Hitchcock
insisted that Bernard Herrmann write the score for Psycho despite the
composer's refusal to accept a reduced fee for the film's lower budget.
The resulting score, according to Christopher Palmer in The Composer in
Hollywood (1990) is "perhaps Herrmann's most spectacular Hitchcock
achievement." Hitchcock was pleased with the tension and drama the score
added to the film, later remarking "33% of the effect of Psycho was due
to the music." and that "Psycho depended heavily on Herrmann's music
for its tension and sense of pervading doom." The singular contribution
of Herrmann's score may be inferred from the unusual penultimate
placement of the composer's name in the film's opening credit sequence,
as it is followed only by Hitchcock's directing credit.
Herrmann used the lowered music budget to his advantage by writing for a string orchestra rather than a full symphonic ensemble, contrary to Hitchcock's request for a jazz score. He thought of the single tone color of the all-string soundtrack as a way of reflecting the black-and-white cinematography of the film. The strings play con sordini (muted) for all the music other than the shower scene, creating a darker and more intense effect. Film composer Fred Steiner, in an analysis of the score to Psycho, points out that string instruments gave Herrmann access to a wider range in tone, dynamics, and instrumental special effects than any other single instrumental group would have.
The main title music, a tense, hurtling piece, sets the tone of impending violence, and returns three times on the soundtrack. Though nothing shocking occurs during the first 15–20 minutes of the film, the title music remains in the audience's mind, lending tension to these early scenes. Herrmann also maintains tension through the slower moments in the film through the use of ostinato.
There were rumors that Herrmann had used electronic means, including amplified bird screeches to achieve the shocking effect of the music in the shower scene. The effect was achieved, however, only with violins in a "screeching, stabbing sound-motion of extraordinary viciousness." The only electronic amplification employed was in the placing of the microphones close to the instruments, to get a harsher sound. Besides the emotional impact, the shower scene cue ties the soundtrack to birds. The association of the shower scene music with birds also telegraphs to the audience that it is Norman, the stuffed-bird collector, who is the murderer rather than his mother.
Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith writes that the music for the shower scene is "probably the most famous (and most imitated) cue in film music," but Hitchcock was originally opposed to having music in this scene. When Herrmann played the shower scene cue for Hitchcock, the director approved its use in the film. Herrmann reminded Hitchcock of his instructions not to score this scene, to which Hitchcock replied, "Improper suggestion, my boy, improper suggestion." This was one of two important disagreements Hitchcock had with Herrmann, in which Herrmann ignored Hitchcock's instructions. The second one, over the score for Torn Curtain (1966), resulted in the end of their professional collaboration. A survey conducted by PRS for Music, in 2009, showed that the British public consider the score from 'the shower scene' to be the scariest theme from any film.
To honor the fiftieth anniversary of Psycho, in July 2010, the San Francisco Symphony obtained a print of the film with the soundtrack removed, and projected it on a large screen in Davies Symphony Hall while the orchestra performed the score live. This was previously mounted by the Seattle Symphony in October 2009 as well, performing at the Benaroya Hall for two consecutive evenings. - Wikipedia
Herrmann used the lowered music budget to his advantage by writing for a string orchestra rather than a full symphonic ensemble, contrary to Hitchcock's request for a jazz score. He thought of the single tone color of the all-string soundtrack as a way of reflecting the black-and-white cinematography of the film. The strings play con sordini (muted) for all the music other than the shower scene, creating a darker and more intense effect. Film composer Fred Steiner, in an analysis of the score to Psycho, points out that string instruments gave Herrmann access to a wider range in tone, dynamics, and instrumental special effects than any other single instrumental group would have.
The main title music, a tense, hurtling piece, sets the tone of impending violence, and returns three times on the soundtrack. Though nothing shocking occurs during the first 15–20 minutes of the film, the title music remains in the audience's mind, lending tension to these early scenes. Herrmann also maintains tension through the slower moments in the film through the use of ostinato.
There were rumors that Herrmann had used electronic means, including amplified bird screeches to achieve the shocking effect of the music in the shower scene. The effect was achieved, however, only with violins in a "screeching, stabbing sound-motion of extraordinary viciousness." The only electronic amplification employed was in the placing of the microphones close to the instruments, to get a harsher sound. Besides the emotional impact, the shower scene cue ties the soundtrack to birds. The association of the shower scene music with birds also telegraphs to the audience that it is Norman, the stuffed-bird collector, who is the murderer rather than his mother.
Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith writes that the music for the shower scene is "probably the most famous (and most imitated) cue in film music," but Hitchcock was originally opposed to having music in this scene. When Herrmann played the shower scene cue for Hitchcock, the director approved its use in the film. Herrmann reminded Hitchcock of his instructions not to score this scene, to which Hitchcock replied, "Improper suggestion, my boy, improper suggestion." This was one of two important disagreements Hitchcock had with Herrmann, in which Herrmann ignored Hitchcock's instructions. The second one, over the score for Torn Curtain (1966), resulted in the end of their professional collaboration. A survey conducted by PRS for Music, in 2009, showed that the British public consider the score from 'the shower scene' to be the scariest theme from any film.
To honor the fiftieth anniversary of Psycho, in July 2010, the San Francisco Symphony obtained a print of the film with the soundtrack removed, and projected it on a large screen in Davies Symphony Hall while the orchestra performed the score live. This was previously mounted by the Seattle Symphony in October 2009 as well, performing at the Benaroya Hall for two consecutive evenings. - Wikipedia
ARTIST/COMPOSER
Bernard Herrmann
LABEL
Unicorn-Kanchana - UKCD 2021
FORMAT
CD, Album
COUNTRY
UK
RELEASED
© 1989
TRACK LISTING
01. BERNARD HERRMANN - Prelude 2:07
(Bernard Herrmann)
The City; Marion; Marion and Sam
02. BERNARD HERRMANN - The City 1:25
(Bernard Herrmann)
03. BERNARD HERRMANN - Marion 1:27
(Bernard Herrmann)
04. BERNARD HERRMANN - Marion and Sam 1:47
(Bernard Herrmann)
05. BERNARD HERRMANN - Temptation 3:12
(Bernard Herrmann)
Flight; The Patrol Car; The Car Lot; The Package; The Rainstorm
06. BERNARD HERRMANN - Flight 1:08
(Bernard Herrmann)
07. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Patrol Car 1:09
(Bernard Herrmann)
08. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Car Lot 1:40
(Bernard Herrmann)
09. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Package 1:33
(Bernard Herrmann)
10. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Rainstorm 3:19
(Bernard Herrmann)
Hotel Room; The Window; The Parlour
11. BERNARD HERRMANN - Hotel Room 1:36
(Bernard Herrmann)
12. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Window 1:00
(Bernard Herrmann)
13. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Parlour 1:32
(Bernard Herrmann)
14. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Madhouse 2:13
(Bernard Herrmann)
15. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Peephole 3:15
(Bernard Herrmann)
The Bathroom; The Murder; The Body
16. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Bathroom 0:47
(Bernard Herrmann)
17. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Murder 0:53
(Bernard Herrmann)
18. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Body 0:32
(Bernard Herrmann)
The Office; The Curtain; The Water; The Car; The Swamp
19. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Office 1:27
(Bernard Herrmann)
20. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Curtain 1:10
(Bernard Herrmann)
21. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Water 1:14
(Bernard Herrmann)
22. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Car 0:43
(Bernard Herrmann)
23. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Swamp 2:10
(Bernard Herrmann)
The Search (a); The Shadow; Phone Booth
24. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Search 0:47
(Bernard Herrmann)
25. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Shadow 0:48
(Bernard Herrmann)
26. BERNARD HERRMANN - Phone Booth 0:53
(Bernard Herrmann)
27. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Porch 1:06
(Bernard Herrmann)
28. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Stairs 3:02
(Bernard Herrmann)
29. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Knife 0:28
(Bernard Herrmann)
The Search (b); First Floor; Cabin 10; Cabin 1
30. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Search 1:26
(Bernard Herrmann)
31. BERNARD HERRMANN - First Floor 2:31
(Bernard Herrmann)
32. BERNARD HERRMANN - Cabin 10 1:04
(Bernard Herrmann)
33. BERNARD HERRMANN - Cabin 1 1:11
(Bernard Herrmann)
The Hill; The Bedroom; The Toys; The Cellar; Discovery
34. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Hill 1:36
(Bernard Herrmann)
35. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Bedroom 1:01
(Bernard Herrmann)
36. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Toys 1:06
(Bernard Herrmann)
37. BERNARD HERRMANN - The Cellar 1:24
(Bernard Herrmann)
38. BERNARD HERRMANN - Discovery 0:18
(Bernard Herrmann)
39. BERNARD HERRMANN - Finale 1:50
(Bernard Herrmann)
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