Customer Reviews

Jason and the Argonauts

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Over a career of forty years or so, Bernard Herrmann composed some of the movies' best scores. There remain three that are must-haves for any fan of the composer, as well as fans of film music: "The Day the Earth Stood Still," a revolutionary score that influenced countless other films that followed it; "Psycho", a score unlike anything that preceded it, or for that manner, came after, and "Jason and the Argonauts," possibly the composer's finest work.

This recording, by Bruce Broughton and the Sinfonia of London, is a faithful rendering, with additional cues, of the masterful composition for the 1963 film. While the album in its entirety is a treasure, two cuts ("Hydra's Teeth/Skeleton/Attack" and "Scherzo Macabre") near the album's end are breathtakingly intricate and wondrously performed.

These young composers need to take a listen to this one. This is the way movie music SHOULD sound.

I have been a Ray Harryhausen (and Bernard Herrmann) fan for over 30 years. This beautiful soundtrack compact disc is not only loaded with all the great musical moments from the film I have enjoyed over the years, but it is a serious work which successfully captures the spirit of the original Bernard Herrmann music, minus the dialogue and sound effects. It is like enjoying the music all over again, for the first time! My thanks to Mr. Broughton for delivering a sensetive and sweeping effort!

I have always tended to think of Bernard Herrmann's fantasy film scores as minor works. They just didn't seem to compare with his scores for "big" films, like "Vertigo" "Psycho" or "Citizen Kane." But this new complete soundtrack from "Jason and the Argonauts" has caused me to revise my opinion. I find myself astonished at Herrmann's work on this score. Notice how, using a series of minor thirds, he creates an amazing sense of menace in "Talos" (#12) and "Triton" (#19). And the syncopated march in "Talos" is just way cool! I recommend this score to Herrmann fans and anybody else that likes good film music!

this is without question,the finest rerecording of any herrmann score-it seems to be the only one that the conductor and musicians actually listened to the original soundtrack to the film-and the fact that the original soundtrack session tapes no longer exist makes this beautiful recording that much more valuable-a must have!!!

I agree with the other reviews. The recorded sound here is outstanding, the musicians are excellent and the conductor Broughton comes close to the composer's own performance on the original soundtrack. There is even a beautiful new theme not heard in the film, used for the final moments of the film.

For me the opening credit's big theme is slightly dissappointing. As with Bernard's own later recording, this new performance slows down the tempo slightly and the result is a little more massive but with less forward drive. Too bad. I still prefer the driving tempo used in the original film soundtrack.

Otherwise I greatly enjoyed this performance of the score. The mysterious sound of brooding low woodwinds with harp are just right. Then for Mt. Olympus, the bright brass harmonies, again with harp are, well, heavenly!

For another great score I would add "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" to the list. It is perhaps his most subtle score.

Ok, this recording is really good. More in term of interpretation, the symphonia is good and under Bruce broughton it's almost perfect.His knowledge ( bruce Broughton) in term of Movie music is perfect for that kind of recording, Magical,emotionnal etc... When it's loud, it's LOUD, when it's calm, it's c...a..l..mmm... humm I love that way ! Maybe one thing is a problem ( well a little one...): the recording Studio seems to be too small, the acoustic is a little too concentrate,mate, Digital reverb in the mix are not well choosen...not "SO" important... a really good choice to buy ;o)with a special orchestration work made by Hermann ( without strings I think...)which made this music so special. Igor Bolender

Having been a life-long fan of Bernard Herrmann's music for film and the concert hall, I feel that his score for Jason and the Argonauts is his finest achievement for films that he wrote music for. During my tenure as a graduate student in music theory and composition, I wrote a research paper on Herrmann's score for JASON, and had a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to study the original conductor's score for Jason, at the Davidson Library, at the University of Santa Barbara. His mastery of orchestration still astounds me, for aside from being one of the greatest composers that America has ever produced, as an orchestrator, his highly imaginative pairing of instruments for full dramatic and aesthetic potential is unparalleled in film music, indeed, music in general. This recording by Bruce Broughton perfectly and masterfully captures the essence of this film score, and of Mr. Herrmann's original intentions, as it was decided by Mr. Broughton to retain the original timings that Mr. Herrmann used during the recording sessions for the film. I cannot recommend it enough.

Bernard Herrman has always created scores that produce strong visualization for the action on the screen. If you have seen Jason and the Argonauts the CD can be listened to independent of the film and it manifest in your imagination the scene in your mind. His music is so strong and that it works masterfully to create moods and feelings from the soundtrack as a seperate and independent enity. Bruce Broughton (Tomstone and Silverado sountrack) has done such a great job of bringing Jason and the Argonauts to life with dynamic, balanced and full prescene in this newer recording. It's just great.
Bernard Herrmann did not use a full orcrestra (with string section) when he wrote the soundtrack. He used only harps and some ancient string instruments. Herrmann was known for incorporating many ancient instruments in his film scores (one that is a good example is Journey to the Center of the Earth). If you are a fan of Bernard Herrmand or the film Jason and the Argonauts this is an exceptional work that becomes more intriguing and complex after repeated listenings.

2 words: simply magnificent! A great and faithful rendition of this classic Bernard Herrmann score. Kudos to Bruce Broughton; a job well done, Herrmann would be proud. 'Nuff said!

Herrmann was a versatile composer who is probably best known (in the U.S., at least) for his score for Psycho, in which a band of crazy violins duke it out with some relentless cellos. The sound bite everyone knows ("scree-ree-ree-reet!") doesn't really do the score justice. Listen to the whole thing some time - it's a masterpiece of suspense.

Brits may know Herrmann better for his scores, Anna And The King Of Siam and Fahrenheit 451. These scores are so beautiful, they deserve reviews of their own. I saw these movies eventually (happily, when I was still a kid, and my sense of wonder was still dominant). But the first Herrmann score I ever heard was Jason And The Argonauts.

The opening sequence is driven by the same sort of drum you would expect the rowers to hear on the Argo. Likewise, the horns might have sounded from city walls, warning of an approaching army or celebrating returning heroes.

But my favorite part is where the dragons teeth are sown, and the Children of the Hydra sprout into an army of skeletons. I'm pretty sure the dominant instrument in this sequence is the bassoon. It's effect is delightfully menacing. Once those skeletons start fighting, an array of percussion instruments join the wind section to create the effect of clashing swords and rattling bones. Ray Harryhausen's animation and Bernard Herrmann's orchestration make a dazzling team.

This movie score is a must-have for anyone who loves soundtracks. Add it to your collection.