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Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Nikolay Tcherepnin. The orchestra also stays busy recording music for contemporary films. Critical accolades for the orchestra’s wide-ranging recordings are frequent, including its important film music re-recordings with conductor William Stromberg and reconstructionist John Morgan for Marco Polo. Fanfare critic Royal S. Brown, reviewing the complete recording of Hans J. Salter and Paul Dessau’s landmark House of Frankenstein score, saluted the CD as a “valuable document on the kind of craftsmanship and daring in film scoring that passed by all but unnoticed because of the nature of the films.” Monthly praised the orchestra’s recording of Korngold’s Another Dawn score, adding that “Stromberg, Morgan and company could show some classical concert conductors a thing or two on how Korngold should be played and recorded.” The same magazine described a recording of suites from ’s music for Virginia City and The Beast With Five Fingers as “full-blooded and emphatic.” And Rad Bennett of The Absolute Sound found so much to praise in the orchestra’s film music series he voiced a fervent desire that Marco Polo stay put in Moscow and “record film music forever”. Many of these recordings are now being reissued in the Naxos Film Music Classics series.

William Stromberg (behind) and John Morgan

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Max Steiner (1888–1971) passed away July 2002. She was always excited about memories for her. Although Louise didn’t live to see our re-recordings and added immeasurably to our the final product, she did hear our recording several Music for the films booklets with her memories of playing harp in the weeks before her death and was most pleased that this studio orchestras. She was particularly pleased that we music would live on through this release. All This, and Heaven Too 1940 recorded All This, and Heaven Too, which had special John Morgan A Stolen Life 1946 March, 2003 Score restorations by John Morgan John Morgan Conductor’s Foreword Widely regarded in film-music circles as a master colorist with a keen insight into orchestration and the power of music, Los Angeles-based composer John Morgan began his career working alongside such composers as When we started to record this Max Steiner CD, I felt elements make it interesting for the orchestra and me Alex North and Fred Steiner before embarking on his own. Among other projects, he co-composed the richly a sense of relief as the orchestra perked up with because the cues don’t sound like background music, dramatic score for the cult-documentary film Trinity and Beyond, described by one critic as “an atomic-age enthusiasm. Come to think of it, this happens every time but rather mini concert pieces strung together. Fantasia, thanks to its spectacular nuclear explosions and powerhouse music.” In addition, Morgan has won we start a Steiner score, which always makes conducting I love to see smiles of recognition come over the acclaim for efforts to rescue, restore and re-record lost film scores from the past. Recently, Morgan composed his music a rewarding experience. More than any other faces of the orchestra as we start a new score. Believe the score for the acclaimed documentary, Cinerama Adventure. composer in Hollywood, Steiner had a way of it or not, a lot of the musicians in Russia are familiar composing through scenes effortlessly with every note with Max’s music as more of our American movies are William Stromberg perfectly placed. The way in which he smoothly utilized showing up on their television. I often hear noodling on A native of Oceanside, California, who hails from a family of film-makers, William T. Stromberg balances his memorable themes throughout his scores was Steiner themes from other films when they recognize his career as a composer of strikingly vivid film scores with that of a busy conductor in the original Marco Polo unmatched. Steiner was easily the best composer who style. During rest periods for the orchestra, I heard Classic Film Score Series. Besides conducting his own scores—including his music for the thriller Other Voices could mimic the action on the screen, yet still keep it various players quote from Gone With the Wind, King and the documentary Trinity and Beyond—Stromberg serves as a conductor for other film composers. He is musical. Even in the 1930s and ’40s, this was hard to do Kong, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, always especially noted for his passion in reconstructing and conducting film scores from Hollywood’s Golden Age, and not sound comical in some way. All of these with a wink and a smile. including several works recorded for RCA with the Brandenburg Philharmonic. For Marco Polo, he has William Stromberg conducted albums of music devoted to Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, , Philip Sainton, March, 2003 , Hans J. Salter, and . He has also conducted several much- praised albums devoted to concert works by American composers, including two albums of music by Ferde Grofé.

