 (1941) *

Concerto Macabre 

For the Fallen

The Devil and Daniel Webster (film suite)

Sara Davis Buechner (Piano)

Phoenix Symphony Orchestra *

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

James Sedares

Review:

Alto assembles a fine set of recordings for this Bernard Hermann reissue. Conductor James Sedares and producer Michael Fine created some outstanding recordings during the 1990s. The Koch label was known for both the quality of their artists and unusual repertoire.

This release features four concert works by film composer Bernard Hermann. The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra (with Sedares) performs Hermann's 1941 symphony. The liner notes describe the work as Sibelius-like. Personally, I found it a little unfocused until the final movement. 

Nevertheless, Sedares and the Phoenix Symphony make this work sound as good as it can. Which isn't awful by any means. 

The rest of the recording is with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, culled from different releases. Snippets of the Concerto Macabre were featured in the film "Hangover Square." Hermann fleshed out the soundtrack cues and wove them together in a cohesive whole. To me, it had a hint of the "Warsaw Concerto's uber-Rachmaninoff style. It's much more restrained here, though. And that makes this concerto work better as a concert piece.

Pianist Sara Davis Buechner injects some nervous energy into her playing. This is in keeping with the film's hero, a deranged pianist/composer.

Hermann created "The Devil and Daniel Webster Suite" from the film score. This is one of his more popular concert works, and it's easy to hear why. There's a hint of Americana that runs through it. And plenty of drama, too!

Despite their age, these recordings sound really good. The ambiance is nicely balanced, and there's plenty of detail in the sound. 

If you only know Hermann through "Psycho," check out this recording. He wasn't just a film composer. Rather, he was a composer who also wrote for film.

Ralph Graves