Elmer Bernstein was a composer and conductor who became renowned for his work in films and TV, writing, scoring and recording some of the most renowned and recognisable themes in in Hollywood history.
He is not related to the renowned composer of stage musicals Leonard Bernstein.
Born in 1922, he served in the USAF in WWII, working in Armed Forces Radio, and came to the fore in the early 1950s when he started writing for movies.
This 44-track 2-CD collection primarily features soundtrack and commercial recordings of themes and other music written for films and albums during the first decade of his career.
In addition, it includes selected titles from his albums “Blues And Brass” for Decca and “Movie & TV Themes” on the Choreo label.
It includes “The Man With the Golden Arm”, “Staccato’s Theme”, “The Magnificent Seven”, and “Walk On The Wild Side”, plus themes from “The Ten Commandments”, “The Comancheros”, “To Kill A Mockingbird” and more.
Although he composed for many different genres of film, his style was very distinctive, characterised by dramatic and atmospheric melodies and arrangements that invariably conjured up the mood and imagery of the subject.
Comprising a selection of works from his early career, this collection offers an entertaining and evocative showcase for that style.
Tracks
CD 1
1. SUDDEN FEAR TITLE THEME (From "Sudden Fear") 1952
2. MAKE HASTE TO LIVE (From "Make Haste To Live") 1954
3. THE ETERNAL SEA THEME (From "The Eternal Sea") 1954
4. THE VIEW FROM POMPEY'S HEAD (From "The View From Pompey's Head") (Dot DLP25097) 1955
5. MAN TITLE THEME FROM MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (From "The Man With The Golden Arm") (Decca 29869) 1956
6. CLARK STREET (From "The Man With The Golden Arm") (Decca 29869) 1956
7. PRELUDE (From "The Ten Commandments") (Dot DLP3054) 1957
8. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (From "The Ten Commandments") (Dot DLP3054) 1957
9. PRELUDE (DRANGO COMES TO KENNESAW PASS) (From "Drango") (Liberty LRP3036) 1957
10. MEN IN WAR (From "Men In War") (Imperial 9032) 1957
11. THE STREET (From "Sweet Smell Of Success") (Decca 30379) 1957
12. TOOTS SHOR'S BLUES (From "Sweet Smell Of Success") (Decca 30379) 1957
13. THE TIN STAR (From "The Tin Star") (Epic 9233) 1957
14. DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS (From "Desire Under The Elms") (Dot 15687) 1958
15. KINGS GO FORTH (From "Kings Go Forth") (Capilto W-1063) 1958
16. TO LOVE AND BE LOVED (From "Some Came Running") (Capitol F4134, CL15007) 1958
17. LIVE IT UP (From "Some Came Running") (Capitol F4134, CL15007) 1958
18. THE BUCCANEER (From "The Buccaneer") (Columbia ACS8096) 1958
19. BACK TO BARATARIA (From "The Buccaneer") (Columbia ACS8096) 1958
20. STACCATO'S THEME (From "Johnny Staccato") (Capitol 15101) 1959
21. THE JAZZ AT WALDO'S (From "Johnny Staccato") (Capitol 15101) 1959
22. THE MIRACLE (From "The Mracle") 1959
23. FROM THE TERRACE LOVE THEME (From "From The Terrace") (Capitol F4426/15152) 1960
CD 2
1. MARY MARY (From "From The Terrace") (Capitol F4426/15152) 1960
2. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (From "The Magnificent Seven") (UA ) 1960
3. BY LOVE POSSESSED (From "By Love Possessed") ( ) 1961
4. THEME FROM SUMMER AND SMOKE (From "Summer And Smoke") ( ) 1961
5. THE COMANCHEROS THEME (From "The Comancheros") ( ) 1961
6. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (Choreo C-101) 1962
7. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE JAZZ (Choreo C-101) 1962
8. MAIN TITLE FROM THE RAT RACE (Choreo C-109) 1962
9. SAINTS AND SINNERS THEME (Choreo C-109) 1962
10. THE BIRD MAN (Choreo C-107) 1962
11. THEME FROM TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN (Choreo C-107) 1962
12. THEME FROM GIRL FROM TAMIKO (Choreo C-113) 1962
13. MAIN TITLE FROM TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (From "To Kill A Mockingbird") ( ) 1962
14. BLUES AT FIVE
15. CENTRAL PARK 4AM
16. JUBILATION
17. WILD AND CRAZY
18. SMOOTH
19. JUST A LITTLE JAZZ
20. RETURN OF THE MAN From the album "Blues & Brass" Decca 8686 1958
21. THREE TIME BLUESER
22. RADIO HYSTERIA
23. ANNA LUCASTA
24. HOP, SKIP BUT JUMP
25. SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS From the album "Movie & TV Themes" Choreo AS-11 1962
