[.ca] Vertigo

The perfect soundtrack for the perfect movie:
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!!!

One of the all-time greats:
Vertigo is not only the finest of Bernard Herrmann's scores written for the films of Alfred Hitchcock, but also one of the most memorable and captivating movie scores of all time. Muir Matheson's original recording is tatty in places, but it belongs uniquely to the world of the original film, and as such I wouldn't wish it to be altered one iota. The film's atmosphere is contained brilliantly therein, from the suspenseful and brooding ambience of the early scenes to the sweeping passion of the latter half of the film. This remastered recording will allow the listener to relive the exhilarating experience of Hitchcock's masterpiece.

Classic:
Very wistful, sweeping romantic melodies. A lot of the songs are very haunting, as though the composer was telling Hitchcock or the audience how dangerous it was that this man was becoming obsessive. This CD has a poor cover, it shouldn't pretend to market 'Psycho' and remember, rerecordings of any kind, especially when rerecording 'mono' in stereo, ...

An essential part of the film's story line:
Many consider Herrmann's musical contribution to the classic Hitchcock film to be the third "star" behind leads Stewart and Novak. Who am I to dispute that? Almost every scene is filled with the lush strings and ominous chord arrangements of which Herrmann is noted. Of course, the central theme is repeated or restructured but that only serves to support its importance. Herrmann knew how to musically tell a story. His passages reflect the on-screen action; they alternate from extremely subdued to blaringly threatening. Very few film composers had (or have) his knack for adding "color" to the filmed images. "Vertigo" is one of Sir Alfred's most personal films, and the Herrmmann scores remains one of that musician's most dynamic undertakings.

An amazing score for an amazing film:
Bernard Herrmann's spellbinding score for VERTIGO is a true masterpiece. His use of innovative, contemporary harmonies that were distinctly his, and obsessive motifs capture the essense of a Hitchcock thriller more than any other score. The contrast of the three main themes - Prelude, Carlotta's Portrait (habanera), and Scene d'amour - and the recurring fixed idea of a descending fifth give this score a balanced structure. The full-boddied orchestration; the way that the music acts as a narrator as Scottie follows Madeline in his car; the evocation of haunting, dreamy themes - everything is perfect. An amazing achievement by one of the masters of film music.

• Vertigo Prelude and Rooftop
• Madeleine and Carlotta's Portrait
• Beach
• Farewell and the Tower
• Nightmare and Dawn
• Love Music
• Necklace and the Return and Finale