Moscow Symphony Orchestra Established in 1989, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra includes prize-winners and laureates of Russian and international music competitions and graduates of conservatories in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev who have played under such conductors as Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky, Mravinsky and Ozawa, in Russia and throughout the world. In addition to its extensive concert programmes, the orchestra has been recognized for its outstanding recordings for Marco Polo, including the first-ever survey of Malipiero’s symphonies, symphonic music of Guatemala, the complete symphonies of Charles Tournemire and Russian music by Scriabin, Glazunov, 8.570184 2 11 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 10

Max’s work on the film and this theme was originally Barcarolle, a waltz theme associated with Kate, the All This and A Stolen Life Too: conceived for their son. “good” twin sister. Track 14 presents all the primary Bette Davis in Stride at Warner Bros. A scene at an house needed some “source” themes; the Stolen Life motif, the Barcarolle for Kate, music. The Overture to Armida by C.W. Gluck, which a descending figure representing the twins, and a rather By the time she was cast in Warner Bros.’ opulent ultimately brutal man whose lack of feeling for his was composed in 1777, is heard appropriately although slinky theme for Pat, the other sister. All these themes 1940 production of All This, and Heaven Too, Bette wife was attributed to a passion for his ambitious, it is truncated in the final release of the film. For this are very distinctive in themselves, but are clearly Davis was the queen of the Warner lot. In 1939 she social-climbing governess. In others, such as Field’s CD, we have recorded the full version as originally interrelated and are used contrapuntally when made her initial appearance in Motion Picture Herald’s All This, and Heaven Too, sympathy lies with the prepared for All This, and Heaven Too. dramatically appropriate. There is also a rather “oily” top ten box-office stars, placing sixth. She was also governess, who, like the Duc, is subject to the Another interesting musical sequence is the All theme with descending bassoons and clarinets for frequently referred to at that time as The First Lady vicissitudes of a paranoid Duchesse who had no use for Hallows Eve (Track 8) where eerie voices are com- Karnock, the Dane Clark character. of the Screen. anyone but her husband. The Warner Bros. adaptation bined with the orchestra during a Halloween night As previously stated, this score looks ahead to the Davis had been under contract to the studio since of the novel reinforces this interpretation of the Praslin filled with witches and goblins. This sequence ends style Steiner would adopt for most of the scores he December 1931 and although she appeared in some affair even more strongly, casting Bette Davis and with the delightful orchestral tour de force depicting a composed during the fifties and beyond. The composer good films such as Of Human Bondage (1934 – on in the rôles of governess and Duc. Davis carousel, with Steiner’s uncanny ability to create a also looks back nostalgically to his RKO period in the loan to R.K.O. Radio), Fog Over Frisco (1934), gives an unusually restrained, even demure, dazzling cacophony of sound with his music. early thirties. Besides the piano source piece which Bordertown (1935), The Petrified Forest (1936), performance as Henriette and Boyer plays a romantic The orchestra for All This, and Heaven Too was mentions in his notes, Steiner reprises Marked Woman (1937), it was Jezebel in 1938 and sympathetic Duc with his usual understated large, consisting of three flutes (doubling piccolo and his moody fog music from King Kong as well as the followed by in 1939 that made her a power.” It should be emphasized that Rachel Field’s alto flute), two oboes (doubling English horn), three Shopping Tour music, originally composed for the major star. work is a novel, not a biography. So it is indeed a clarinets (doubling bass clarinet), and two bassoons RKO 1933 production Sweepings, which dealt with The book All This, and Heaven Too was number sympathetic interpretation with, of course, invented making up the woodwinds. The brass includes four the building of a department store empire. Steiner must six on the Best Seller list of 1938 and number two in scenes and dialogue. French horns, four trumpets, four trombones and tuba. have associated “department stores” with this music. 