Bernstein, Elmer
Bird Man Of Alcatraz
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Unofficial Limited Edition, Numbered, Private Pressing Of The Score To The 1962 Movie. This Is Number 158/500. The Score Did Not See An Official Release Before Being Issued On CD In 2006. “Bernstein's Music Is As Subtle And Delicate As His Finer Scores So Often Are. The Opening Title Music Is More On The Dark Side, But These Early Tracks Quickly Give Way To The Most Magical Music. "Canaries Arrive" Offers A Lighthearted Interlude, While Remaining Deft And Gentle; And The Magic Really Begins With "Cage Preparations" And "Cage Building", Two Quite Exquisite Pieces Full Of Hope And Beauty. As The Score Progresses, It Becomes Yet More Elegant, Sometimes Playful, Sometimes Serious, But Always Subtle And Involving. Few Composers Could Make A Cue Like "No Cure" So Touching, With Bernstein Using The Most Modest Of Ensembles (There Can't Be More Than Three Or Four Players On The Cue) To Bring Real, Heartfelt Emotion. "Peggy" Is A Tour-De-Force, A Splendidly Touching Piece Which Wasn't Even Used In The Final Film. The Score Does Sometimes Become More Aggressively Dramatic, Such As In The Anguished "Stroud Drunk", But Even In These (Comparatively Sparse) Sections, Bernstein Handles Things With Grace And Delicacy.”” – James Southll