Log in or register to post your own comments Given that he passed away right before the advent of widescreen films with stereophonic sound and magnetic film recording, very few of his scores have been released on CD-something FSM intends to change. Herbert Stothart (1885-1949) was the primary dramatic composer of the M-G-M music department for the 1930s and '40s, scoring such classics as Mutiny on the Bounty, The Wizard of Oz and Random Harvest. Northwest Passage: Classic Western Scores From M-G-M, Vol. Lassie Come Home: The Canine Cinema Collection Liner notes to this CD are by Stothart authority Marilee Bradford. This CD is a long overdue first release of two important scores, and a nostalgic treasure trove for fans of the period. Herbert Stothart was one of the titans of film scoring in the 1930s and '40s, who had an aptitude for subtlety and atmosphere that looked ahead to the future, even as his orchestral colors came to represent the romantic sound of Golden Age Hollywood. For both scores, what survives is exquisite, and several cues are in glorious stereo (including the main titles), owing to the use of different microphone angles. The sound quality is largely 'archival,' particularly for The Yearling, which was long ago transferred from its original optical film to 1/4' tape Random Harvest was mastered from the original optical film for superior results. Unfortunately, the recordings of both Random Harvest and The Yearling suffered deterioration over the years, and each is about one-half complete. The combination of Delius's sensitive rendition of Americana and Stothart's gifts for evoking natural locales resulted in a gorgeous score brimming with sympathy and melancholy. Stothart-who often interpolated source material by other composers-based his score around a concert work by British composer Frederick Delius, Appalachia: Variations on an Old Slave Song, inspired by Delius's stay in Florida. The Yearling (1946) tells the story of a boy and his pet deer in 1880s Florida-a loving coming-of-age tale with first-rate performances by Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman and Claude Jarman Jr. Stothart's score interpolates the English wedding hymn 'O Perfect Love' amongst yearning and beautiful melodies of his own. Set in the aftermath of World War I, the film concerns the struggle of Colman to regain his memory, and the incredible perseverance of Garson to help him do so. Random Harvest (1942) was an acclaimed love story based on a novel by James Hilton, starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. This CD is a step in the right direction with the surviving tracks for two important films.

Although his underscore for The Wizard of Oz (1939) is world-famous, virtually none of Stothart's numerous other works for M-G-M are available in any form.

Released by Special Arrangement With Turner Classic Movies Music.įSM presents a doubleheader from one of the most distinguished Golden Age composers who is, almost unbelievably, scarcely represented on CD: Herbert Stothart (1885-1949). Film Score Monthly CD: Random Harvest/The YearlingĢ50 Golden and Silver Age Classics on CD from 1996-2013! Exclusive distribution by SCREEN ARCHIVES ENTERTAINMENT.

Random harvest 1942