Charles Gerhardt conducts Classic Film Scores

It would have been the summer of 1980 when I walked into our local music store in Marylebone High Street in London and heard the film score to The Sea Hawk blazing out of the speakers as I perused the scores I needed for conducting class. I was suddenly unable to concentrate on anything else as the richness of the film score poured over me—I had to get the recording immediately regardless of whatever I’d gone into the shop for. Getting it home, I brandished it proudly to our esteemed publisher with whom I shared a student flat and we sat for hours enjoying the vivid scores that had not seen the light of day for decades.

After collecting a dozen or so of these recordings, I became familiar with the name of conductor and producer Charles Gerhardt and the powerful playing of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the London pickup band who played on all the recordings. I began to search for other recordings with the same combination.

Charles Gerhardt was born in Arkansas in 1927 and trained at Juilliard as well as University College, London. He began his career in the technical department at RCA Records. In his role as producer, he created easy listening releases as well as supervising the first tape transfers of Schnabel’s piano recordings and the early development of stereo sound, which led to the spectacular recordings of Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony in the mid 1950s.

Gerhardt’s keen interest in conducting and recording was encouraged by Toscanini (he worked as assistant to Toscanini) and when Readers Digest were looking for a producer to assist the the legendary Decca engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, Gerhardt came to London in early 1961 and was responsible for many classic albums, including the Beethoven Symphony cycle conducted by René Leibowitz, selling over a million copies. It is considered one of the great sleeper cycles of the era which is now available on Bibendum Records together with many other classic and popular classics recorded by the same team.

Gerhardt and the British violinist Sidney Sax formed the National Philharmonic Orchestra (1970) in order to always have a high quality band available to record at any time—it became well known for having most of the first chair principals of the London orchestras in its ranks plus all the concertmasters in the fiddles and every leading session player in the country.

This gave RCA a finely tuned ensemble to work with and culminated with Gerhardt producing the last recordings of Stokowski with the orchestra in the mid 1970s when the maestro was in his ‘90s.

Gerhardt’s lasting tribute will be his recordings of classic Hollywood film scores which he sourced and arranged and together with the National Philharmonic and the Ambrosian Singers and John Alldis Choir and brought vividly to life in a series of recordings spanning the 1970s.

Charles Gerhardt (1927 – 1999). Sadly, there not many photos of Gerhardt available, almost none in the public domain. Sid Sax and the National Phil are all almost invisible on the web.

These magnificent artistic documents are now available in a 12 CD RCA box set for the budget price of less than $35 (almost 10 hours of music). They are available to be streamed in their original single CD form on Apple Music but the complete RCA box can be found on Qobuz if you’re streaming inclined. Personally, I would order the new box set, surely to be OOP soon. Ownership of this piece of history is always a good thing rather than a streaming ‘lease’.

On these recordings, you will find the pinnacle of performance and production. The National Phil plays brilliantly both in ensemble and in the wonderful character of the orchestral solos. All the great film composers from the ‘30s and ‘40s are here. You’ll discover scores by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, Miklos Rosza and Bernard Herrmann, among others.

While I love much of the music from all the composers enshrined, I’d direct you to taste a few Korngold morsels to set the tone. Korngold was an émigré from Nazi Germany, a child genius composer who made a considerable name for himself in pre war Europe composing classical works, including symphonies, concertos and operas, many of which have become standard repertoire. As he needed work in his adopted home of Los Angeles, he began writing film scores. And it is scores for such films as Captain Blood, Between Two Worlds, Kings Row, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex and The Adventures of Robin Hood which cemented Korngold as the greatest of film composers. The stunning opening themes of Kings Row and Elizebeth and Essex alone are enough to always ensure top billing. And to spot the main Germanic influences of Wagner and Strauss, listen to ‘Mother and Son’ from Between Two Worlds. The two Richards could not have done better. Absolutely gorgeous. And be sure to listen for Sax’ beautiful violin solos.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897 – 1957)

Other film music geniuses such as Max Steiner and Bernard Herrmann are well represented. Gerhardt had the best taste. Much of Hermann’s most important work (Hitchcock) can be found elsewhere, but still great repertoire, here, including Citizen Kane. As for the great Steiner, sample his brilliant scores for Casablanca and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. As the days and weeks go by, you’ll experience the wonderful scores by Los Angeles film royalty such as Franz Waxman, Dmitri Tiomkin and Alfred Newman.

