Vertigo: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1958 Film) [Soundtrack]

Bernard Herrmann (Composer), Bernard Herrmann (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B0000014ZW
• Also Available in: VHS Tape  |  DVD  |  Blu-ray  |  Amazon Instant Video
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,994 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Prelude and Rooftop

2. Scotty Trails Madeline

3. Carlotta's Portrait

4. The Bay

5. By The Fireside

6. The Streets

7. The Forest

8. The Beach

9. The Dream

10. Farewell And The Tower

11. The Nightmare And Dawn

12. The Past And The Girl

13. The Letter

14. Goodnight And The Park

15. Scene D'Amour

16. The Necklace, The Return And Finale

Editorial Reviews

Scared of heights? Coinciding with the release of the newly restored film version of Vertigo , Varese Sarabande has released this specially expanded CD featuring that, er, dizzying Bernard Herrmann film score, plus music previously unavailable from the classic Alfred Hitchcock film.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dizzyingly Good "Vertigo" Soundtrack July 24, 2001

By Sandy McLendon

Format:Audio CD

Of the "Vertigo" CD's available, I like this one best, even though I know there are some problems with it. Some tracks are mono, because they were originally recorded that way. There are some flaws in the playing, including more bowing from the strings than composer Bernard Herrmann might have liked. And the years have not been entirely kind to the recordings themselves. I say, "So What?" This is the version that has the one thing all others lack- the power to put you back into the strange world of "Vertigo".

It's a very complete version; the only thing I believe is missing is the little bit of stock music used when Scotty and Judy dance at the Fairmont.

But the wonderful thing about this soundtrack is that power to return you to San Francisco, circa 1958, when a decent detective got gulled into playing an unwitting witness to a scam, and lost his soul thereby.

I can testify to that power; I played the CD in the car one day, and found myself driving on one of Atlanta's hillier streets, just as the music for Scottie's following of Madeleine was played. For just a second, I was IN the movie, it seemed; I had to take a moment to bring myself back to here and now- reminding myself that I was on my way to a meeting, not tailing a green Jaguar. If I had been in San Francisco when this happened, I think I might have ended up in San Juan Bautista before the spell broke...

Again, I've heard the other versions, and they're fine. They're well-played and state-of-the-art technically; they try to correct every flaw in the actual soundtrack, and on that score they succeed. They just don't have the ability to evoke the movie the way this one does. Madeleine and Scottie are on this CD, and no other. Play the others, and hear beautiful music.... Put this CD in, and be transported. I was. Read more ›

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the finest film score ever written. July 4, 1999

By James M. Shertzer

Format:Audio CD

When I first saw "Vertigo" in its original release, I was 14, too young to understand this masterful film's emotional complexities but sucked in by the powerful undetow of the Bernard Herrmann's brilliant score, the finest of all his work for Hitchcock. I pestered by mother until she gave me $3.98 to buy the Mercury soundtrack recording. Over the years it served me well (and skyrocketed in value as a sought-out collectible) and was played until the grooves wore thin. The Mercury CD reissue of 1990 was a fine stereo replica but the Mercury original, but this disc (produced to accompany the film's glorious 1996 restoration) surpasses it with better sound and additional tracks. There are some minor flaws: not all of the new tracks are in stereo and the recordings show their 40-plus-year age. Owing to a strike in Hollywood, the majority of the "Vertigo" score was recorded in London but some cues were done in Vienna, and only the London session were made in stereo. However, considering the age and lamentable deterioration of the master tapes, what's here sounds remarkably good. The recent digital re-recording of the score has flashier audio (and cue or two missing from this disc), but this is the REAL thing and, for my money, the better of the two discs. An absolute must in any film score collection ... or serious contemporary music collection, for that matter.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC April 30, 2002

By MOVIE MAVEN

Format:Audio CD

Alfred Hitchcock and composer Bernard Herrmann worked together for nine extraordinary years beginning in 1954 with "The Trouble With Harry" and on through "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956),
"The Wrong Man" (1957), "North By Northwest" (1959), "Psycho" (1960), and "The Birds" (1963) along with their masterpiece, "Vertigo" in 1958. It was in 1966 that Hitchcock rejected Hermann's score for "Torn Curtain" and the two men not only never worked together again, they also never spoke to each other again.

"Vertigo" has one of the most lush and romantic scores ever written for a film, purely tonal most of the time and then something goes horribly wrong: the music seems to turn in on itself, spirals downward, becomes hypnotic, mesmerizing, almost minimalistic. Themes are repeated and variations of these themes become haunting and then nightmarish.

