Intrada Soundtrack Forum

Hello to everyone !

Some random techtalk for Doug or anyone else interested !

I happened to read a comment from the great Randy Thornton about technical evolutions of film music recording throughout the history of the Disney productions (specifically). While he specifies that the Fantasia recording cannot be considered as a "true stereo" recording but a Fantasound recording (some parts of the orchestra where recorded separately), he says that Sleeping Beauty was actually the first true stereo soundtrack and that's why it was recorded in Berlin (because of the state of the art equipment they had there back then) in September and November of the year 1958.

BUT, when Elmer Bernstein's score for The Buccaneer was released earlier this year by Kritzerland, we have learnt in the booklet (that's why I love the booklets by the way ^^) that it was recorded in June of the same year 1958, in Berlin as well (maybe in the same audio facility) and that the sessions were transfered from 15 IPS three-track stereo masters.

So what's the final word, and is there another prior score that was recorded in Stereo as well ?

I know for sure that Sleeping Beauty is the FIRST STEREO soundtrack album ever released in History, though.

Cinerama's South Seas Adventure?

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"I used to worry about losing my mind. Now that I've lost it I don't worry about it anymore." -Wavy Gravy

THIS IS CINERAMA (1952), CINERAMA HOLIDAY (1953), SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (1955), and SEARCH FOR PARADISE (1957) all preceded 1958's CINERAMA SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE. I think all the true three-camera Cinerama pictures were stereophonic.

But 20th Century-Fox recorded and released every one of their CinemaScope films in stereo from 1953 until some point in 1961. Not only that, but Fox rented their CinemaScope photographic lenses to other studios during that period only under agreement that those studios would release their productions in stereo as well. So a considerable number of features (and even shorts) were released in stereo prior to 1958.

Also, a 1958 musicians' strike is the real explanation for so many American scores having been recorded in Germany around that time -- including THE BRAVADOS, A CERTAIN SMILE, and VERTIGO, off the top of my head. It was decided that Berlin had the best equipment and facilities outside Hollywood. (As well as their musicians not belonging to the American players' union.)

But unless Thornton was referring exclusively to stereo films released with directional dialogue and sound effects, it seems he didn't consider that Fox was recording scores in multiple channels as far back as the 1940s, even though the pictures themselves were only to be released with monaural sound. After all, that's why we've been able to enjoy stereo CDs of the score tracks from CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE, PRINCE OF FOXES, DAVID AND BATHSHEBA, and other pre-CinemaScope films.

Here is the exact quote of what he said about Stereo film scores :

Interesting topic... though I admit I am unclear as to whether the conversation and/or dissent is in regards to the first stereo soundtrack "album" or the first actual film soundtrack itself. Two totally different things, of course.
--Doug

Thanks Steven for these great details !

So I've been reading these techtalk lines from Randy in the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea booklet and it further says : "The orchestra elements for 20,000 Leagues are 3 track and not "true stereo" as we know it today (Sleeping Beauty was the first true stereo soundtrack). It was basically two channels of audio that were recorded at the same time, with a third track ocasionnaly used for overdubs".

So now we can understand that by "soundtrack" Randy means "score", not the whole soundtrack with sounds and not the album (there was no album for 20,000 Leagues in 1954). Now, does he mean only Disney or the entire movie production ?
And I'm not sure to clearly understand the distinction between "two channels recorded together" and the "true stereo" recording.

And of course you have to include in the confusion those various record albums from Decca, such as Around The World In 80 Days and Picnic, that were drawn from stereo film soundtracks but were ONLY issued as mono soundtrack albums... that is, until they became such big catalog hits that Decca went back to the original three channel stereo masters (which technology would not allow at the time of their initial release) and actually re-mastered as true stereo albums to put into their catalog. Crazy period.
--Doug