Max Steiner (1888 – 1971)

The recordings are classic Gerhardt studio sound; warm, detailed and completely analogue. The recordings also were produced under the guiding hand of Korngold’s son, George. Gerhardt’s later forays with the same orchestra on Varèse Sarabande, Kings Row full score especially, are digital and have an extra bloom and power these recordings lack. But, they are still wonderful to listen to and very atmospheric. Because this is a ‘budget’ release, there are no special notes or commemorative booklets. And the recordings are ‘as is’—no remastering.

I’ve owned individual recordings from the set on cassette, vinyl and CD, and all sound wonderful—even the Dolby-less hiss on the original ‘70s cassette could not ruin the magic of the music and playing.

Bernard Herrmann (1911 – 1975). Photo credit: Turner Classic Movies.

These performances also brought out some fascinating stories surrounding some of these scores. For instance it was not so well known that many Hollywood stars did have some musical training and actors such a Claude Rains and Fred Astaire could play the piano to a good standard and did their own stunt playing when needed. The most interesting story I think is the film Deception in which Paul Henreid has to play a cello concerto for several minutes and his hands were replaced with the arms and hands of Eleanor Aller who was the cellist in the Hollywood String Quartet and the mother of the well known American conductor Leonard Slatkin. Slatkin’s father, Felix, was first violinist of the Hollywood Quartet and led many of the original recording sessions of the films scores at Warner Brothers during the ‘30s and ‘40s when the scores were conducted by the composers themselves.

Gerhardt retired to California in 1991 and died of the complications of a brain tumour in 1999. Sid Sax continued to lead the National Philharmonic until his death. My own recollections of both these wonderful men was a rehearsal of Tosca with the National Phil in 1990 when I banged my head getting down into the pit and nearly fell into Sid’s lap. He caught me with a smile and a quip, ‘you won’t last long if you do that very often!’.

Listen to a superb radio tribute to Charles Gerhardt here.

Watch the opening of Korngold’s Kings Row with the original soundtrack played by the fantastic Warner Brothers Orchestra here.

Charles Gerhardt conducts Classic Film Scores  RCA Masters. 9075920642 3

Track Listings

CD1

The Sea Hawk: The Classic Film Scores of Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title - Reunion - Finale (from The Sea Hawk)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Nora's Theme (from Of Human Bondage)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang March of the Merry Men (from The Adventures of Robin Hood)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Love Theme (from Juarez)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title (from Kings Row)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Tomorrow (from The Constant Nymph)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Overture (from Captain Blood)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang No Father, No Mother, No Name (from Anthony Adverse)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title - Mother and Son (from Between Two Worlds)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title (from Deception)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Death of Emily Bronte, The (from Devotion)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title - Venice - March - Love Scene - Finale (from Escape Me Never)

CD2

Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin
Tiomkin, Dimitri Prelude - Foreward Card - Riot in Baskul - Mob Scene at the Refueling Station - After the Plane Crash - Arrival of the Caravan - The Journey over the Mountains - Entrance into Shangri-La - Nocturne - Riding Sequence - The Waterfall - Chinese Children's Scherzo - Bell Sequence - Funeral Cortege of the High Lama - Escape from Shangri-La - Return to Shangri-La (from Lost Horizon)
Tiomkin, Dimitri Prelude (from The Guns of Navarone)
Tiomkin, Dimitri Prelude - The Forest at Night (Nocturne) - The Wide Missouri (Epilogue) (from The Big Sky)
Tiomkin, Dimitri Overture (from The Four Poster)
Tiomkin, Dimitri Love Scene in the Barn (from Friendly Persuasion)
Tiomkin, Dimitri Choral Finale (from Search for Paradise)

CD3

Captain Blood: Classic Film Scores for Errol Flynn
Steiner, Max The King- Main Title: Don Juan - The Brocade - Don Juan's Serenade - Parade into London - Don Juan and the Queen - Final Scene (from Adventures of Don Juan)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang The Albatross - The Throne Room of Elizabeth I - Entrance of the Sea Hawks - The Orchid - Panama March - The Duel - Strike for the Shores of Dover (from The Sea Hawk)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Ship in the Night (from Captain Blood)
Steiner, Max Morning - The Farewell Before the Battle - Preparation and March - The 7th Calvary - Garry Owen - The Sioux - The Battle of Little Big Horn - Custer's Last Stand (from They Died with Their Boots On)
Steiner, Max Warner Bros. Fanfare and Main Title - The Open Prairie - The Iron Horse - Surrett - The Comrades - The Covered Wagon - Grazioso - Abbie and the Children - Wade and Abbie: The Blarney - Abbie's Theme (from Dodge City)
Waxman, Franz Parachute Drop (from Objective, Burma)
Friedhofer, Hugo Prologue (Solennelle) - The Lights of Paris (from The Sun Also Rises)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang The Archery Tournament - Escape from the Gallows - Robin and Lady Marian - Coronation Procession (from The Adventures of Robin Hood)

