Stromberg's recording of Prince and the Pauper

Reviews,comments,suggestions on Korngold's discography

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tjguitar
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Stromberg's recording of Prince and the Pauper

Post by tjguitar » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:17 am

From John Morgan @ FSM:
PRINCE will be early next year. Still waiting for the liner notes to be complete.

http://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts ... &archive=1
tjguitar
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Post by tjguitar » Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:02 am

The lack of interest in this recording here is really shocking to me.

:-/
William Stromberg
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Post by William Stromberg » Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:11 am

tjguitar wrote:The lack of interest in this recording here is really shocking to me.

:-/
Yeah, me too. :-(

Oh well, this will be released in about two months. The recording turned out fantastic with a very "up-front" sound to all of the instruments. I think anyone who loves Korngold will be very pleased. I'll let you know when it's released.



Until next time, all the best,
William Stromberg
Last edited by William Stromberg on Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
William Stromberg
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Post by William Stromberg » Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:25 am

Here's the cover.
Image
Tempos and Variations
Conducting Korngold’s music is just plain fun. Not only did he write some of the most gorgeous and joyously rambunctious music ever created for the cinema, he also wrote some of the most demanding for orchestra and conductor. You simply cannot be a “time-beater” when conducting his music—it is written in such a way that it must feel like one man performing at a piano with a natural musical ebb and flow . . . only it actually involves seventy to eighty orchestra players all playing together! It seems, at times, that every measure has a different tempo, and I believe this is what helps give Korngold’s music its distinctive sound, which is very tricky and requires plenty of rehearsal time. Luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to conduct a lot of Korngold’s music over the last twelve years, including a thirty-eight-minute suite from Pauper back in the mid-nineties for BMG, to allow me to become very familiar with his style and perfect some of his original idiosyncratic performance qualities.
As I began preparing my conductor scores for this new recording, I knew that I would try with all of my might to keep all the tempos up to those in the original film. I feel we’ve come very close. It’s not often you get a second chance at a recording, so I’m pleased to be able to revisit this score and give it another shot.
One of my personal favorite cues is Riot, which is performed at almost inhuman, breakneck speed. The orchestra had a ball playing it even though we felt as though it could derail at any moment. Also, I just love the cue Flirt with its slight Viennese lilt featuring two solo violins and tenor saxophone.
Throughout this entire score Korngold utilizes his main themes to great effect, putting them through many variations. I hope one day to perform this music again, as well as other Korngold scores, live in concert to picture.

William Stromberg, March 2009
Peter Timoney
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Post by Peter Timoney » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:17 am

Thanks for the information about the recording. A previous comment lamented a lack of interest in the recording. I don't think so at all. I think every right minded Korngoldian is looking very much forward to this recording. I think we have had a period with very little new developments regarding Korngold and people have just stopped writing here as a habit. Whatever our lack of comments (I think we were probably waiting for more detailed information) I think the recording will sell just as well and that all Korngoldians will be enthusiastic about it. I would personally like to thank Mr. Stromberg and his team for their fine advocacy of Korngold and other golden age composers with their recordings. Your first Prince and the Pauper was the first Korngold CD I ever bought, so I am especially looking forward to this fine score in its entirety. Would it be heretical on a Korngold site to especially thank you for the Salter/Skinner recordings....probably.

Peter
brendan g carroll
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Post by brendan g carroll » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:35 pm

I would second everything that Peter says..and no it is not heretical to salute Hans Salter & Frank Skinner. Any site devoted to Korngold is a home to great film music and its admirers.

Counting the days to The PRINCE & THE PAUPER!!! The cover art alone is a joy!
Dennis Miller
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In stock June 5th

Post by Dennis Miller » Sat Jun 06, 2009 6:29 am

It's here....

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=12326

Greetings from San Francisco,

Dennis

PS: If you need help obtaining this CD from Screen Archives Entertainment please let me know.
tjguitar
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Post by tjguitar » Sun Jun 07, 2009 1:05 am

Ordered mine as well.
Dennis Miller
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"Prince and the Pauper" refrigerator magnet

Post by Dennis Miller » Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:29 pm

I received my order today for SAE and this little bonus came with it:

Image

Good listening from San Francisco,

Dennis
Peter Timoney
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Post by Peter Timoney » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:42 am

I just got it posted yesterday and I think it an excellent recording, certainly among the best by the Morgan/Stromberg team. It really is great to hear a Korngold film score recording where the speed of the music is respected. Well done folks. And yes, I am well pleased with my Prince and the Pauper fridge magnet too. Peter
sdtom
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Post by sdtom » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:59 pm

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/t ... rkorngold/

If anyone missed it here is a link to my site reviewing it.
Thomas
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