If you have ever seen "Vertigo" listen just to the "Prelude" on this CD and you will remember Saul Bass's brilliant main title sequence....one of the finest in all of cinema. Herrmann has written a great, great film score, postively married to this breathtaking movie. The score can be enjoyed while watching "Vertigo" or simply by listening to this remarkable CD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect soundtrack for the perfect movie October 8, 2002

By scottie

Format:Audio CD

Yeah, that's THE MOVIE and THE SOUNDTRACK, I love Star Wars, Bond movies, but this Hitchcock gem will be always my favorite of all time. It's the cinema in its purest formula, and only Bernard Herrmann could create a soundtrack that had love, sadness, mystery, loss and above all reincarnation. Yes, the Star Wars scores present great originality, but this one is a very personal CD of mine, like I said it has all we want to in beautiful music.
There is this CD, which has the original orchestration, and the 1998 Re-recording by Joel McNeely, which I firstly bought cause there wasn't this one yet.
Contrary to some reviewers I won't elect my fave themes since I think the soundtrack "lives" with the calm cues as much as the more strong ones. I love each of them!

"Prelude" can transport us to the story that we're going to see and those hipnotic chords creates a feel of attraction and diziness like in the Saul Bass titles."Rooftop" is exciting revealing Scottie's achrophobia.
"Scottie Tails Madeleine" includes some passionate notes when Kim Novak's character is introduced and some slowpaced notes of her being followed. This track ends with the "Mission Organ" which doesn't appear in the Re-recording. Yet it's not included the graveyard scene like in the new one.
"Carlotta's Portrait" is one of the most distinguished, since it's associated with the spanish woman, and it's used habanera rhytm later to be used in more terrific tones- quite eerie.

"The Bay" is a nice variation Madeleine's theme again, and the music changes from mysterious to urgent when Madeleine throws herself to the water.
"By the fireside" features Madeleine's theme again used to show sensuality....
"The Streets" is a theme that doesn't appear in the Re-recording, it's again Scottie and Madeleine in the cars variation.
"The Forest" is a real spooky cue, using organs. "The Beach" is the the conclusion of the walk of the recent lovers- it ends with strong, romantic notes as they kiss.
In "The Dream", we have the return of Carlotta's piece as Scottie tries to understand Madeleine's mind.
"Farewell" and "The Tower" is certainly one the best tracks- it's where Scottie can't give a solution to Madeleine's suicide atempts. The romantic notes return again in a doomed way, because there's no way of stop the posessed woman. The Fall variations of the first track return matching perfectly with the Vertigo of Scottie. We truly sense his feel of shock as the music seems not to forgive the poor detective.
The soundtrack seems to be even more better in "The Nightmare"- we hear frightening Carlotta's variation, and "The Dawn" is the part Scottie is release from the institution. Like the movie, the soundtrack seems to had reach the end.
"The Past" has excellent variations of Madeleine's theme in a more supernatural touch as Scottie mistakes some women for his lost love. This is finished with a familiar "The Girl". This two parts of the track don't appear in the Re-recording.
"The Letter" has some darker tones as Judy's secret in the murder complot is reveaveled.
"Goodnight" and "The Park" have more romantic touches, as Judy and Scottie develop their love but there's no way of avoiding---
"Scene D'Amour ", probably the most famous and most important track, since it's the part Judy agrees to attend to Scottie's desires and be Madeleine. The music is more romantic and yet more tragic than ever as they passionate kiss, after being so much time seperated by death. After the explosion the scene and the music fades, leaving the lovers. Happy ending?
Not quite, because we knew who was Judy and Scottie has to know too("The Necklace"), and orchestration gets darker and darker as he takes her back to the Mission("The Return"), and the romantic cue is more tragic and bizarre as they climb the stairs, without we even know that this will lead to "The Finale"--They love each other but they must not be together again. As Judy's fall the music explodes one last time as James Stewart looks down and--THE END.

Wow, what can I say, after all this? The score is certainly a must for Herrmann fans (like me), altough I know people who love it without knowing too much abot the director or the conductor.
This one covers very well each scene of the mov, every people will revive Scottie's emotions- I did!
Well, I also tend to say that this one should be heard by the younger people who rather prefer Hans Zimmer or Howard Shore. A warning for them- You'll only find gems like this in some John Williams or Danny Elfmans soundtracks so-- BUY THIS CD NOW!!! Read more ›