1939. Rachel Field’s novel was based on actual events Davis later said that “Henriette was an extremely The percussion requires four players, although seven In many ways, Steiner’s style was slowly reverting to in her own family history and dealt with the difficult part for me to play. Her calm, her players are needed for The Carousel. Two harps, two the simpler, more defined melodic and harmonic employment in 1841 of Henriette Deluzy-Desportes understatement in everything she said and did, was a pianos, celeste, organ, strings, and small choir language first employed for the dramas at RKO, as a governess to the Duc and Duchesse de Praslin’s challenge to me as an actress. Without the smoldering complete the complement. although he had a bigger and more polished orchestra children in . Some time later, the Duchesse was passion portrayed by Boyer as le Duc, this could have A Stolen Life, as mentioned previously, available to him at Warners, not to mention the murdered by her husband and the governess was been a very dull relationship with Henriette.” Davis demonstrated Steiner’s more restrained and less recording advances developed in the intervening years. arrested as an accomplice. Then the Duc committed also recalled in her autobiography that Warners gave complex scoring. Although the orchestra is still a large The orchestra requirements for A Stolen Life were suicide, and later Henriette was acquitted in court All This, and Heaven Too a lavish première at the one, many cues dispense with the brass (with the somewhat modest as compared to most Warner scores owing to lack of evidence. The author’s premise was Carthay Circle Theatre. “There’s no question that the exception of French horns), and the woodwinds play of the period. The woodwinds were in pairs, with an that the governess was innocent of any blame in the Hollywood première, so often satirized, is an exciting part in bringing a nautical feel to the extra clarinet playing bass clarinet exclusively. Four murder of the Duchess or any actual affair with the affair,” she wrote. “If you are in the picture being proceedings. After Steiner’s Warner Bros. signature horns were the norm, although four trumpets and Duc. premièred, it is difficult not to feel like a queen.” The music, the composer introduces the Stolen Life theme trombones and one tuba were brought in for the bigger “In the years that followed the Praslin case, picture was a great success. that is bold, wide open, with harp arpeggios suggesting cues. The percussion consisted of five players. There different writers and historians would interpret and Warner staff composer Max Steiner was no the milieu of the sea. were two harps, pianos, and one celeste, as well as the reinterpret the events surrounding the murder of the stranger to Bette Davis films when he was assigned to After the Main Title, we segue directly to Sailor’s usual complement of strings. Duchesse,” wrote Allison L. McKee. “In some All This, and Heaven Too in 1940. He went all the way Hornpipe, a light, whimsical sea chanty-like theme This CD is dedicated to the memory of Louise accounts, the Duchesse was a devoted wife and back with her to 1931 when he was at R.K.O. Radio for the Walter Brennan character. This merges into Steiner Elian, married to Max from 1936 to 1946, who mother, her husband an insensitive, weak, and Pictures if we count a film she did in a supporting rôle 8.570184 10 3 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 4

on loan from Universal where she was briefly under Steiner had an unusual challenge with All This, Music Notes contract. The score to Way Back Home was sparse, in and Heaven Too. The lovers in the film never touched, keeping with the times, consisting almost entirely of let alone kissed. In the words of the film’s associate The original Marco Polo Film Music Series recorded album, I included all the big musical “set-pieces,” but arranged folk and public domain materials for the Main producer, David Lewis, “It was the story of a very much of Max Steiner’s prolific output. Previously, we eliminated much of the repetition, thus allowing a and End titles. deep love, never openly discussed, never had recorded such diverse scores as King Kong, The balanced and enjoyable music experience — even for Steiner’s next encounter with a Davis film was consummated, but fulfilled within the minds and hearts Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Beast With Five listeners who may be unfamiliar with the film. Hugo again at R.K.O. in 1934 when she had been loaned – of the two principals and with full understanding of Fingers, The Three Musketeers, and others but until Friedhofer, who