Victor Young
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Victor Young (1900-1956) is well-known to most here, but in the larger scheme of things often overshadowed by the other big Golden Age composers. I’ve always liked him, and slowly started to amass enough of a collection to get a grasp of who he was, musically. It’s all very “colourful” (which is kind of an empty phrase, but somehow fitting). Titles in my collection that I enjoy include THE UNINVITED (which also includes selections from GULLIVER’S TRAVELS and BRIGHT LEAF), SAMSON AND DELILAH, THE QUIET MAN, THE LEFT HAND OF GOD, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, GOLDEN EARRINGS and OMAR KHAYAAM.
I was reminded of him again when, just today, film music historian Ray Faiola shared this rare video on FSM, of Young writing and conducting music from THE TALES OF WELLS FARGO, the first time I’ve ever seen live footage of Young. And what about that super annoying guy “conducting” next to him on the podium? Sheesh. Anyways, if you have any Young favourites or opinions, feel free to share.
Didn’t he have (a little bit like Alan Menken) a reputation of rather being a songwriter than a composer?
I also have that rerecording of The Uninvited. Didn’t do that much for me.
But I am a fan of his Scaramouche suite on that swashbuckling Captain Blood album conducted by Richard Kaufman.
Overall one of my favourite Golden Age albums.Didn’t he have (a little bit like Alan Menken) a reputation of rather being a songwriter than a composer?
Yes, a little bit, if memory serves. Same as Tiomkin. They were considered somewhat “light”. But I don’t really hear that at all.
And yes, that’s a great Naxos album.
Didn’t he have (a little bit like Alan Menken) a reputation of rather being a songwriter than a composer?
Yes, I think he had one as a good theme/melody writer and lots of those ended up as film songs.
I also have that rerecording of The Uninvited. Didn’t do that much for me.
Yes, for me too. Been a while I listened to the album but I think I liked the other scores more.
But I am a fan of his Scaramouche suite on that swashbuckling Captain Blood album conducted by Richard Kaufman.
Overall one of my favourite Golden Age albums.That’s a good suite.
You named a lot of the scores I would also list. I would add the western scores RIO GRANDE, JOHNMY GUITAR and SHANE. Although I prefern Tiomkins western scores in general of that era.
I only have 5 Victor Young albums, but they cover 11 scores! I’m gonna share them, one by one — even though I mentioned them all in the first post.
After the rather annoying circus music opening (from THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH), it’s on to THE UNINVITED, which is fairly light for a ghost story — even when it tries to spook. Suppose it’s more quaint gothic than sturm und drang. GULLIVER’S TRAVELS is appropriately sprightly and colourful, and maybe the best bit of the album. But BRIGHT LEAF, which caps it off, is also rather good. “Succulent” is an adjective I could use.
I can’t really tell you what separates SAMSON & DELILAH from other biblical scores of the era, but it’s perhaps slightly “thinner” in sound than some of the more famous colleagues? Anyway, a nice 24-minute suite on this album, followed by the superior THE QUIET MAN, I think.
Not sure there’s that much religioso in this, per the film’s title, but it’s a delightful score in that east-meets-west style I dig so much (some of the regional tropes would be considered inappropriate in this day and age, but screw that).
I have the NAXOS and especially the suite from SAMSON & DELILAH is great. LEFT HAND OF GOD I primarily know the lovely track Charles Gerhardt recorded.
I wasn’t aware that Gerhardt had recorded anything from THE LEFT HAND OF GOD. Was that album mentioned earlier?
I know this score means a LOT to our member Howard L. I can understand why; it’s exuberant in style and approach. I never had that nostalgic connection, though, so although I can appreciate its travelogue virtues, I might just pick the Trevor Jones version ahead of it…I can say that now, because it seems Howard has left this place for good, after a few posts.
wasn’t aware that Gerhardt had recorded anything from THE LEFT HAND OF GOD. Was that album mentioned earlier?
It’s only the “Love theme” on the Bogart album from the Classic Film Scores series.:
https://www.discogs.com/de/master/254859-Charles-Gerhardt-National-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Casablanca-Classic-Film-Scores-For-Humphrey-Bogart
If I recall right the only Young on the whole series.Regarding the 80 DAYS by Young I like it but it is not my top favorite by him. Ha, somehow I was not aware that the 2004 version had a score by Jones. Are you aware of that 2021 mini series with a theme by Zimmer?
It’s only the “Love theme” on the Bogart album from the Classic Film Scores series.
Ouch, my memory isn’t what it used to. I actually owned that album once upon a time, although the cover was bluer than what’s on that Discogs link.
Regarding the 80 DAYS by Young I like it but it is not my top favorite by him. Ha, somehow I was not aware that the 2004 version had a score by Jones. Are you aware of that 2021 mini series with a theme by Zimmer?
Yeah, now that you mention it, I did catch that out of the corner of my eye at some point. But wouldn’t have remembered it unless you mentioned it now.
This is an impressive 3-for-1, with GOLDEN EARRINGS probably the best of the bunch (although the name of the film reminds me more of the Dutch prog rock band). But all of these — FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS and OMAR KAYAAM too — are examples of Young taking relatively modest melodic fragments and orchestrating them from here to high heaven, making them sound lusher and more complex than what they are.
I somehow know that Young compilation from somewhere 😉
Yeah, now that you mention it, I did catch that out of the corner of my eye at some point. But wouldn’t have remembered it unless you mentioned it now.
Not terrible exciting actually if I recall right. The show starring David Tennant actualy was quite entertaining even if yet another version was not really necessary.
I somehow know that Young compilation from somewhere
The FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS etc.? Where? Did you send it to me? Did I send it to you? I thought maybe I got the CD-R from someone in the States. I no longer have it, it seems, only as files.
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