After their first selection featuring music by John Williams, this second in their Great Composers series is almost certainly more worthwhile buying. For some unknown reason, Elmer Bernstein compilations are a bit thin on the ground, indeed there is, to my knowledge, only one "proper" compilation previously which was conducted by Bernstein himself but is now rather hard to find. Bernstein did do some re-recordings of extended suites from some of his Western scores for Varese with the Utah Symphony Orchestra (albums from which many of the tracks are taken). Varese wanted this to be a mid-price collection and so there isn't a great deal of new material, although the selections taken from the old favourites, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape are newly recorded by Joel McNeely and the RSNO. While Elmer originally re-recorded the scores to both of those for Varese, they were ultimately released on a different label, but it is to no great detriment to this album. McNeely conducts the music with typical gusto, the Magnificent Seven suite in particular being very energetic and makes one realise how limp some re-recordings of that classic theme can actually be. I suppose with McNeely's experience of trying to recreate full scores, this effort passes off when just recording single cues. McNeely also does the honours with The Age of Innocence which has one of Elmer's best non-Western themes; it is gorgeous and heartbreaking and beautifully performed by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Only on the final track does Cliff Eidelman have a turn to wield the baton and does so for a rousing extended suite of music from The Ten Commandments. This was Elmer's first big job, taking over from an ailing Victor Young and the splash he made with this score set in stone his name as one of Hollywood's best composers.

It would not be unreasonable to divide the album up into three; the first selections all being from Westerns, then more romantic and intimate music followed by a more variable selection that fits into no particular catergory. After the Magnificent Seven we get the best of Elmer's other Western music, a definite highlight being his typically syncopated and energetic theme to The Commancheros which should whet your appetite for the recent full release of the score by Film Score Monthly. To prove that the old magic isn't so old, Wild Wild West brings us right up to date which is mix of retro vibes and thrilling Western theme. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic in any genre, but it paved the way for the scoring of intimate drama films that still stands to this day, although rarely is it done with such delicacy and grace. Elmer re-recorded the score for Varese and the lilting and beautiful main title is presented here. Frankie Starlight has an unashamadly romantic theme and is one of the cases where Elmer uses the dreaded Ondes Martenot to great effect. Sadly, the main theme isn't presented here, but is only heard in snippets while the rest of the material is much more haunting and moody.

To add an alternate perspective on his career, Lost in Yonkers is a strangely jazzy track that is bouncy while still being laid back - I can imagine it (and the following track from A Rage in Harlem) being in a Woody Allen film, if that helps. One rare and much requested score is The Black Cauldron. Back in the days PM (pre-Menken) Disney scores went out of print very quickly which is why so many of those scores from the 1980's are now such collectors items. The Black Cauldron was one of Elmer's few forays into the animated genre, but if this track is anything to go by, the rest of the score is defnitely worth hearing (fingers crossed....). One thing which is actually quite amusing is his use of the Ondes Martenot like a theremin (think the finale from Herrmann's The Day the Earth Stood Still), it sounds strange compared to the charming, but light hearted music surrounding it before coming to a lush and warm conclusion. In the list of greatest films ever made, Buddy is not likely to appear anywhere on the list and neither is its score likely to appear on a top list of Elmer Bernstein scores you must own. However, for all that, it's a fun and enjoyable theme, it echoes his Western themes, all syncopations but with an Moross style string figure racing over the top. Fun music for a silly film.

A virtually flawless collection of music, all expertly performed and as I said, almost certainly more worthwhile picking up tha yet another John Williams compilation. Varese supremo Robert Townson gives a brief track by track analysis, but rounds off by listing all the other scores that they could have put on this album, but didn't have space/time/money. I guess with that kind of honesty you can only admire Varese for presenting a good collection of Elmer's best loved and well known music, with a few surprises as well as comical, almost frivolous tracks that are still very entertaining because of Elmer's own personality which infuses his music with more sinceritiy than virtually any other composer working in films today. A must have purchase.

Ratings ~

  1. The Magnificent Seven (5:19)
    Theme
  2. The Shootist (3:19)
    Main Title
  3. The Commancheros (1:39)
    Main Title
  4. True Grit (2:55)
    Rooster & Runaway
  5. Wild Wild West (2:59)
    Main Title
  6. To Kill a Mockingbird (3:19)
    Main Title
  7. My Left Foot (4:46)
    Love Spoken
  8. Frankie Starlight (2:25)
    Moon
  9. The Age of Innocence (4:47)
    End Credits
  10. Lost in Yonkers (3:20)
    Beginnings
  11. A Rage in Harlem (2:50)
    A Happy Train
  12. The Grifters (3:34)
    The City
  13. The Black Cauldron (4:33)
    Finale
  14. The Great Escape (2:19)
    Main Title
  15. Buddy (3:46)
    Credits
  16. The Ten Commandments (7:28)
    Suite
Total Time ~ 59:46