orchestrated this score as well as A this time by her new home studio Warner Bros. – to co- its consequences.” So it was necessary to support the now we haven’t recorded what Steiner himself Stolen Life, considered this one of his Steiner favorites, star with in the prestigious Of Human unfulfilled love with music that would not overwhelm considered his favorite type of film … the Bette Davis calling it “utterly charming.” He also told me that when Bondage. For this film, again in keeping with the by but reinforce the suppressed yearnings of the Davis dramas. Although he was equally adept at writing referred to his 1947 score for Fox’s then changing times, Steiner contributed a relatively and Boyer characters. Steiner skillfully met the action music of great excitement and technique for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir as his “Max Steiner score,” full score. Steiner’s first Davis-Warner assignment challenge. battles and chases, he often bemoaned the fact that he was referring specifically to All This, And Heaven was the popular Kid Galahad in 1937. This was Liliane Covington was only 19 when she joined after writing all those notes, they often got lost in the Too. followed by (1937) and then the the Warner Bros. orchestra in 1936. Over the next 29 final sound mix. But with the Davis films, the Most film composers write what we refer to as turning-point film for Davis – the one that made her a years, she played first oboe on a vast number of composer got the opportunity of writing music for cues. They compose music for a specific scene and top star – Jezebel in 1938. From then on Steiner was features, cartoons, and short subjects. In an interview character development and psychological motivations usually give it a title. Steiner approached film scoring the composer of choice for what were known as “Bette with Bill Powell, he asked how she came to Warners. where virtually every note is heard and contributes to more as opera minus and composed long Davis vehicles” – top- of-the-line “woman’s pictures” “Well, I played on [Selznick’s] The Garden of Allah the drama. chunks of continuous music that could run throughout given big budgets and major talent in all departments. [1936] for Max Steiner and had many solos in that Choosing what scores to include on this album several connecting scenes and even reels, which ran up Following The Sisters (1938) came the highly regarded film, and I guess he liked what he heard because he was fairly simple. They are two of my personal to eleven minutes in those days. He rarely titled these Dark Victory (1939) and The Old Maid (1939), another helped me get my job at Warners.” As for female favorites, though a case can be made that any Steiner- musical sequences, and the cue sheets of his scores big hit, and then All This, and Heaven Too. musicians at Warners at this time, “There were only the Davis-Warner score is worth recording. Another generally list the customary reel and part number as Steiner, since his start at Warners in 1936, harpist [Louise Elian Steiner, Max’s wife] and myself. reason is these two scores are very different in concept. well as a rundown of theme identifications that appear composed for all types of films, but he was particularly Later, they hired another harpist [Aida Mulieri- All This, and Heaven Too came in 1940 when the within the body of the music. Steiner regarded his partial to the Davis pictures because of the richly Dagort], a cellist [Eleanor Slatkin], and a pianist composer’s approach was very emotional with highly music as one long composition and not as separate melodic romantic support they offered and Steiner so [Norma Drury], but there were never more than three chromatic writing in the Wagner tradition. The music musical pieces. capably provided. All This, and Heaven Too saw or four women in the orchestra.” With regard to reflects and comments on the dialogue, surging The Main Title opens with Steiner’s signature Steiner riding the crest of the wave. The year before he composers at the studio, Covington said Steiner was dramatically and appropriately at every opportunity. music for the Warner Bros. shield and segues to a had been loaned to David O. Selznick to score the her favorite: “He was very sweet, and he really knew A Stolen Life, coming six years later, reflected a subtle majestic statement of the Duchess Theme, followed monumental Gone With the Wind. Now he was how to write for the oboe … There was a good deal of change in both film and musical styles. Not as by the waltz associated with the Bette Davis character, assigned to the very important All This, and