Last week I watched True Grit for the first time is a gazillion years. I really liked
Bernstein’s score, but then he composes definitive western music IMHO. I love that
short action piece when Rooster charges the villains with guns blazing. Anyway, does
anyone know if this has been issued on a CD?

Are there other westerns by Bernstein that have not been issued on CD yet? (I know
Hallelujah Trail was only issued on LP, and thanks be to the gods, a dear friend made
me a CDR from a LP. I’ve built a shrine around that CDR and light candles to it each
day. ) I’d like to know what other Bernstein westerns are not on CD so I can start some
sort of campaign. You know, figure out how many ritual sacrifices I have to make to get
these. Too many cats in the neighborhood anyway. I TRULY would like to own all of his
westerns.

Joan, I am listening to "Rooster" right now off a True Grit original soundtrack Capitol Records CD released sometime in the early/mid 90s (CDP 32163). I am believing it's a straight transfer from the LP release. Sound quality is pretty good, but again, I am suspecting the album presentation is a 1969 re-record for good listenin' experience ("Bernstein conducts instrumental selections, arranged by Artie Butler"). There's some great stereo separation, but there's a slight hollow sound to it all. Slight.

Silve Screen released an album called "True Grit" with a few selections recorded sometime in the 90s.... never gave it a listen, so can't say much.

I have 107 Elmer Bernstein CDs or CDRs.

The best representation of TRUE GRIT is the one on Varese Sarabande [THE FILMS OF JOHN WAYNE - VCD47236]. The duel with Ned Pepper is not included, but "The Pace That Kills" cue may include the motif played by the French [Freedom?] horns.

Without wracking my brain, too much, three early Elmer westerns, not released, are SADDLE THE WIND [probably within the bounds of FSMs contract w. MGM], THE TIN STAR, CANNON FOR CORDOBA [Bernstein doing pseudo-Morricone. Bernstein makes an appearance as a honky tonk piano player, bowler hat, and all.] There are some re-records [such as THE SCALPHUNTERS] I would like to see replaced by the original tracks.

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Originally posted by SirT:
Joan, as for a prospective release of "The Hallelujah Trail" soundtrack, if you read Robert Townson's detailed account of his search for the "Hawaii" session masters here, you will see that apparently such hopes have been dashed.

[Message edited by SirT on 04-14-2003]

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Ah, RIVERBOAT, indeed! I would love to have Elmer's underscore from that show. Also any of his scores for David Wolper's documentaries, but especially, D-DAY. I made a tape of the show, just to teach myself Elmer's triumphant and catchy theme.

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Originally posted by PeterK:
As for Hallelujah Trail, the only thing on CD I am aware of is a recording that was tagged on to the nice New Zealand re-recording of The Magnificent Seven with James Sedares.

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Which is a great recording, even better than the OST.

The OST is available on Tsunami. Sound quality varies between really bad to absolutely horrible and it's missing some great cues, but hey, it's better than nothing.

Hi! The Tsunami is actually the UA re-recording. Elmer's original tracks are on the Ryko label, complete. Elmer's daughter, and frequent orchestrator, Emilie, assisten in the production of the release. It's definitive! Elmer also re-recorded the score - on a quickly withdrawn BMG disc, which is probably my second preference. Re-recorded with the RSNO. It isn't close-miked, so that's a drawback.

Selections from THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL have appeared on compilations of Bernstein's work, but a disc dedicated to that score has never been issued -- by Ryko, or anyone else.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE GREAT ESCAPE were the only scores Bernstein re-recorded with the Scottish National Symphony for the ill-fated, and now-rare, BMG discs, NOT HALLELUJAH.

You are quite right. A misread, on my part. I was thinking MAGNIFICENT, when clearly Marian was talking about HALLELUJAH. Sorry, to all.

Whoa Nelly, indeed! Your canter [Do I see a Yiddish joke coming our way?] I can keep up with, but your galloping, I cannot.

-- Senora Inez Quintero (Gale Sondergaard) to Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power) in THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940, music by Alfred Newman and Hugo Friedhofer)

A good thing she wasn't appearing in THE JAZZ SINGER (1927), or she'd have been as disappointed as the Al Jolson character's parents...

I agree, completely, with your analysis of Bernstein's western voice. No Moross... no Bernstein... no Broughton... no Richard Stone... no Poledouris... and others... [alluding only to western main themes, here]. Morross's Americana voice shows up, again in his "Sonata for Piano Duet and String Quartet" (1975). BIG JAKE, on the other hand, I have always felt owed a lot to Elmer's mentor, Aaron Copland.

I remember rushing to THE TIN STAR, expecting the score would presage MAG 7, a couple years, later. I was disappointed!

I do think Bernstein’s indelible western style began with Magnificent Seven. I can’t say I've
noticed a connection to The Big Country, however. Perhaps in the rhythms. I watched
Saddle With The Wind a few weeks ago which really didn’t sound like his signature style
nor does The Tin Star. I’ve never found Cannon for Cordoba on video, but I hope it will
play sometime on TV. I need to check out Three Amigos.

I used to own the LP Sons of Katie Elder, and its main theme has been released on various
compilations. A lot of people think it is Magnificent Seven aka Marlboro Man because of
its orchestrations and rhythms. Very closely related and an outstanding filmscore.

If you scroll down to RIVERBOAT and click on it, you can listen to the Buddy Morrow version in its entirety. Too bad they don't have Bernstein's version.

(As Lou mentioned, Bernstein's theme only lasted for the first season; it was replaced in the second season with a new theme by Gerald Fried.)

Bernstein is quoted in Jon Burlingame's book, "TV's Biggest Hits," as saying that RIVERBOAT was his "first chance, really, to go all out" with an Aaron Copland-inspired, American folk music sound: "It's kind of hindsight, but I realize now that THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN was a logical outgrowth of RIVERBOAT."

That's fascinating! I really must pick up a copy of Burlingame's book. I'll check Books In Print and ask the university bookstore to get me a copy. Will also check for "The Newmans of Hollywood", at the same time.

Thanks!

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Originally posted by joan hue:
I guess this is the area we post now for soundtrack finders.

Last week I watched [b]True Grit for the first time is a gazillion years. I really liked
Bernstein’s score, but then he composes definitive western music IMHO. I love that
short action piece when Rooster charges the villains with guns blazing. Anyway, does
anyone know if this has been issued on a CD?

Are there other westerns by Bernstein that have not been issued on CD yet? (I know
Hallelujah Trail was only issued on LP, and thanks be to the gods, a dear friend made
me a CDR from a LP. I’ve built a shrine around that CDR and light candles to it each
day. ) I’d like to know what other Bernstein westerns are not on CD so I can start some
sort of campaign. You know, figure out how many ritual sacrifices I have to make to get
these. Too many cats in the neighborhood anyway. I TRULY would like to own all of his
westerns.

NP Big Jake[/B]

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Speaking of him, how many have you noticed his music in Rage in Harlem has quite abit of resemblance to Rat Race and other earlier jazz scores?

And how many of you noticed that some of the Zulu Dawn battle music is in the Eternal Sea score by him from 1955?