TOD
Herrmann is a big subject around these parts. He might very well be the first film composer I ever REALLY became aware of. And he is indeed my favorite, if it isn't totally foolhardy to name such a favorite.
Discovering that first Hitchcock Thrillers LP (on London Phase Four) and getting it home to the turntable was an exciting moment I still remember. After that, the Welles album, and then I think there was a dead period (for me) for a while. By this time the original Vertigo LP was pretty rare, and to this day, I've never acquired a copy. I did get the stereo version on Mercury Golden Imports. Oh wait -- something else happened first.
In one of the really small record shops on Hollywood Blvd. I found, in one visit, bootleg LPs of Vertigo and Marnie. I played those over and over and over, just fascinated with the music and orchestration of Vertigo. This, to my knowledge, was a copy of the original Mercury, in mono, and sounded halfway decent. The Marnie one was interesting -- it had every damned cue, but a very muffled sound. Loved it, though. And then I did the unthinkable. I loaned these two to someone (this was around 1973), and that's the last I've seen of them. (Which is actually okay, considering, but it would still be fun to have those on the shelf with the others.)
A few years later -- and I swear this is the truth -- I had a dream about finding an actual Psycho soundtrack LP in a store. The cover was mostly in black and white. The next day, a Saturday, I was treating myself to a day in Westwood -- browsing the book and record stores, eating something delicious, and probably seeing a movie. Anyhoo, I was in Vogue Records, and what do I find in a bin near the back of the store but the then-new Unicorn LP of the complete score of Psycho conducted by Herrmann, in a mostly black and white jacket? I kid you not, DRs. (I've had this happen a couple of other times, but for nothing so memorable.) That record was really a thrill, even though, like just about all of Herrmann's re-recordings, I found it lacking in tightness and urgency in comparison to the conducting and playing on the soundtracks. But what a valuable document, and it beats others' renditions.
The Fantasy Film Worlds album followed those first two London recordings, and I was once again thrilled, especially by Journey and Fahrenheit. Back at the little record store at some point, I found a couple more bootlegs (Bride Wore Black, Hangover Square, Twisted Nerve, maybe some other stuff) which I think were actual film tracks. Later, the LPs for Sisters, Obsession, and Taxi Driver joined the others. I forget what else. I still have every one of these, in (as far as I know) beautiful condition.
I did finally branch out and learn that there were other film composers. But Herrmann was magic, and seeing Hitchcock films at various Hitchcock festivals around town was all the more exciting when the films were also Herrmann's.
EDIT: And how could I forget to give a nod to the LP box set and the vocal score to Wuthering Heights, which I know I've stated before were found at Phil Harris Records and De Keyser Music (next door) at just about the same time. (Talk about yer serendipity.) Well, some things deserve being stated again. Those are treasures.
