Max Steiner Conducts `Gone With the Wind` and Other Themes, Vol. 1 (RCA). Perhaps no other composer epitomizes the heyday of the Hollywood film score more than Max Steiner, whose lush music ennobled more than 100 movies.
It`s good news, then, that Steiner`s most famous score-for the 1939 film
”Gone With the Wind”-has been reissued on compact disc, in a vintage recording with Steiner himself conducting the orchestra.
Steiner`s 30-minute ”Gone With the Wind” suite doesn`t unfold precisely as the music does on the film; rather, he has rearranged the material to stand on its own, with the famous ”Tara” theme continuously reappearing, like a leitmotif in an opera. Not surprisingly, the ”Gone With the Wind” music has never sounded better, with Steiner capturing the sweep and drama of the music he penned.
The recording also includes excerpts from several other choice Steiner scores, including ”Bird of Paradise” (Steiner`s first complete film score), ”The Life of Emile Zola,” ”Dark Victory” and ”A Bill of Divorcement.”
In all, it`s a welcome collection that will remind you how great film music used to be. (Reviewed on CD.)