Heaven variety in the rehearsal time. Maxie liked to rehearse melodramatic, Steiner’s music was leaner and less Henriette. These two themes, along with the Duke’s Too. a lot; it wasn’t quite the mood he wanted or it wasn’t prone to follow the dialogue in operatic terms. The majestic motif heard at the end of Track 2, form the “Real film music began with Max,” said his quite this or that ... When he got older his eyesight thematic and harmonic material were somewhat basis of the score and are varied, developed, and even orchestrator during that period, . “His began to fail and he used a huge stopwatch when he simpler and the various themes were more clearly combined when dramatically warranted. There are also is true mood music, unobtrusive background that is conducted.” defined. This score foreshadowed Steiner’s work in secondary themes, such as the lovely and moving also connective tissue, subtle and sensitive.” Steiner’s After Steiner finished conducting and recording the 1950s. Preacher’s Theme heard at the start of Track 9. Studio career with Warner Bros. spanned almost thirty years his lengthy score, the next step was the room All This, and Heaven Too contains over 100 harpist Louise Steiner, who was married to Max at this and included the scores for more than 150 films. where dialogue, music, and sound effects were minutes of music. In arranging the music for this time, told me that their son Ronnie was born during 8.570184 4 9 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 8

“Bette Davis, who is starring in this picture, would Aida Mulieri-Dagort, who played harp under balanced and re-recorded. Steiner recalled in his Anatole, however, was a close friend of mine, so I like to have this number used throughout – if possible.” contract to Warners from 1942 to 1948 (and for unpublished autobiography, Notes to You, that director told him I’d sneak him in. We went upstairs and he Starr replied: “The publishers … wanted to know in Paramount from 1949 to 1968), worked on A Stolen Anatole Litvak came over to his table in the Warner listened to a couple of reels. Then he put his arms full detail how we contemplate using this selection. Life. Speaking of Steiner, she wrote that “He was a commissary one day and asked: around me and said: “Maxie, it’s the greatest and I’m The selection consists of three parts and they feel it wonderful, sweet gentleman, who shifted from one going to tell Warner about it.” He left and started for should be used as published, without any cuts. We foot to the other and chewed on his cigar when “Can I come up [to the dubbing stage] and listen to a the front office. Fifteen minutes later I had a call from pointed out that this would seem to be impossible in someone came up to talk to him.” This was from her couple of reels?” I gave my permission which I really Jack Warner. “Maxie,” he said sternly, “haven’t I told view of the fact that we want to theme it.” 1997 autobiography, Harps are not for Angels. She shouldn’t have done because Mr. [Jack] Warner had you not to let anybody in while you’re dubbing? You La Mer consists of three symphonic sketches with also wrote, “He loved the harp, and used it very well. just issued an order that no directors or producers disobeyed me. And now Litvak has just been here and a total playing time of approximately twenty minutes. In his compositions, I would say he used it like a piano. were to be allowed in on the stage where I was wants me to take you off the picture. He thinks the Apparently nothing came of the discussions and In too many film scores, the harp is usually heard for recording or when we were dubbing. Mr. Warner felt music will ruin it. So it just serves you right!” Steiner was free to do an original score. The composer special effects only, but in Max’s scores the harp that the presence of visitors was distracting and had reprised his primary A Stolen Life theme as one of the always enriched the sound of the music. I usually told my co-workers that they could hear the music at Of course, it’s just possible that Warner, to make secondary themes in A Summer Place (1959). And the played continuously in the background throughout one the preview. Then they could make any criticisms or a point, reported a negative reaction to Steiner to melody turned up during the air trip across America in of his scores.” She added that “Max was very near- suggestions, but my boys and I were not to be disturbed emphasize to him that he didn’t want directors present. the first Cinerama feature, This is Cinerama (1952). sighted and had to hold the score right under his nose while we were