Customer Reviews

Kings Row (1979 Re-recording)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the ONLY extended recording of Korngold's remarkable "Kings Row". And it is in knock down digital sound, to boot.

The existing original soundtrack snippets (which is being charitable) available from time to time were recorded well over 60 years ago, and sound every minute of it.

Was Korngold's conducting better than Gerhardt's? Well, Korngold was, without doubt, a virtuoso conductor, but who can tell when it all sounds like it's coming out of a Campbell's soup can?

And good, no great, as this present recording is, it does not present the full "every-note-Korngold-wrote" score. That will be left to someone else to do. However, at a total time of over 40 minutes, it presents every theme, most in multiple guises, and virtually every scene Korngold scored.

However, I do have one caveat. Although this is a full digital stereo recording, it was originally sequenced for the LP release, which preceeded that of the CD. And it is sequenced as such, with just a single track break where the LP's side flip was.

This recording deserves to be retracked at the appropriate track markings, all of which, by the way, are provided in the booklet.

Other than that, run, don't walk, to find this great CD. That is, if you can.

Of course, the original recording is superior. But, give it to Gerhardt. He gave his all in reviving film music, in giving life to Korngold`s music.

The tension is the key. The original recording (available in the market only in snippets - not even in bootleg!)remains the version to have. Especially, Grandmother`s theme, Randy and Drake, Cassie and Paris, the Finale (with chorus) and what else? The Main Title. Just ties with Tara`s theme. Max just couldn`t better Erich.

Warners` disappointing (soundwise) Korngold set has got the most cues available. But the Warners` 50th Anniversary set (only on LP) has the most satisfying of all. It has Randy and Drake. Only Lionel Newman`s version comes close to it. Got to admit, Newman`s conducting is better than Gerhardt`s and sometimes Newman even betters Korngold, especially in the Main title to The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.

I think Warners should reissue the current 3 CD Korngold set in better sound and in entirety!

That will be the day all serious film music lovers will rejoice.

When this arrived in the mail, the vendor had enclosed a written note on the receipt that Kings Row was his favorite Korngold soundtrack. It is truely jaw dropping magnificent and unforgetable! The first time I saw the movie and heard the opening notes to the score, I knew I would have a copy of it someday.

Michael England
Grapevine, Texas

For reasons unknown, Mr. Gerhardt's conducting in this recording
surprisingly lacks the sense of urgency and the dramatics
exhibited in his three recordings of excerpts from Korngold's
film symphony (two of which are exact duplicates). Check out:
(1) Hollywood Screen Classics; Chesky Records CD71, 1992;
conducted by Charles Gerhardt; performed by the National
Philharmonic Orchestra (simply superb); (2) The Sea Hawk; BMG RCA
Victor 60863-2-RG, 1972; conducted by Charles Gerhardt; performed
by the National Philharmonic Orchestra (also superb); and (3) The
Sea Hawk; BMG RCA Victor 7890-2-R, 1989; conducted by Charles
Gerhardt; performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra (a
reissue of the track on BMG RCA Victor 60863-2-RG). Bottom line:
test drive all of these CDs, and decide for yourself. And there
is a bonus: ALL are a "must" for your collection of Erich
Wolfgang Korngold film symphonies.