Bernard Herman

[carl-swanson]

A friend of mine has asked me to try to find a piece by the famous movie score composer Bernard Herman. She thinks its for flute and harp. Anyone know about this? Anyone have a copy? Thanks.

[carl-swanson]

I just did a little digging and it seems the piece is called Aria, and is scored for Flute and Harp. It dates from 1932. Does anyone know where I can find this, or does anyone have a copy? I suspect it may be out of print. Thanks.

[Gretchen Cover]

You made me curious so I did a little Sleuthing. Could only find out the name is Aria for Flute and Harp. Composed in 1932. Bernard Herrmann (not Herman) composed the film score for Citizen Kane. Perhaps this link to his music might help:
https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf438nb3jd/dsc/

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Gretchen Cover.
• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Gretchen Cover.

[carl-swanson]

Gretchen- Thank you very much. I had been poking around too and got as far as the name of the piece and the date. I just went to the site you suggested and went through the entire list of Bernard Herman scores that they have, and it’s not there. It’s so frustrating. I can’t find the printed music nor a recording of it anywhere.

[kathy-chanik]

Bernard Herrmann has always been my favorite film composer, but I just recently discovered that he wrote a stunning segment with solo harp for one of my favorite old movies, The Day the Earth Stood Still from 1951 with Michael Rennie. It’s all bass wire pedal slides, and it’s in the part where the little boy is secretly following Michael Rennie as he sneaks back to his spaceship. A wonderful little Easter egg for us harpists, I’m sure nobody else knew what the unusual sound was. Herrmann also wrote for lots of Hitchcock movies including Psycho, and for other great films like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Taxi Driver, and the original Jane Eyre with Orson Welles (I love old movies). I’m sorry I don’t know anything about the flute/harp piece in question but I’d love to hear it since he seemed to know a good bit about the harp.

Maybe our Hollywood expert David Ice knows more about Bernard Herrmann…

[MusikFind1]

Post deleted: see next post

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by kimberly-rowe.
• This reply was modified 4 years ago by MusikFind1.

[MusikFind1]

Bernard Hermmann notice spelling with double letters.
Bernard Hermmann Society
http://www.bernardherrmann.org/
Direct links: may not open. Use the main site link.
https://folk.uib.no/smkgg/midi/soundtrackweb/herrmann/faq/scores.html
https://folk.uib.no/smkgg/midi/soundtrackweb/herrmann/m_con_al.html
Aria for Flute and Harp (May)1932
No publisher or source listed.
Possible contacts:
guenther@bernardherrmann.org
kurt@bernardherrmann.org
chris@bernardherrmann.com

Citizen Kane Explained- Movie 1941
“For Susan Alexander Kane’s operatic sequence, Welles suggested that Herrmann compose a witty parody of a Mary Garden  vehicle, an aria from Salammbô .[17]  “Our problem was to create something that would give the audience the feeling of the quicksand into which this simple little girl, having a charming but small voice, is suddenly thrown,” Herrmann said.[77]  Writing in the style of a 19th-century French Oriental opera,[54] Herrmann put the aria in a key that would force the singer to strain to reach the high notes, culminating in a high D, well outside the range of Susan Alexander.[77] Soprano Jean Forward dubbed the vocal part for Comingore.
17 Book: Welles . Orson . Orson Welles . Bogdanovich . Peter .
Jonathan Rosenbaum . This is Orson Welles .HarperCollins Publishers . New York . 1992 . 0-06-016616-9.

Recording of the Aria from Salammbô which does not seen to be the same work as the Aria for Flute and Harp was composed 9 years previous to the film.
Bernard Herrmann ; Kiri Te Kanawa
Citizen Kane : Prelude ; Xanadu, Snow picture ; Thema and variations (breakfast montage) ; Aria from Salammbo ; Rosebud and finale. Charles Gerhardt conducting the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Possible source but the work is not listed:
Themes & Variations Publisher: works transferred to Wise Music Classical 2019. https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/composer/679/Bernard-Herrmann/

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