Strange Apparition/Pretorius' Entrance/You Will Need a Coat
Bottle Sequence
Female Monster Music/Pastorale/Village/Chase
Crucifixion/Monster Breaks Out
Fire in the Hut/Graveyard
Dance Macabre
The Creation
The Tower Explodes and Finale
The Invisible Ray Suite
The sound era was barely seven years old (and the art of orchestral film scoring still evolving) when German-born composer Franz Waxman conjured up one of its first unlikely film-music masterpieces, this 1935 score for dir... more »ector James Whale's sequel to his hit Frankenstein. Indeed, Waxman created many of what have become the musical clichés of the horror genre, captured here in a spectacular new digital recording by Kenneth Alwyn and the Westminster Philharmonic; the exotic, lilting motif to "Female Monster Music" will even evoke Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Bali Ha'i," though it was written nearly 15 years earlier! Also included is a short suite from Waxman's score for another, less-heralded, '30s Universal horror film, the Karloff-starring The Invisible Ray; both are thoroughly annotated in a fashion that will please fans, musicians, and scholars alike. --Jerry McCulley« less
The sound era was barely seven years old (and the art of orchestral film scoring still evolving) when German-born composer Franz Waxman conjured up one of its first unlikely film-music masterpieces, this 1935 score for director James Whale's sequel to his hit Frankenstein. Indeed, Waxman created many of what have become the musical clichés of the horror genre, captured here in a spectacular new digital recording by Kenneth Alwyn and the Westminster Philharmonic; the exotic, lilting motif to "Female Monster Music" will even evoke Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Bali Ha'i," though it was written nearly 15 years earlier! Also included is a short suite from Waxman's score for another, less-heralded, '30s Universal horror film, the Karloff-starring The Invisible Ray; both are thoroughly annotated in a fashion that will please fans, musicians, and scholars alike. --Jerry McCulley
CD Reviews
Waxman's magnum opus?
11/01/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Considered by many to be Waxman's magnum opus, the music for "The Bride of Frankenstein," its entourage of melodic variety, orchestral pomp, and exemplary wit, clearly evidence its appropriateness for such a claim! As an aural chef d'oeuvre, one that stands alone, it belongs in the collections of every lover of classic filmusic. The album also includes a five-minute suite (too short!) of splendor from Waxman's "The Invisible Ray.""
At long last the music for Flash Gordon
Richard T. Monahan | Sudbury, MA USA | 04/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I grew up a great fan of Flash Gordon, seeing him on evening television shows, a serial chapter a week. I have long searched for the music from the serials. A number of years ago I heard someone perform part of the Bride of Frankenstein and bought a Waxman collection that contained it. I was happy that it contained some of the music but longed for the rest. I did an 'Amazon dot com', i.e. searched and discovered there was a CD of the entire movie score. The listing had a review by another customer who noted it contained Flash Gordon music. My quest of nearly forty years is now completed. Thank you Amazon. I must say that I was disappointed that the enclosed notes on the CD did not mention Flash Gordon. I now realize Waxman wrote the music first for the Bride and later used it for Flash Gordon, but, if I am not mistaken, this is the music that inspired John Williams many years later for his score of Star Wars."
The "GODFATHER" of classical film scores. Terrific!
04/07/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first heard segments of "BRIDE" at the age of 7 in 1953. Much of this score was used in the serial; "Flash Gordons Trip to Mars". I did not find out the origin of this film score some years later. Now exists a recording of this score in excellent digital sound closely resembling the 1935 film score with the nuances and artistry that one could only hear on a cd. "BRIDE" features what I consider to be the single best segment of music ever written. On track 7, it is "chase"; on band 8, it is repeated in "monster breaks out". My only criticism is track 7,"chase" whose segment from 2:51 through 2:58 is not repeated and thus is incorrect. Fortuately it is correct on track 8;"monster breaks out. A superb disc of a original classical film score that virtually has no equal."
Waxman's Finest Score is an all time classic.
bjdonohue | WALDORF, MD United States | 10/14/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Franz Waxman, Academy Award winner for A PLACE IN THE SUN and SUNSET BOULEVARD, was one of the finest of the Golden Age of Hollywood composers. This 1993 recording of his score for THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is one of his best and, up until Bernard Herrmann's PSYCHO, was arguably the greatest horror film score ever. The ten plus minute cue THE CREATION is a film music classic. With splendid digital sound, crackerjack liner notes, and a suite from the film THE INVISIBLE RAY, this is a must have for any serious film music collector. First rate!"
"sound came to the screen...and with it music of Waxman"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 11/29/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When we think of legendary composers, icons of music in the early days of film scoring...the name Franz Waxman comes to mind, recall his work and career with such classics as..."Captain Courageous"..."The Philadelphia Story"..."Rebecca"..."Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde"..."Woman Of The Year"..."Destination Tokyo"..."God Is My Co-Pilot"..."Sunset Boulevard" and "A Place In The Sun", both won Academy Awards for Waxman.But in 1935 Boris Karloff was about to recreate his role of the monster, but this time there was to be a female creation, thus we have "THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN", the score was fresh and original, with tones of something supernatural that completely kept you glued to your seat...listen as The Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Kenneth Alwyn perform the complete score...as an added bonus we have "THE INVISIBLE RAY SUITE", composed in 1936, this vehicle starred once again Karloff, and his acting rival Bela Lugosi, who portrayed Dracula in 1931 for Universal Studios.Listening to this CD, brings back memories of "THE BRIDE", played by Elsa Lanchester, perfection was her performance, she even scared me more than the Frankenstein Monster...so my fellow "film-score-buffs", this is a SILVA SCREEN CLASSIC not be missed...music from the "Silver Screen", at their finest hour! Total Time: 46:27 on 13 Tracks ~ Silva Screen Records SSD-1028 ~ (1993)"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1