The Bad Seed/The Misfits/Viva Zapata!/A Streetcar Named Desire/Spartacus

Alex North (Composer), Eric Stern (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Eric Stern
• Composer: Alex North
• Audio CD (July 29, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000005J4L
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,384 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Main Title [From The Bad Seed]

2. Our Baby [From The Bad Seed]

3. Confessions/Details [From The Bad Seed]

4. At It Again [From The Bad Seed]

5. Gay and Roselyn [From the Misfits]

6. Main Title: New Orleans Street [From A Streetcar Named Desire]

7. Blanche [From A Streetcar Named Desire]

8. Four Deuces [From A Streetcar Named Desire]

9. Mania [From A Streetcar Named Desire]

10. Belle Reve [From A Streetcar Named Desire]

11. Gathering of Forces [From Viva Zapata!]

12. Main Title [From Spartacus]

13. Forest Meeting [From Spartacus]

14. Vesuvius Camp [From Spartacus]

15. Camp at Night [From Spartacus]

16. Draba Fight [From Spartacus]

17. Final Farewell [From Spartacus]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just a sampling..., June 18, 2007

By 

vmzfla "vince819" (Orlando, Fl.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bad Seed/The Misfits/Viva Zapata!/A Streetcar Named Desire/Spartacus (Audio CD)

Certainly there is much more about Alex North than what is contained on this disc. What we get here is a brief concoction of mature writing styles from the Philadephia born, Russian schooled, film composer. Perhaps his greatest contribution has been to incorporate elements of jazz
into dramatic film scores. With the exception of musicals, jazz wasn't even a consideration in a field previously dominated by the classically influenced Steiner, Korngold, and Waxman. North ushered in the next generation of soundtrack composers. This is most evident in his Ocar nominated(1951) " A Street Car Named Desire". It opens with a big piece of symphonic jazz. Swing for the piano and brass with undertones of the blues for the strings. Throughout North cleverly disguises his soundtrack. The audience is unsure if the music is coming from a nearby
jazz club or is supporting the sleazy action taking place in the New Orleans slum flat. Interesting concept that only works while viewing the film. The 1961 "Misfits" (Clark Gable's last film by the way)uses a more subtle line of jazz. Romance between the Gable and Monroe characters carried by the soprano sax. For the 1956 "The Bad Seed" North really gets it right in this story of an 8yr. old unredemptioned psychopathic killer. He uses throughout a harrowing dissonant theme entwined with a an off key childlike French folk song for a chilling demented musical experience. Perfectly hiding the evil behind the innocence of a child. The single selection from 1951's "Viva Zapata" is derived from the rhythm of his followers clacking stones. They view the arrested Zapata on horse back, noose around neck, riding to his death, with a typical Mexican folk like theme buildup for full orchestra. North depicts the brutality of Rome in "Spartacus" through the ominous howling of brass, winds, and percussion. He does give us a beautiful love theme for Spartacus and his affection for a slave girl, North never forgetting his roots and gift for melody. The overall performance of the LSO is good, as with the engineers and annotators. Because the selections are generally short one feels the absence of continuity with the program.

5.0 out of 5 stars Main music from 1956 The Bad Seed, March 28, 2011

By 

Patricia A. Souders "Dollphase" (Fullerton, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bad Seed/The Misfits/Viva Zapata!/A Streetcar Named Desire/Spartacus (Audio CD)

ans of the 1956 movie, The Bad Seed, will love these 4 main soundtracks from the film. It's the real deal. And, I just recently discovered that Alex North also was responsile for the soundtrack t Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra. Absolutely wonderful !!