The Goldsmith Odyssey

The Goldsmith Odyssey will be spending quite a bit of time with the classic anthology TV show Thriller in 2019, and we’ve got the perfect special guest to kick off our examination of the series: Leigh Phillips, an award-winning composer, orchestrator, and conductor best-known for reconstructing classic film scores like Exodus, The Salamander, King of Kings, and many more. Phillips is also responsible for two wonderful volumes featuring new recordings of Goldsmith’s Thriller music, including selections from the episode we’re spotlighting this time around: “The Poisoner.” Inspired by a true story about an infamous English murderer, the tale gives Goldsmith an opportunity to serve up a rich, harpsichord-driven gothic horror score built around a deceptively attractive main theme. In addition to examining the episode and its score, we chat with Leigh about his relationship with Goldsmith’s music and his career in general.

Music in this Episode:

• 0:02 - Even the Cat?
• 6:50 - Omen III: The Final Conflict - The Final Conflict (Reconstruction)
• 10:18 - Exodus - The Fight For Peace (Ernest Gold, Reconstruction)
• 16:16 - Legend - The Dress Waltz
• 21:09 - The Salamander - The Car Chase (Reconstruction)
• 27:22 - Thriller - The Grim Reaper - End Titles
• 51:39 - Prologue (Reconstruction)
• 56:02 - To the Past (Reconstruction)
• 59:20 - The Cast (also the End Titles) (Reconstruction)
• 1:02:14 - My Perfect Bride
• 1:04:18 - Preparing the Ring
• 1:08:58 - Good Riddance (Reconstruction)
• 1:11:34 - Basic Instinct - Roxy Loses
• 1:13:14 - Business to Discuss (Reconstruction)
• 1:15:06 - The Blue Max - Kaeti Has a Plan (Reconstruction)
• 1:18:12 - George Chokes
• 1:19:21 - Doctor's Orders
• 1:24:03 - Take Your Medicine
• 1:29:06 - Even the Cat?
• 1:31:04 - Off to Jail
• 1:34:40 - Griffith Released
• 1:48:12 - Unbearable Agony Infinitely Prolonged
• 1:52:48 - A Poetic Death
• 1:55:39 - Perfect Wife (Reconstruction)

In Depth: Jerry Goldsmith interviewed by Jon Burlingame for the Archive of American Television Part 3 of 4 (May 8th, 2002)

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

"Have Mics—Will Podcast" reads the card of three men,
They’re knights without sponsors, they need your subscription.
"Listen to them speak," heeds the calling PC,
"Chatting about music on a Goldsmith Odyssey."
Odyssey, Odyssey, how long will you run?
Odyssey, Odyssey, here’s the next one.

Have Gun—Will Travel is the focus today,
Two 1960 episodes will be surveyed;
“A Head of Hair” and “The Fatalist,” both scored by Jerry,
Plus a single bonus cue from an Elvis movie.
Odyssey, Odyssey, how long will you run?
Odyssey, Odyssey, here’s the next one.

The Work: Have Gun—Will Travel Season 4 Vol. 1 at Amazon, Twilight Time's release of Flaming Star.

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

The second season of The Goldsmith Odyssey launches in January, but in the meantime, we’ve got another Odyssey Interview for you. This time, Yavar has a wide-ranging conversation with Kritzerland Records founder Bruce Kimmel (also a multi-talented actor, director, writer, playwright, and songwriter), who worked on multiple Goldsmith albums for Varèse Sarabande before releasing a number of Goldsmith titles under his own label. In addition to discussing his work on those albums, Kimmel touches on his formative film music encounters, his shifting feelings on Goldsmith’s work over the decades, and much more. It’s a candid and engaging chat you won’t want to miss.

Music in this Episode:

• 00:00 - C2 Logo Fanfare
• 06:05 - Dr. Kildare - Three Stars Will Shine Tonight (Feat. Richard Chamberlain)
• 09:29 - Islands in the Stream - The Boys Arrive
• 12:21 - The Other - The Flight
• 32:12 - Breakheart Pass - Here They Come Pt. II
• 35:00 - Poltergeist II: The Other Side - The Worm/Out of the Ceiling
• 38:11 - Rio Conchos - River Crossing
• 47:09 - Alien Nation - Alien Dance

W. David Lichty's Reference of Referred to Players™: 

• Nick Redman has been the key connection with the 20th Century Fox vaults since 1993, leading to over 500 soundtrack releases.
• Mike Matessino is an extraordinary gift to humanity, restorer and masterer of film music, with current credits on 318 albums and 324 isolated music tracks, all of which his magic fingers have spun into audio gold.

