We've lost another of the bests: Elmer Bernstein

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 9:50pm

Another film soundtrack composers has passed away. Elmer Bernstein
a few weeks ago was Jerry Goldsmith, and now one of the oldest and bests musics ever left us.
he did some of the bests soundtracks ever: The magnificent seven, the ten commandments, and one of the most beautiful melodies ever written (I think!) To kill a mockingbird.
With others incredible composers like Henry Mancini, he reinvented the film music, introducing the jazz in the film music in the man with the golden arm
he had 14 nominations to the oscars and won just one time with the score of "Thoroughly Modern Millie".
A few years ago, I met him in a concert and had a dinner with him. He was kind and funny, and a piece of hollywood history by himself.
I recommend this works of him:
-The magnificent 7
-to kill a mockinbird (the main title is.... INCREDIBLE)
-the sons of katie elder
-the Ten Commandments
-the Age of Innocence

I am very very very sad again...
I hope he rest in peace... and wherever he is... Thank you Elmer for the great music you left.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:20pm

HAWAII is one of my favorite Elmer Bernstein scores. I still listen to it, nearly 40 years after it was released.

A talented and quite prolific film and TV music composer. Updated On: 8/18/04 at 10:20 PM

[beacon1]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:29pm

Talented man. He will be very much missed.


*sends a hug to POL*

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:44pm

This makes me very sad. I will have to put on the Mockingbird Soundtrack now. He was a master of mood setting, and I feel very underrated.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:53pm

I put the "to kill a mockingbird" in my cd one hour ago, and it's in loop... playing the main theme!

There is an incredible cd called "elmer bernstein by elmer bernstein" with this amazing songlist:

1. Magnificent Seven
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Man With the Golden Arm
4. Grifters
5. Walk on the Wild Side
6. Hawaii
7. Great Escape
8. Ghostbusters
9. Hollywood and the Stars
10. Rambling Rose
11. Heavy Metal
12. My Left Foot
13. Ten Commandments



this cd includes the theme "hollywood and the stars" written for a tv program, it's an incredible song...

[MusicMan]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 11:14pm

Not to mention David Raksin's passing two weeks back.
Let's face it: with Bernstein's passing, the age of Hollywood composing giants is nearly finished. With the exception of a few talents like John Williams and Thomas Newman, what's left are pygmies-for-hire and purveyors of banality. Which is what most Hollywood product today deserves. Updated On: 8/19/04 at 11:14 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 11:19pm

David Raskin...how can one forget LAURA?

Or, THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 11:19pm

Better hope Marc doesn't read that, Music Man! Actually, Williams wishes he had Bernstein's talent.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 11:34pm

There are some great film composers now! but we are not talking of james horner or hans zimmer.
You have to look not to the big hollywood productions, you have to scratch a little, and you will find incredible and talented composers like David Newman, Marc shaiman or Alan silvestri. But if you look away of the states, you will find AMAZING composers, I want to recommend Ennio Morricone in italy (one of the bests EVER), Joe Hisaishi in japan, Angel Illarramendi in spain, preisner in eastern europe... and many more...
But I have to agree... the old school composers (the people who followed korngold, Copland, alfred newman..) are fading. But this people is old, Bernstein has been working until his death at 82, and goldsmith have been composing and conducting until his death at 75 years.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 11:47pm

Don't for Nino Rota.

His theme from THE GODFATHER, but more importantly his work for the Felinni films are quite evocative and innovative.

I'd also add William Walton from the UK.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:40am

I just discovered that if you go to http://www.elmerbernstein.com in the main page you can hear as a background the main theme of "to kill a mockingbird" a great chance to discover this incredible music...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:52am

And don't forget his last nomination (I believe) - for "Far From Heaven." It's a particularly stunning and brooding score, because it truly captures the style of 50's Hollywood Douglas Sirk melodrama, with great affection and emotional underpinnings, without being anything close to a parody. He was able to give Todd H. exactly what he wanted -- a replica/hommage that was also an original, and brilliant, composition in its own right.

Did everyone hear how Todd Haynes, the director, worked on the film? When editing "...Heaven," he used Bernstein's MOCKINGBIRD score to help him build sequences. Then the Master came in and provided wonderful new music. I have the soundtrack, and the DVD, and they show you one of the best of the heyday of Hollywood, still in peak form in his 80s.

Updated On: 8/19/04 at 10:52 AM

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:58am

Rest Well, such music he gave us, I still hum the score theme from Ghostbusters as I walk buy the New York Public Library Lions...

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:01am

And don't forget the man's Broadway musical (with one of the best titles ever):

HOW NOW, DOW JONES

I'm singing "Gawk, Tousle and Shucks" as I type.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:09am

Yep, RobbieJ. And "Will Everyone Here, Kindly Step to the Rear..." A much-used anthem in the heyday of that show.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:54am

And MERLIN, too.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:01pm

Merlin is a musical? I've never heard about it

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:07pm

Except for a handfull of people in the world, neither has anyone else.

It's a Broadway secret. 2 month run.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:01pm

It is available on cd?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 6:04pm

MERLIN: Doug Henning (the buck-toothed magician), Chita Rivera, Nathan Lane. I kid you not--Chita was Nathan's mom, a queen (!). Previews forever, and then the critics practically stormed the doors. Rumor has it they were still fixing act two during act one opening night. Of course, "fixing" is in the eye of the beholder.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 6:37pm

BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS is a not-half-bad song. But musicals were never Elmer's forte. Updated On: 8/20/04 at 06:37 PM

[lovettespies]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 7:09pm

I'm going to be sad the rest of the day now.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 9:18pm

One of the greats is gone.