Without Bernard Herrmann’s accompanying score, you could argue that Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 movie starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, would not be celebrated as one of the greatest chillers of all time today.

Psycho Suite presents the complete music for the film as the composer intended, and not as it appears in the movie. Conducted by Herrmann himself, the piece is performed by The National Philharmonic Orchestra Strings. An intense listen, the music perfectly captures the spine-tingling suspense which Hitchcock so gloriously conveyed on the screen.

Herrmann established his name with his debut scores, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane and William Dieterle’s The Devil And Daniel Webster. Both received Oscar nominations for Best Score of a Dramatic Picture that year, the latter scooping the prize. By the time he was commissioned to write the score for Psycho, Herrmann had already collaborated with the “Master of Suspense” on five pictures: The Trouble With Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Wrong Man (1956), Vertigo (1958) and North By Northwest (1959). His uncompromising music perfectly suited the varying twists and turns of Hitchcock’s filmmaking. Their relationship has been heralded by some critics as possibly the greatest partnership of director and composer in Hollywood history.

Herrmann would reunite with Hitchcock for 1963’s The Birds, as a sound consultant, prior to scoring Marnie (1964). However, the successful association between the pair fractured on the director’s 15th picture, Torn Curtain (1966). Appealing to a classical music audience and fans of the film, this CD showcases Herrmann’s exceptional skills as both a composer and conductor.

On listening you might never want to take a shower again!