Shortly after the dissolution of his professional relationship with Alfred Hitchcock, Bernard Herrmann began a short-lived connection with Francois Truffaut -- himself very much a Hitchcock devotee and doubtless well aware of Herrmann's capabilities. (The relationship was, alas, short-lived. Truffaut reportedly made major changes in Herrmann's music to The Bride Wore Black, and the two didn't collaborate again.) But their first joint effort -- Fahrenheit 451 -- produced an important score in the decade between Hitchcock and his discovery by the new young lions of Hollywood, such as Scorcese and De Palma. Interestingly, there is much in Fahrenheit 451 that reminds the listener of Herrmann's earlier work on Hitchcock's Psycho, as well as a precursor to Sisters, his first work with De Palma. Herrmann's largely string-score begins as the film's credits are spoken -- an effective touch by Truffaut for a story in which people must commit to memory the text of books that are banned and then burned.The sound is spare, almost tentative, with a slight chiming that together suggests memories being awakened. This is followed by 'The Fire Engine,' a vigorously rhythmic piece, reminiscent of the 'Marion's Flight' cue from Psycho. Noted film music critic Page Cook (who rated this score the best of 1966) described this particular scene as heavily satiric -- which may account for Herrmann's use of a vibraphone that adds a possibly humorous touch. Separated from the film and any satiric impact, the music remains eminently listenable. 'The Nightmare' is rhythmically unsettling and, like the later 'Captain's Death,' offers a foreboding of Herrmann's later Sisters score. This recording by Varese Sarabande features 10 cues in all from Fahrenheit 451, encompassing about 16 1/2 minutes -- not the complete score, but a solid sampling. I'm told there are several fuller versions available on imported bootlegs, but this version, although several years old, may be the most accessible. Joe McNeeley's conducting is fine, and the Seattle Symphony's playing is top-notch, if I may be permitted a bit of parochial boosterism. The album also contains cues from four other Herrmann scores: The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, Anna and the King of Siam, Tender Is the Night, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Of these, the most music is from Anna and King of Siam, a score that allowed Herrmann to indulge an Oriental mode with much atmospheric music. Also of interest is the 'Andante Cantabile' from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, perhaps the loveliest of all Herrmann's works. This particular cue does not appear on the Bernstein-conducted version of G&MM, which Ian lace reviewed so favorably back in September '98 and which remains the best recording to date of that score, full-score versions notwithstanding. Reviewer John Huether	Reviewer John Huether Reviews from previous months Reviews carry sales links but you can also purchase from:
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