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Season's Greetings! Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, and Uncle Jens is in the kitchen preparing his signature dish: the Gold Nugget, a consistently comforting delicacy assembled from whatever ingredients Jens finds in his musical pantry. This time, he's exploring the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's concert disc Free as the Wind: Tribute to Jerry Goldsmith, which offers performances from works like The Sand Pebbles, Chinatown, The Mummy, The Wind and the Lion, Total Recall, and more. While the performances are a decidedly mixed bag, the disc offers a valuable illustration of what separates a good Goldsmith cover from an underwhelming one. Enjoy this little aural dessert, and have a great holiday!

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Pssssssst. Hey, pal. You know Studs, right? Studs Lonigan? No? You must be new around here. I mean, Studs is… ah, but why am I telling ya? You should hear it directly from his pals. Head down to the pool hall and look for three guys named Jens, Yavar, and Clark. If you see some shady-looking characters arguing about motifs, that’s probably them. Anyway, they’ll tell you all about Studs, and the movie director Irving Lerner made about Studs back in 1960, and the score Jerry Goldsmith wrote for that movie, and probably some other nonsense you didn’t even ask about. Hey, they mean well. Have you heard that score, by the way? I bet they’ll play some of it for you. Hot stuff, that record. Hotter than Studs himself, if we’re being honest, but you didn’t hear that from me. Anyway, what are you still doing here? Get outta here and go see the boys. Scram!

The Work: Here are the Discogs listings for the Studs Lonigan Quartet release and the Varèse Sarabande CD Club release. Also, if you are so inclined, you can obtain a Region 2 DVD of the film from Amazon.co.uk.

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Good news, Goldsmith fans: our latest trip to the musical mines has produced another Gold Nugget. Jens returns to Japan for an exploration of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's 1998 concert album Jerry Goldsmith: Hollywood Symphonic Spectacular. Over the course of a music-heavy half-hour, Jens guides you through a serious of unique, spacious concert recordings of Goldsmith gems like Supergirl, The Swarm, The Omen, and more, offering cursory explanations of what makes some of these particular performances stand out. We hope you'll tag along for this look at a brief-yet-rewarding Japanese tribute to a great American composer!

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Howdy folks! We're saddling up and riding into Dodge City for an exploration of the long-running TV western Gunsmoke. Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark take a look at three episodes from 1960, each highlighted by its own distinctive Goldsmith score. First up is “Doc Judge,” featuring a suspenseful score anchored by an ominous five-note theme. Next, we meet “The Blacksmith,” containing a lively, diverse score offering warmth, romance, suspense, and a bit of action. Last but not least is “The Wake,” which serves up a modest, playful score built around an instantly memorable main theme. Grab your six-shooter, dust off your ten-gallon hat, and join us as we cantor through one of the staples of classic television.

The Work: Gunsmoke: Season 5 Volume 2, Gunsmoke: Season 6 Vol 1.

Ron Burbella supplied us with his CBS EZ CUE disc and index (discussed in this Film Score Monthly thread) and with his reel-to-reel tape transfers. Bill Wrobel documented the mass of CBS Music Library stuff donated to UCLA, giving us a little more info on the tracks we’ve acquired.

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

In our second installment of Odyssey Interviews, Yavar has a conversation with film composer and conductor Cliff Eidelman. Eidelman is perhaps best known for his striking score for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and has scored such diverse projects as Leap of Faith, Triumph of the Spirit, The Meteor Man, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Eidelman has also written a variety of works for the concert hall, some of which will be featured on an album being released this fall. Over the course of this interview, Eidelman talks about his personal encounters with Jerry Goldsmith, the unique challenges of conducting Goldsmith's work, his current musical endeavors, and much more.

