The Varese CD is the reissue of the Bernstein Film Score Collection recording and recorded in the 1970's. I've enjoyed listening to it over the years. I haven't listened to the Soundtrack Factory CD. Isn't the Soundtrack Factory recordings mono?

victoravalentine, March 20, 2008; 2:02 PM

The track listing for the original pressing of the Bernstein FilmMusicCollection recording is incorrect. The correct track listing for that recording is the same as the Varese re-issue with the black and white still from the film on the cover.

Didn't realize there are so many different releases of the "Ghost And Mrs. Muir Score" until looking at the page yesterday. Had no idea the Herrmann conducting is available.

victoravalentine, March 20, 2008; 2:38 PM

Thanks for all your replies.

I did actually mean the Varese version of the original soundtrack; I already have the
Bernstein recording and forgot that it too was a Varese release. It's very fine indeed - though,
as has been pointed out, is not complete and doesn't include the wonderfully melancholy
"Andante Cantabile" (though, perhaps not by chance, McNeely has recorded that one cue
from this score on the "Farenheit 451" CD.)

I really don't think I need to buy the Varese version of the original Herrmann conducted
soundtrack - seems like it and the Soundtrack Factory CD are probably much of a muchness.

By the way, if anyone is as interested in the tiniest details of the recordings as I am (being an
unreconstructed completist) I discovered that there is a short passage in the Bernstein
recording that actually doesn't appear in the original soundtrack: its a 34 second cue entitled
"The Lights" which precedes "Bedtime". I'm not sure if this cue is heard in the released film
or was scored for a scene that was subsequently cut.

Cheers






david, March 20, 2008; 4:20 PM

There is a four LP Decca box set with The Ghost And Mrs.Muir on there along with The Day the Earth Stood Still which were conducted by Herrmann although it is not complete but about 20 minutes. Those are quite good recordings.

TheSaint.786, March 20, 2008; 9:11 PM

One thing I find interesting about the Varese release VSD-5850 is the inclusion of track one: Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare. The movie itself does not begin with the fanfare but instead opens with Herrman's music. One of the few Twentieth Century Fox releases of that time to dispense with the fanfare.

df789, March 21, 2008; 11:49 AM

To df789 - That's weird. Perhaps they originally intented the title sequence to be longer,
preceded by the usual fanfare, but when the titles were shortened they just dispensed with the
fanfare and laid the start of Herrmann's cue over the logo.

david, March 23, 2008; 8:50 AM

I believe the Soundtrack Factory is essentially a European duplicate (ie bootleg) of the Varese complete soundtrack (except no Fox Fanfare).


spiritgumm, May 1, 2008; 9:01 PM