Kaufman Heads to Sea

The past few years have felt like some of the grand film music more than 40 years old was losing steam.  Most new releases of older scores have moved on to expanded scores from the last couple decades of the 20th Century which were all much appreciated of course, but other scores were a bit scarce.  Intrada came to the rescue as the year closed out with this newly-recorded release of Dimitri Tiomkin’s Oscar-winning score for the Spencer Tracy film, The Old Man and the Sea (1958).  An OST was also released at the time, but not included in this new re-recording of the score.  Here listeners can simply revel in Tiomkin’s music without distracting dialogue and effects.

This seafaring adventure of an aging fisherman and his final struggle landing a massive black marlin opened the door for some rather inspiring music.  There are the music of the sea itself hinted at in the opening “Cojimar Harbor and The Old Man”.  Also delightful are the many lighter moments that include little rhythmic hints at locale which come into play with “The Boy”, and in a more jazzier fun way in “Taverna At Casa Blanca” (“Cubana”).  The most telling thing though here is the colorful orchestration that provides plenty of solo wind ideas that percolate through the score.  Masterful shifts in color abound here as the thematic lines are moved across the winds and strings.  There is a sort of folkish style as well in Tiomkin’s thematic writing.  It is enhanced with the blend of impressionistic color choices as well.  There are sweeping string moments that hearken back to the 1930s/1940s as well as more advanced harmonic material that hints at interesting new directions as well.  A blend of both occur in “Duel With the Fish”, one of many standout moments.  The more intense music also follows the shark attack sequences.

The recording features the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Richard Kaufman.  Along with a team that went back to access the original score materials.  The result is a brilliantly-restored new reading of this classic Tiomkin score.  Overall sound is quite magnificent and recreates a solidly-imaged orchestra with excellent detail picking up much of the individual wind writing, helpful in some of the denser passages.  It is recorded a bit drier in a fashion recalling other soundstage recordings of the past. The orchestra is also in top-notch form here with some quite stunning music making. 

The complete score has been restored here and placed across two discs.  Disc two also includes several extras including main theme arrangements by Pete King and George Parrish, and Maurice de Packh’s orchestration of the jettisoned song, “I Am Your Dream”, here with solo violin.  There is also a little bonus track of Tiomkin discussing the score.  Notes in the accompanying booklet detail the troubled history of the film and the thematic connections made in the score quite well.  Intrada’s attempt here is another of the reminders of the continued work of the label to highlight great film music and it is among the gems of 2024 not to be missed.  Sample some clips at: https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.13148/.f?sc=13&category=-113 .