CD4

Gone with the Wind: Max Steiner's Classic Film Score
Steiner, Max Main Title: Dixie - Mammy - Tara - Rhett (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Opening Sequence: The Twins - Katie Bell - Ashley - Mammy (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Driving Home - Gerald O'Hara - Scarlett - Tara (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Dance Montage: Charleston Hell and Toe Polka - Southern Belle Waltz - Can Can (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Grazioso - Mammy - Ashley - Ashley and Scarlett - Scarlett, Ashley and Melanie Love Theme (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Civil War - Fall of the South - Scarlett Walks among the Wounded (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max True Love - Ashley Returns to Tara from the War - Tara in Ruins (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Belle Watling (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Reconstruction - The Nightmare - Tara Rebuilt - Bonnie - The Accident (from Gone with the Wind)
Steiner, Max Mammy and Melanie on the Staircase - Rhett's Sorrow
Steiner, Max Apotheosis: Melanie's Death - Scarlett and Rhett - Tara (from Gone with the Wind)

CD5

Castile: The Classic Film Scores of Alfred Newman
Newman, Alfred 20th Century Fanfare with the CinemaScope Extension and Street Scene (from How to Marry a Millionaire)
Newman, Alfred Pedro and Catana - Conquest (from Captain from Castille)
Newman, Alfred Cathy's Theme (from Wuthering Heights)
Newman, Alfred Homepipe (from Down to the Sea in Ships)
Newman, Alfred Prelude - The Vision (from The Song of Bernadette)
Newman, Alfred Main Title (The Hunters) (from The Bravados)
Newman, Alfred Main Title (from Anastasia)
Newman, Alfred London Calling (from The Best of Everything)
Newman, Alfred Main Title (from Airport)
Newman, Alfred Main Title - Elegy - Caligula's March - The Map of Jerusalem (from The Robe)

CD6

Casablanca: Classic Film Scores for Humphrey Bogart
Steiner, Max Main Title - The Immigrants - Morrocco - "Sam, I thought I told you never to play…" - As Time Goes By - Flashback: Rick Remembers Paris - Love Scene - The Airport - Major Strasser's Death - "…the beginning of a beautiful friendship" (from Casablanca)
Steiner, Max Rescue at Sea (from Passage to Marseille)
Steiner, Max Main Title - The Trek to the Gold - Fool's Gold - The Letter - Finale: The Gold Scatters in the Wind (from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre)
Steiner, Max Love Themes (from The Big Sleep)
Steiner, Max March (from The Caine Mutiny)
Waxman, Franz Main title: Martinique (from To Have and Have Not)
Waxman, Franz Main Title - The Embrace - The Storm - The Poisoned Milk - The Window - Geoffrey's Madness - Finale (from The Two Mrs. Carrolls)
Hollander, Frederick Main Title - The Larrabee Estate (from Sabrina)
Young, Victor Love Theme (from The Left Hand of God)
Rozsa, Miklos Main Title (from Sahara)
Steiner, Max Stagecoach - Love Scene (from Virginia City)
Steiner, Max Main Title - The Bridge - McCloud and Mr. Temple - Reminiscence - Morning - Finale (from Key Largo)

CD7

Citizen Kane: The Classic Film Scores of Bernard Herrmann
Herrmann, Bernard The Death Hunt (from On Dangerous Ground)
Herrmann, Bernard Prelude: Xandu - Snow Picture (from Citizen Kane)
Herrmann, Bernard Theme and Variations (Breakfast Montage) (from Citizen Kane)
Herrmann, Bernard Aria from Salammbo (from Citizen Kane)
Herrmann, Bernard Rosebud and Finale (from Citizen Kane)
Herrmann, Bernard The Sea - The Lagoon (from Beneath the 12-Mile Reef)
Herrmann, Bernard Descending (from Beneath the 12-Mile Reef)
Herrmann, Bernard The Octopus - Homecoming (from Beneath the 12-Mile Reef)
Herrmann, Bernard Concerto Macabre for Piano and Orchestra (from Hanover Square)
Herrmann, Bernard Talking Drums - Prelude: The Riverboat - Petticoat Dance - The Safari (from White Witch Doctor)
Herrmann, Bernard Tarantula - The Lion (from White Witch Doctor)
Herrmann, Bernard Nocturne (from White Witch Dotor)
Herrmann, Bernard Abduction of the Bakuba Boy - The Skulls (from White Witch Doctor)
Herrmann, Bernard Lonni Bound by Ropes - Departure (from White Witch Doctor)