Note: Since this interview was conducted, the digital release date for Cliff Eidelman's "Symphony for Orchestra and Two Pianos" has shifted to early November instead of late October. For up-to-date information on Eidelman and his work, visit his website.

Music in this Episode:

• 00:00 - C2 Logo Fanfare (Goldsmith)
• 02:14 - Christopher Columbus: The Discovery - The Great Sea (Eidelman)
• 06:41 - Planet of the Apes - No Escape (Goldsmith)
• 10:02 - Rudy - The Final Game (Goldsmith)
• 17:49 - Alien - Breakaway (Eidelman conducting Goldsmith)
• 35:56 - Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country - Sign Off (Eidelman)
• 43:01 - The Tempest: Tone Poem for Orchestra (Eidelman)
• 47:01 - Symphony for Orchestra and Two Pianos (Eidelman)
• 49:01 - Symphony for Orchestra and Two Pianos (Eidelman)
• 52:45 - Night in the Gallery - Seduction and Mischief (Eidelman)
• 53:57 - Night in the Gallery - The Tempest and the Mysterious Clown (Eidelman)
• 56:24 - Being Dolphin 4D (Eidelman)
• 1:08:15 - Rudy - The Final Game (Eidelman conducting Goldsmith)

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

We are pleased to present the first installment of Odyssey Interviews, an occasional feature that will offer interviews with special guests who have some connection to Jerry Goldsmith and/or his music. In our debut interview, Yavar has a conversation with internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin, Music Director Laureate of the Detroit Symphony. Slatkin maintains a rigorous schedule of guest conducting (he has conducted virtually all of the leading orchestras in the world) and is active as a composer, author, and educator. He has received 6 Grammy Awards and 33 nominations, and is a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of the Arts. Over the course of this interview, Slatkin discusses growing up in the world of film music, his family's relationship with Goldsmith, commissioning Goldsmith's Music for Orchestra, and much more.

For up-to-date information on Leonard Slatkin and his work, visit his website.

Music in this Episode:

• 00:00 - C2 Logo Fanfare
• 16:17 - Magic - Main Title
• 17:08 - Capricorn One - Break Out
• 21:03 - Christus Apollo - Part II
• 27:15 - Patton - No Assignment
• 41:23 - Music For Orchestra
• 56:05 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Leaving Drydock (Early Version)
• 58:37 - KSD News Theme (composed by Leonard Slatkin)
• 1:11:51 - Music For Orchestra

Also Discussed: The opening of How to Marry a Millionaire, KSDK TV 5 News Open

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

In the second and final part of our CBS Music Library Spectacular, returning guest W. David Lichty guides your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark through a remarkably diverse array of suites spotlighting a large portion of Goldsmith's contribution to the CBS music library. Over the course of this episode, you'll hear playful comedy, moody suspense, lush romance, chilling horror, and lots of other musical goodies. Even if you're a devoted Goldsmith fan, odds are high that the majority of this music will be new to you. Join us as we don our research caps and complete a sojourn into one of the most under-explored corners of Goldsmith's career! 

To follow along with David's custom suites, please consult this Google Doc for a thorough breakdown.

The Work: The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (at Amazon).

David’s Bibliography:

Ron Burbella supplied us with his TransWorld 78s (discussed in this Film Score Monthly thread).

Martin Grams Jr. wrote The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. This gave names and running times for all of the tracks used in each episode. Note his excellent coverage in his sample section.

Dan Hollis supplied the time locations for all of the cues used in each Twilight Zone episode via his thread at Twilight Zone Cafe -> Twilight Zone, Etc. -> Classic Twilight Zone -> Musical Cues.

Bill Wrobel documented the mass of CBS Music Library stuff donated to UCLA, giving us a little more info on the tracks we’ve acquired. Even more helpful info was found in his piece "Television Works of Bernard Herrmann." You can find some of the TransWorld tracks used in the show on his YouTube channel. We also recommend his video on "Autumn Love."

Despite being uncredited, Gene Feldman supervised the Twilight Zone scores for all five seasons. Twilight Zone isn’t listed for him on IMDb, but Grams Jr.'s book may explain why, and Bill Wrobel's research seems to confirm that he was CBS’s guy for this process.

Please send your correspondence to [email protected].