The House On Telegraph Hill / Ten North Frederick

World premiere release of two dark-edged 20th Century Fox film soundtracks!

The House on Telegraph Hill headlines with powerful, imposing 52-minute score by Sol Kaplan. Robert Wise directs Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese in noir-ish tale with horror undertones, WWII Holocaust origins. Kaplan launches immediately with declamatory, angled brass theme that hits hard, continues throughout score. In rich contrast is warmer idea for strings that weaves in, about amongst heavier orchestral surges.

Other ideas appear as well: highlights include snare drum adding rhythm to chromatic "Polish" theme for woodwinds; rich major & minor chords for trombones playing under variants of main theme during "Fear Of The Past". While some respite comes with lilting, wistful melodic ideas heard in cues such as "Aunt Sophie", "The Playhouse", angled main theme, dark atmosphere never really disappear. Powerful music! Fox executives liked score so much they had portions of it re-recorded for subsequent thriller Dangerous Crossing. Certainly one of under-rated composer's finest works!

Ten North Frederick is Philip Dunne filming of John O'Hara novel about politics and strife with Gary Cooper, Diane Varsi. Leigh Harline offers richly thematic score, anchors with yearning main theme buoyed with dramatic cadence of major chords (plus striking use of sevenths, ninths) in brass. Classy! Music balances between politely pretty, sadly bittersweet. Nick Redman produces lengthy CD from original 35mm master elements stored in excellent condition in Fox vaults. Julie Kirgo provides background info on films, scoring by two masters of the craft.

Legendary composer/Fox music honcho Alfred Newman conducts.