by Curt Hardaway

THE PHILOSOPHIES AND REALITIES OF RE-RECORDINGS

Being quite immersed in film scores myself, I know that we’re a difficult bunch to please. If something doesn’t match the music we love in films, we cry like babies. But there are often reasons for re-recordings sounding different that either make practical sense, or fall into the realm of impossibility.

“In the past, on the scoring stage, conductors would speed up tempos and hold notes longer than the music on the paper would indicate because they were trying to catch the action on the screen,” Bonn says. “Before the regular use of click tracks, conductors would conduct in real time along with the film running on screen in front of them. Of course, this is still the practice today, but with the use of music editors, composing software, and synth demos, by the time the composer gets to the session they have a more precise idea of how the music will fit the scene.”

She also has a defense for those Herrmann re-recordings that broke my heart so many years ago. “When Herrmann would re-record his own music, he wasn’t trying to match any action on screen so he would conduct the music in a way he felt was the most musical as it was heard independently from the film. I know a lot of his tempos were slower, but I figure since it was his music he could do what he wanted with it.”

“Most film music fans are as nutty as opera music fans,” Morgan says. “Yes, we try to replicate what the composer wrote. Many times, we are able to restore and do things that were cut in the original films, as well as restore certain instrumentation that may have been changed because of a conflict with dialogue or sound effects.

“Film Music can have two criteria. Since its function is primarily to enhance a film, the most important aspect is how the music works within the framework of the film. In this function it becomes part of film art. Much film music that is considered a great film score may not be great music in the sense of standing alone as music. It can be repetitive, meandering, formless and sometimes even played badly on purpose for a dramatic effect, but nevertheless a great film score with the film. Now, when we re-record a score for an album, our primary concern is not at all how the music works with the film, but how does it work away from the film – as music. Of course, Bill, Anna, and I are all flattered when we get comments from film buffs who say we captured the sound and feel of the original performance, but I get an even bigger thrill when I read a review from someone who hasn't seen the film, but finds the music compelling and interesting and fun on its own.”

Bonn adds that “with our recordings, we try to duplicate the original as closely as possible. We know that fans expect to hear their favorite scores as they remember them from the film. We do our best to get as close to the original sound through the micing and mixing. We also get our research materials directly from studios, libraries, and private collections. Whenever it is possible, Bill will conduct from copies of the original scores and orchestra members will read from the original parts.”

Stromberg and Morgan preparing to re-record Korngold's classic score for THE SEA HAWK

“Obviously, there is no way to replicate the original performance of any original score exactly, and it would be ridiculous and completely boring to try,” Stromberg adds. “I do, however, try to recapture the spirit and vibrancy of the originals. Tempo seems to be the biggest problem for people who complain about this re-recording or that not being right on or as good as the definitive original conducted by the composer himself. I believe there is no such thing as a definitive performance of any music, and that includes the original composer’s rendering as well. I’ve heard of many film composers who are not happy with their original soundtrack recordings because of being too rushed or whatever, and actually prefer a re-recording of their work.

“If the music is great, then it can be performed over and over, and you’ll constantly discover new intricacies from recording to recording,” he says. “I don’t understand why some people want it exactly the same as the original. I’ve even had fans tell me that they miss a wrong note that was present in the original that we have corrected for our new recording, and wish we had left the wrong note in. I do, however, realize that most film music fans want to re-live their favorite film scores, blemishes and all, so I keep that in mind when we are recording a score anew. I find ways to make it fresh, but keep the composer’s original intentions intact.”

Bonn says, “I don’t know if monster music fans are harder to please than other fans, but I do know that there are many collectors out there that know their favorite music note for note, and if we stray from the original even in the slightest way, someone is bound to call us on it!”

Which brings us to the possibility of impossibility. For example, one ardent fan says that in the Stromberg/Morgan HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN release, there is an anomaly on track 23 at the 1:20 point. In the DVD, it's almost at the 45:00 mark, just after the romantic scene between Lon Chaney Jr.’s Larry Talbot and Ilonka the Gypsy girl. It starts during Boris Karloff's line "Get started. We've lost too much time already." In the movie, it's a sort of whirring sound.

Morgan responds, “In the original film, it was a Novachord, an organ-like instrument that is obsolete today, so we had to replicate that sound with a synth. Novachords, Hammond Organs, the mono acoustics of the original recording venues, the underbuilt string sections – these are but a few of the difficulties in recreating the music. It is impossible to duplicate any orchestral music exactly just as it is impossible to duplicate a stage play with different actors exactly. Nor, I hope, would one want to.”

“The theremin is a great example of a nearly impossible instrument to duplicate,” Bonn adds. “Lately, we’ve been interested in recording film music from the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the scores of Jerry Goldsmith. He was a technological pioneer who incorporated synthesizers into the traditional orchestra. Many of his sounds were created by programming analog synthesizers. Those early synths are rare and almost impossible to find now. Although there are many digital synthesizers that can emulate many of those original sounds, it would be very difficult to recreate them exactly.

“Goldsmith was also known for using extremely rare percussion instruments played by Los Angeles studio musician Emil Richards. Some of those instruments were one of a kind from Emil’s private collection. Unfortunately for us, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra we use doesn’t have a waterphone, tuned mixing bowls, or dipping gongs on hand.”