The Return of McNeely
Joel McNeely returns as conductor in Robert Townson’s series of rerecordings for Varese Sarabande.
The long awaited recording of Citizen Kane will finally be released on November 9. One week later, on November 16, they will release a complete rerecording of all of Herrmann’s music for The Twilight Zone. And next year will see the release of Herrmann’s score for Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (1964). All conducted by Joel McNeely and produced by Robert Townson.
Track listing
Bernard Herrmann
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
Conducted by Joel McNeely
DISC ONE
1. Main Title (1:22)
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
(10/2/59)
2. The Man (:46)
3. The Door (:40)
4. The Truck (1:47)
5. The Telephone (:47)
6. The Phone Booth (1:00)
7. The Stationhouse (1:08)
8. The Cell (:38)
9. The Sun (1:26)
10. The Mirror (1:02)
11. The Bookrack (1:22)
12. The Lights (1:00)
13. The Film (:49)
14. The Bicycle (:34)
15. The Breakdown (:55)
16. The Button (:45)
17. Finale and Credits (1:08)
WALKING DISTANCE
(10/30/59)
18. Intro (:43)
19. The Drugstore (:53)
20. Memories (2:50)
21. The Park (1:48)
22. The House (1:51)
23. The Curtain (:18)
24. The Parents (2:01)
25. The Merry-Go-Round (:49)
26. Martin’s Summer (2:12)
27. Elegy (4:45)
28. Finale (1:16)
THE LONELY
(11/13/59)
29. Twilight Zone Theme (:47)
30. Intro (1:37)
31. The Waiting (1:34)
32. The Box (1:12)
33. Alicia (1:58)
34. Mockery (1:28)
35. Eleven Months (:53)
36. The Stars (1:42)
37. Fear (:53)
38. Farewell (1:13)
39. Finale (:48)
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
(11/11/60)
40. Twilight Zone Theme (2nd Revision) (:46)
41. Patience (:21)
42. The Nurse (1:07)
43. The Hospital (1:18)
44. The Doctor (:28)
45. The Plea (:52)
46. Lead In (:10)
47. Declaration (:04)
48. The Bandage (1:36)
49. The Last Bandage (:57)
50. Hysteria (1:35)
51. The Revelation (:46)
52. End Title (1:21)
DISC TWO
1. New Twilight Zone Theme Opening (:43)
LITTLE GIRL LOST
(3/16/62)
2. Where Are You? (2:20)
3. Gone (:10)
4. Emptiness (1:55)
5. Dog Gone (:51)
6. Hole In Wall (1:15)
7. Third Dimension (2:17)
8. Coin Disappears (:32)
9. Move Around (:26)
10. Look For Her (2:00)
11. Fourth Dimension (3:26)
12. Half In Zone (:47)
LIVING DOLL
(11/1/63)
13. Tina Arrives (1:18)
14. Tina Talks (:37)
15. Eric Throws the Doll (:48)
16. Supper (:18)
17. Tina Talks Again (:53)
18. Tina Threatens (:30)
19. In the Cellar (1:01)
20. I’m Going to Kill You (:14)
21. Talking Doll (:19)
22. Tina Disappears (:27)
23. Eric Finds Tina (1:00)
24. Destroy Tina (1:36)
25. Indestructible Tina (1:07)
26. Eric Returns Tina (1:10)
27. Finale (:58)
NINETY YEARS WITHOUT SLUMBERING
(12/20/63)
28. Ninety Years I (1:13)
29. Ninety Years II (:37)
30. Ninety Years III (:38)
31. Ninety Years IV (1:17)
32. Ninety Years V (:13)
33. Ninety Years VI (1:03)
34. Ninety Years VII (:28)
35. Ninety Years VIII (:38)
36. Ninety Years IX (1:49)
37. Ninety Years X (:24)
38. Ninety Years XI (3:25)
39. Ninety Years XII (:49)
40. Finale (:21)
41. New Twilight Zone Theme Closing (1:14)
Produced by Robert Townson
Recording Engineer: Jonathan Allen / Orchestra Contractor: Isobel Griffiths / Music Preparation: Vic Fraser and Jill Streater / “Where Is Everybody?” Score Reconstruction: Larry Kenton / Cover Paintings by Matthew Joseph Peak
Special thanks to John DiLorenzo and Timothy Edwards
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London on September 17, 18 and 20, 1999
(p) 1999 Varese Sarabande Records, Inc. (c) 1999 Masters Film Music. All rights reserved.
Comments by Bill Wrobel
Two important points can be made about the Varese/McNeely Twilight Zone CDs:
(1) It is COMPLETE (all the cues of all the Herrmann episodes are there!
(2) It is completely SEQUENTIAL (all the cues are presented in their proper order as originally aired)!
These are certainly two powerful motivators to buy these albums without a moment’s hestitation. Of course, the old saying goes: “The spirit is willing, but the bank account is weak!” This aside, the Varese/McNeely set could very well be THE Herrmann album of the year, and this has been a very, very good year for the release of Herrmann music!
SO FAR, the best of the lot is the fabulous, nearly flawless rerecording of Jason and the Argonauts, conducted by Bruce Broughton, and produced by Douglass Fake for Intrada. The greatest flaw is not anything with the content but with what is NOT included in the content (it is not a complete presentation of the score). Otherwise the conducting matches Herrmann’s own remarkably, and the sound recording in 20 bit digital technology is perfect.
The Varese/McNeely TZ album is also 20 bit digital recording (superior to the standard 16 bit stereo recording). A friend of mine compares it, in rough analogy, to the difference between an EP versus an SP recording. You get greater clarity, a fuller sound allowing for subtle yet distinctive nusances being heard.
Joel McNeely of course conducted the sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London just over two months ago in mid-September, 1999. He has conducted several times for Varese including Psycho, Trouble With Harry, and the less than acceptable sound recording of Torn Curtain (too much echo of the brass with the concert miking, etc). Abbey Road Studios, however (also known as EMI/Abbey Road Studio), is an excellent choice. Some of my favorite recordings were done there, including Jerry Goldsmith’s dynamic Supergirl and the soaring score to Night Crossing. Moreover, the smaller orchestra for the TZ episodes provides a minimalism (especially for “Living Doll” with only the bass clarinet, celeste, and two harps playing) which lends itself more comfortably to studio close miking recording.
The recordinng engineer is Jonathan Allen, who also worked on Trouble With Harry and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad for Varese. Paintings/artwork by Matthew Joseph Peak is encouraging. He worked on the above and also Vertigo and Psycho. I thought the Sinbad artwork was the best of the lot.
Of course I am writing this “review” PRIOR to the release date of Tuesday, November 16 without ever hearing a note of the recording. This is simply an anticipatory celebration of what I THINK will be a truly remarkable album. If they do not screw it up (eg., uninspired conducting, too slow or too fast of the original Herrmann/episode speed, low volume, echo-reverb, etc) then indeed this will be, as mentioned earlier, THE recording/release event of the year of Herrmann material.
I can only only hope or pray that in the future, if sales are terrific, that Varese will consider rerecording Herrmann television music such as other CBS material (Gunsmoke, Story of Nathan Hale, Police Force, Desert Suite, etc) and Universal-tv material (Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Bob Hope’s Chrysler Theatre, Richard Boone Show).
Best to Varese for having the courage to produce these non-motion picture Herrmann scores! I believe the risk involved in forging into new territory will reap great rewards.
Bill Wrobel
Tuesday, October 26, 1999 9:30 pm PDT