Alfred Newman: All About Eve; Beau Geste*;
The Hunchback of Notre Dame **
Moscow Symphony Chorus and Orchestra conducted by William T. Stromberg [ Marco Polo 8.223750]
*reconstructed by William Stromberg
**restored and reconstructed by John Morgan.

Alfred Newman ranks with Erich Korngold and Max Steiner as one of the great Hollywood Golden-Age film composers. During his 20 years at Twentieth Century Fox, Newman worked on 225 films, including such classics as “Captain from Castile” (1947), “Prince of Foxes (1949), “The Song of Bernadette (1943), “The Robe” (1953) and what is perhaps his greatest achievement, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939).

Newman used his sumptuous scoring technique to deftly portray panoramic ambiance and underscore the emotional core of motion picture drama. This digital world premiere recording features three of Newman’s most important scores.

The classic 1950 vehicle for Bette Davis “All About Eve” is represented by a short suite which is structured around Eve Harrington’s poignant, yearning motif. It is performed with warm restraint and rich expressivity.

Two scores from 1939, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Beau Geste” complete the program. The incandescent 20-minute suite culled from “Beau Geste” immediately plunges one into an exotic world of reckless daring and bold exploit. Cues such as “March” and “Battle” pummel one with their dash and vigor. The more tender cue “Blue Water Sapphire” is affectingly done with supple nuance. The chorus adds immeasurably to the other-worldly ambiance of “A Viking’s Funeral.”

In “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” ones admires Newman’s consummate artistry and skill in using his orchestral palette to create brilliant sound pictures. Mystery and exoticism are given free rein and painted dynamically. “Esmeralda’s dance” is dexterously tinged with sensuous, oriental hues. In the cue “Thank You Mother of God”, the eerie vibrancy of the cellos is chilling. “The Whipping” evokes some of Newman’s most delicately tender music. Here, the scoring is effectively introspective. Newman gently delineates the torture of a noble soul without excessive emotion.

Conductor Stromborg elicits the muscular power of Newman’s music at the same time showing empathy for the more lyrical and contemplative portions of these scores. The Moscow Symphony Chorus and Orchestra are first rate. The strings are warm and vividly articulated. I particularly enjoyed the gleaming tone from the brass and the clean, bold attack of the percussion.

It is delightful to hear these scores in all their sonic glory. The sound is bright and vividly theatrical. The booklet is beautifully produced. It is lavishly illustrated with reproductions of movie posters, movie stills and photographs of Mr. Newman. Bill Whitaker has written extensive notes on Newman’s career and his scores. In addition, John Morgan offers valuable details on the arrangements. Marco Polo should be proud of this superb tribute to Alfred Newman.
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