Release Date:
Downloads include choice of MP3, WAV, or FLAC
DDRDG738
Includes Digital Booklet
Click Here for CD Release
Dragon’s Domain Digital presents THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1, featuring music composed by Ernest Gold (EXODUS, TOM HORN, WALLENBERG: A HERO’S STORY) from several projects in his rich filmography for the very first time.
While the composer is best remembered for his acclaimed scores for Stanley Kramer and Otto Preminger, the B-movie projects earlier in his career presented plenty of musical gold of their own and with the first volume of THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, we are pleased to offer a sampling of these, ranging from his second film score in 1946 to one of his last works in 1982. These tracks demonstrate Gold’s versatility in a number of different motion pictures throughout three decades of film scoring.
THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1 includes music from EXPOSED, SMOOTH AS SILK, THE NAKED STREET, UFO, MAN ON THE PROWL, WINK OF AN EYE and concluding with his score to SAFARI 3000, also known as TWO IN THE BUSH from 1982.
Ernest Gold came to the United States from Vienna in 1938, prompted by Hitler’s invasion of Austria, and started working as a piano accompanist and as a popular songwriter in New York City. Growing disillusioned by songwriting, Gold headed west in 1945, following an interest in writing music for Hollywood films. Within two weeks of his arrival in early July, Gold was quickly put to work scoring THE GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST for Columbia Pictures. He would score forty B-movies of all types for numerous studios through the late 1950s for a variety of studios. Gold never lost track of his Viennese musical heritage and contributed first-rate musical scores to dozens of films big and small.
He began studying with composer George Antheil in 1947, early in his Hollywood career. During the 1950s he began orchestrating Antheil’s scores, and when Antheil began scoring Stanley Kramer’s pictures, Gold came along with him. When Antheil died before finishing the score for Kramer’s next film, the post-apocalypse drama, ON THE BEACH (1959), Gold assumed his role as Kramer’s primary composer, scoring such films as INHERIT THE WIND (1960), JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961), and Kramer’s blockbuster comedy, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963). Meanwhile, his association with Kramer led to other A-list movies, including Otto Preminger’s EXODUS (for which Gold won an Academy Award for best score and two Grammys for best soundtrack album and best song) and Sam Peckinpah’s war movie CROSS OF IRON (1977). Gold's contributions were recognized with four Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. His work for ON THE BEACH also won Gold a Grammy Award. The Hollywood Walk of Fame has also recognized him with a star on the famed Hollywood Boulevard. Gold composed the music for the 1968 Broadway musical I’M SOLOMON. His classical works also included a piano concerto, a string quartet, and a piano sonata.
Dragon’s Domain Digital presents THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1, featuring music composed by Ernest Gold from several projects in his filmography appearing for the very first time on digital. The music has been mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by author Randall Larson.
Review
ERNEST GOLD
Dragon’s Domain DDR738
30 tracks - 79:19
Dragon’s Domain presents a fine compilation of music by a neglected film music master, Ernest Gold. Gold, who started his Hollywood career with Columbia, scoring a number of westerns and B-movies, is most remembered today for his Oscar-winning work Exodus (1960), and his contributions to It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). This new album gives film music buffs the opportunity to stroll through some of Gold’s early genre writing, as well as one of his final scores.
The first part of the collection focuses on Gold’s early film work for crime noir. After the “Main Title” from Exposed (1947), we are treated to some source music from his very first score, 1946’s Smooth As Silk, which plays out in an even jazzier vein. We then jump ahead a decade to explore some more seasoned jazz noir in the form of The Naked Street (1955). The four tracks here provide a glimpse of Gold’s skills with orchestration and melody. “Brother and Sister” stands out due to its particularly moving lyrical moment.
A brief break from the noirish stylings brings us to a strange semi-documentary rooted in sci-fi B pictures: Unidentified Flying Objects: The True Story of Flying Saucers (1956). While the film is quite the curiosity, the four selections here deliver newsreel-style underscore, with a patriotic march and some striking dramatic material. “Saucer Concerto” is especially creepy, full of swells and dissonance.
We’re right back to noir for Man on the Prowl (1957), which sees the composer trying his hand at theremin writing, countered by source selections and yet more jazz. As a palette cleanser, this section of the playlist concludes with a delightful, jazzy “Main Title” and the sparkling “All Is Well,” both from the comedy/mystery Wink of an Eye (1958).
Believe it or not, all the previously mentioned excerpts are but appetizers to the main event: the nearly complete score to Gold’s last feature film, Safari 3000/Two in the Bush (1982). This is a work that’s reminiscent of his Mad World comedic adventure writing, while also populated with source and pop stylings. Leading the way is a beautiful, romantic melody, countered by top-flight adventure music to accompany a big race set in Africa. Meanwhile, baroque stylings up the class factor in tracks like “Behind You: Story Time.” The score features a wide range of styles as it plays out, and while some may feel dated, the overall listening experience is a joy.
While the music here comes from some of Gold’s lesser projects, this compilation allows listeners to appreciate some of the impressive diversity that the composer brought to any film he touched. With this release, Dragon’s Domain sheds light on a great, underappreciated talent. The indispensable album, limited to only 500 copies, can be sampled at the label’s website. —Steven A. Kennedy
Comments regarding this review can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.
THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION: VOLUME 1
Ernest Gold
$8.95
Downloads include choice of MP3, WAV, or FLAC
DDRDG738
Includes Digital Booklet
Click Here for CD Release
Dragon’s Domain Digital presents THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1, featuring music composed by Ernest Gold (EXODUS, TOM HORN, WALLENBERG: A HERO’S STORY) from several projects in his rich filmography for the very first time.
While the composer is best remembered for his acclaimed scores for Stanley Kramer and Otto Preminger, the B-movie projects earlier in his career presented plenty of musical gold of their own and with the first volume of THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, we are pleased to offer a sampling of these, ranging from his second film score in 1946 to one of his last works in 1982. These tracks demonstrate Gold’s versatility in a number of different motion pictures throughout three decades of film scoring.
THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1 includes music from EXPOSED, SMOOTH AS SILK, THE NAKED STREET, UFO, MAN ON THE PROWL, WINK OF AN EYE and concluding with his score to SAFARI 3000, also known as TWO IN THE BUSH from 1982.
Ernest Gold came to the United States from Vienna in 1938, prompted by Hitler’s invasion of Austria, and started working as a piano accompanist and as a popular songwriter in New York City. Growing disillusioned by songwriting, Gold headed west in 1945, following an interest in writing music for Hollywood films. Within two weeks of his arrival in early July, Gold was quickly put to work scoring THE GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST for Columbia Pictures. He would score forty B-movies of all types for numerous studios through the late 1950s for a variety of studios. Gold never lost track of his Viennese musical heritage and contributed first-rate musical scores to dozens of films big and small.
He began studying with composer George Antheil in 1947, early in his Hollywood career. During the 1950s he began orchestrating Antheil’s scores, and when Antheil began scoring Stanley Kramer’s pictures, Gold came along with him. When Antheil died before finishing the score for Kramer’s next film, the post-apocalypse drama, ON THE BEACH (1959), Gold assumed his role as Kramer’s primary composer, scoring such films as INHERIT THE WIND (1960), JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961), and Kramer’s blockbuster comedy, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963). Meanwhile, his association with Kramer led to other A-list movies, including Otto Preminger’s EXODUS (for which Gold won an Academy Award for best score and two Grammys for best soundtrack album and best song) and Sam Peckinpah’s war movie CROSS OF IRON (1977). Gold's contributions were recognized with four Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. His work for ON THE BEACH also won Gold a Grammy Award. The Hollywood Walk of Fame has also recognized him with a star on the famed Hollywood Boulevard. Gold composed the music for the 1968 Broadway musical I’M SOLOMON. His classical works also included a piano concerto, a string quartet, and a piano sonata.
Dragon’s Domain Digital presents THE ERNEST GOLD COLLECTION, VOLUME 1, featuring music composed by Ernest Gold from several projects in his filmography appearing for the very first time on digital. The music has been mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by author Randall Larson.
Review
ERNEST GOLD
Dragon’s Domain DDR738
30 tracks - 79:19
Dragon’s Domain presents a fine compilation of music by a neglected film music master, Ernest Gold. Gold, who started his Hollywood career with Columbia, scoring a number of westerns and B-movies, is most remembered today for his Oscar-winning work Exodus (1960), and his contributions to It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). This new album gives film music buffs the opportunity to stroll through some of Gold’s early genre writing, as well as one of his final scores.
The first part of the collection focuses on Gold’s early film work for crime noir. After the “Main Title” from Exposed (1947), we are treated to some source music from his very first score, 1946’s Smooth As Silk, which plays out in an even jazzier vein. We then jump ahead a decade to explore some more seasoned jazz noir in the form of The Naked Street (1955). The four tracks here provide a glimpse of Gold’s skills with orchestration and melody. “Brother and Sister” stands out due to its particularly moving lyrical moment.
A brief break from the noirish stylings brings us to a strange semi-documentary rooted in sci-fi B pictures: Unidentified Flying Objects: The True Story of Flying Saucers (1956). While the film is quite the curiosity, the four selections here deliver newsreel-style underscore, with a patriotic march and some striking dramatic material. “Saucer Concerto” is especially creepy, full of swells and dissonance.
We’re right back to noir for Man on the Prowl (1957), which sees the composer trying his hand at theremin writing, countered by source selections and yet more jazz. As a palette cleanser, this section of the playlist concludes with a delightful, jazzy “Main Title” and the sparkling “All Is Well,” both from the comedy/mystery Wink of an Eye (1958).
Believe it or not, all the previously mentioned excerpts are but appetizers to the main event: the nearly complete score to Gold’s last feature film, Safari 3000/Two in the Bush (1982). This is a work that’s reminiscent of his Mad World comedic adventure writing, while also populated with source and pop stylings. Leading the way is a beautiful, romantic melody, countered by top-flight adventure music to accompany a big race set in Africa. Meanwhile, baroque stylings up the class factor in tracks like “Behind You: Story Time.” The score features a wide range of styles as it plays out, and while some may feel dated, the overall listening experience is a joy.
While the music here comes from some of Gold’s lesser projects, this compilation allows listeners to appreciate some of the impressive diversity that the composer brought to any film he touched. With this release, Dragon’s Domain sheds light on a great, underappreciated talent. The indispensable album, limited to only 500 copies, can be sampled at the label’s website. —Steven A. Kennedy
Comments regarding this review can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.
