Intrada Soundtrack Forum

7/14/2022

I thank all of you that helped us reach not only our Kickstarter goal for recording Bernard Herrmann’s On Dangerous Ground but also the additional stretch goal to record Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much, also scored by Herrmann. This one will probably be the headline score due to the Alfred Hitchcock name. That director has his own followers, and deservedly so. I think he might be the most influential director there was in Hollywood, and likely the only director who’s name was literally the key selling point, no matter who the famous stars were that appeared within. Currently we have engaged our friend Mike Ross to be our man in the booth. Mike’s work for us on Herrmann’s Jason And The Argonauts remains my favorite of all the many projects we have done together with him. Herrmann’s music, typically written with orchestral color being vital, is probably best presented when recorded with that classic “Phase 4” sound that London utilized on all those Herrmann collections back in the day. That’s the sound we got with Jason, and we’re chasing that sound again for the above recordings. Anyone not quite sure what this is can be satisfied knowing primarily it means crisp, detailed, close mic recordings with an emphasis on the left and right channels over the center channel… and with mics placed everywhere you’ll hear just where the clarinets are seated, exactly where muted trumpets are sitting, where an oboe solo is coming from, that haunting viola d’amore, so on and so forth.

I’m also particularly excited about our brass requirements which will include eight French horns yelping their way through that virtuoso “Death Hunt” cue, supported by six trumpets, a battery of trombones… even two tubas! This should also make the “Prelude” for The Man Who Knew Too Much a sonic spectacular, especially when balanced with all that ferocious tympani. And speaking of percussion, getting that steel brake drum (or anvil) for On Dangerous Ground will surely add to the excitement. Okay, with all that power lined up, I am going to admit the single piece of music I am most excited about finally recording is that brief piece in The Man Who Knew Too Much, following the phone call James Stewart receives about his son being kidnapped. It’s a deceptively simple cue scored just for two vibraphones and violins. I’ve had it as an “ear worm” in my head for years. Now it’ll finally come out of my speakers! Anyway, we’ll keep everyone posted as these two scores are prepared for release.