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Waxman and Herrmann

Mike mentioned listening to the Waxman Sunset Blvd. CD I recorded and asked about the difference between a Herrmann and a Waxman recording. Worlds apart. Couldn't be more different. Both brilliant composers obviously. And they were both fine conductors, but I think Waxman was possibly a virtuoso with the stick. (Never saw him conduct.) I base this on the wildly fluctuating tempi and transitions, which often were not marked anywhere in the score. These take some serious chops to achieve and are not for the faint of heart. The conductor really has to know how the heck they are going to accomplish these tricky passages in advance or you will sink quickly. Waxman had the whole thing in his mind I'm certain and knew exactly what he needed to do to sync it with the picture. John Williams works this way. He needs very little to conduct his score perfectly in sync to the picture. He has it all worked out in his mind. (click-tracks are for babies!) I'd love to know more about how Waxman achieved this level of fluidity without the aid of any sync devices. Not sure if he used streamers and punches or not. Have to research that with John Waxman. In any case, his music was very classically based, in the western European tradition. I have some sketches to Rebecca and they are masterful. The whole symphonic idea on 2 or 3 staves. So, Waxman's lines, harmonies and melodies are shaped and follow a long line. Herrmann tended toward the episodic germ of an idea. I think in many ways he is one of the first practitioners of minimalism. He explored small motivic cells, used in abundant repetition.

They were both incredibly unique voices. Aren't we lucky they both gave us as much brilliant music as they did?

Posted by Joel McNeely on April 15, 2007 1:14 PM | Permalink

Comments (16)

Mike:

Thanks for the answer! How interesting how Waxman could keep the tempi in his head. (Wasn't Williams the pianist on, at least, Waxman's "Adventures of a Young Man"? Not that that skill could be simply observed and repeated, but it's interesting.) Herrmann and Waxman are probably my two favorite Golden Age composers (but why choose?), but I love them for different reasons, which you articulate much better than I ever could.

Posted by Mike | April 15, 2007 10:28 PM

Posted on April 15, 2007 22:28

David from France:

Herrmann and Waxman are two of my golden age favorites with herr Korngold
I remember being so moved by the music I heard in "The spirit of Saint-Louis" and listening to Herrmann's "Wuthering heights" was one of the greatest musical moments of my life !

Posted by David from France | April 20, 2007 4:16 PM

Posted on April 20, 2007 16:16

Evan:

I was curious Joel if you wouldn’t mind discussing what you believe are the pros and cons of conducting your own scores based on your own experiences.

I couldn't imagine not conducting, but I know of respected composers that prefer not to so they can hear the performance better and be in the booth with the director.

Seems it would also take a lot of the fun out of the job not conducting.

Posted by Evan | April 21, 2007 4:19 AM

Posted on April 21, 2007 04:19

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Posted by focm okurc | June 19, 2008 8:20 PM

Posted on June 19, 2008 20:20

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Posted by focm okurc | June 19, 2008 8:20 PM

Posted on June 19, 2008 20:20

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