CD8

Sunset Boulevard: The Classic Film Scores of Franz Waxman
Waxman, Franz Prelude - King Aguar's Escape - The Fens - The First Chase - The Tournament - Sir Brack's Death and Finale (from Prince Valiant)
Waxman, Franz Prelude - Angela - Loon Lake - Farewell and Frenzy - The Farewell (from A Place in the Sun)
Waxman, Franz The Creation of the Female Monster (from The Bride of Frankenstein)
Waxman, Franz Main Title - Norma Desmond - The Studio Stroll - The Comeback - Norma as Salome (from Sunset Boulevard)
Waxman, Franz Elegy for Strings (from Old Acquaintance)
Waxman, Franz Prelude - After the Ball - Mrs. Danvers - Confession Scene - Manderley in Flames (from Rebecca)
Waxman, Franz Metro Goldwyn Mayer Fanfare - Main Title - The True Love (from The Philadelphia Story)
Waxman, Franz The Ride to Dubno (from Taras Bulba)

CD9

Elizabeth and Essex: The Classic Film Scores of Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Overture (from The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main title - The Boys Go to Play - Epilogue (from The Prince and the Pauper)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang In the Forest (from Anthony Adverse)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title - Escape in the Fog - Love Scene - Finale (from The Sea Wolf)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Concerto fo Cello and Orchestra in C Major (from Deception)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Night Scene (from Another Dawn)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Main Title - Christmas - Sally - Lullaby - Finale (from Of Human Bondge)

CD10

Spellbound: The Classic Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa
Rozsa, Miklos Prelude (from The Red House)
Rozsa, Miklos The Morgan Farm - The New Hired Hand - Swimming Scene (fom The Red House)
Rozsa, Miklos Meg Finds the Red House (from The Red House)
Rozsa, Miklos Teller Shoots at Meg (from The Red House)
Rozsa, Miklos Pete's Death and Finale (from The Red House)
Rozsa, Miklos The Love of the Princess (from The Thief of Bagdad)
Rozsa, Miklos The Bottle - First Meeting (from The Lost Weekend)
Rozsa, Miklos The Mouse and the Bat - Nightmare (from The Lost Weekend)
Rozsa, Miklos Love Scene and Finale (from The Lost Weekend)
Rozsa, Miklos Sunstroke - River Journey (from The Four Feathers)
Rozsa, Miklos Mrs. Dietrichson - The Conspiracy (from Double Indemnity)
Rozsa, Miklos Scherzo - Hawks in Flight (from Knights of the Round Table)
Rozsa, Miklos Song of the Jungle (from The Jungle Book)
Rozsa, Miklos The Dream Sequence - The Mountain Lodge (from Spellbound)
Rozsa, Miklos Overture (from Ivnhoe)

CD11

Now, Voyager: The Classic Film Scores of Max Steiner
Steiner, Max Warner Bros. Fanfare and Main Title - Love Scene and Finale (from Now, Voyager)
Steiner, Max The Forgotten Island - Natives - Sacrificial Dance - The Gate of Kong - Kong in New York (from King Kong)
Steiner, Max As Long as I Live (from Saratoga Trunk)
Steiner, Max Forward the Light Brigade (from The Charge of the Light Brigade)
Steiner, Max Symphonie Moderne (from Four Wives)
Steiner, Max Main Title - Marlowe - Bookshop - Murder - Chase - Love Theme and Finale (from The Big Sleep)
Steiner, Max Suite (from Johnny Belinda)
Steiner, Max Main Title (from Since You Went Away)
Steiner, Max Main Title - Love Scene - Sancta Maria (from The Informer)
Steiner, Max Main Title (Roark's Theme) - Dominique's Theme - The Quarry - Construction: Enright's House - Finale: The Wynand Building (from The Fountainhead)

CD12

Classic Film Scores of Bette Davis
Steiner, Max Warner Bros. Fanfare - "It Can't Be Wrong" (from Now, Voyager)
Steiner, Max Blindness (Judith's Theme) - Winter - Resignation (from Dark Victory)
Steiner, Max Main Title (from A Stolen Life)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Elizabeth (from The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex)
Waxman, Franz Forsaken (from Mr. Skeffington)
Steiner, Max Main Title - Stanley and Roy - Finale (from In This Our Life)
Newman, Alfred Main Title (from All About Eve)
Steiner, Max Waltz (from Jezebel)
Steiner, Max Main Title - Rosa Moline - The Train - Rosa's Death (from Byond the Forest)
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Carlotta (from Juarez)
Steiner, Max Main Title (from The Letter)
Steiner, Max Main Title - Henriette and the Children - Love Scene - Finale - End Cast (from All This, and Heaven Too)