working. The music was not changed. Because he was moonlighting on that attraction for his … when conducting. He was generous to his musicians old colleague and friend Merian C. Cooper (King … I loved working for him and considered those days A Stolen Life Kong, etc.), Steiner received no official credit. the best in my career.” At one point in A Stolen Life there is a sequence Bette Davis’ next picture at Warners was her last The good twin and the evil twin bringing about ensuing the Waves in 1944. That same year Universal released that takes place at a formal reception and exhibition of really good one at the studio, Deception (1946), with complications is a concept that has been around in film yet another in their parade of Maria Montez, Jon Hall, the “good” twin’s paintings in an art gallery. Steiner an Erich Wolfgang Korngold score. Then Steiner did (and literature) for a very long time. In the 1940s there Sabu exotic adventures in Technicolor, Cobra Woman, said in a letter to his agent, Harry Fox, that “The her final two out of three films there, Winter Meeting was a considerable number of twin feature films with Maria portraying South Sea island twins – good producer wanted to use a Chopin waltz [in the (1948) and Beyond the Forest (1949), neither top-of- ushered in by the Alexandre Dumas story The Man in and evil, naturally. background as source music], but I did not think this the-line pictures. Ten years later when she was a “guest the Iron Mask in 1939, followed by The Boys From About the same time Warner Bros. the was the right kind of music to use as mine matches star” playing Empress Catherine of Russia in John Syracuse in 1940 and then another Dumas tale, The rights to the aforementioned Stolen Life. Jack Chertok the action so perfectly.” “Mine,” in this case, being Paul Jones (1959), distributed by Warners, Steiner Corsican Brothers (1941). Later, in 1945, Danny Kaye and Frank Cavett were announced as producer and his 1934 composition, “Petite Valse,” which had been provided the score. It was their last film together. played his first of three twin (or look-alike) rôles in writer respectively, and at some point Margaret Buell published. “Petite Valse,” played only on piano, At the time of Steiner’s death in 1971, Davis said: Wonder Man. Wilder did an adaptation. Then producer Jerry Wald ultimately was used behind the entire art gallery “He often improved our acting. He knew more about Women were heavily represented with twin rôles was mentioned briefly as producer. But this changed sequence but it is not included in this recording. drama than any of us.” during the 1940s – in both dramas and comedies. The when it was decided that the picture would be the first Rudy Behlmer precursor was a British film, released in the U.S. in of six pictures of the new B.D., Inc. (Bette Davis) Author of Inside Warner Bros., Behind the Scenes: 1939 by Paramount, called Stolen Life, in which production company, in association with Warner Bros. The Making of …, Memo from David O. Selznick, etc. Elisabeth Bergner plays a good and a bad twin – both For A Stolen Life, Davis chose Catherine Turney to do in love with the same man (Michael Redgrave). Keep the final script and Curtis Bernhardt to direct. (Both ’Em Flying (1941) presented twin Martha Rayes vying were under contract to Warners.) She admired the with Abbott and Costello; then there were twin Betty work they had done on My Reputation with Barbara Huttons interacting with Bing Crosby in Here Come Stanwyck and , although that film had 8.570184 8 5 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 6

not yet been released. “I don’t believe I would have Life (minus the last third of the novel) had to do with Muse problems relating to shooting this sequence on Between All This, and Heaven Too in 1940 and A gotten a contract to write at Warners if it hadn’t been the “bad” twin taking away the “good” twin’s love Stage 21: “It was very difficult and Bette almost Stolen Life in 1946 Max Steiner scored seven Bette for the war,” Catherine Turney said. “It always struck interest. Some time after their marriage, while the drowned. In these tank scenes, you see, we have a boat Davis films at Warners – including two of her (and me as a man’s studio. Jack Warner seemed to me to be husband is away on a trip, the “bad” twin persuades the with wires underneath it to control it and jiggle it his) best, The Letter (1940) and Now, Voyager (1942). a shy man, particularly among writers, especially “good” twin to go sailing. During a storm, the wife is around wherever you want it. Well, in this tremendous Because Davis was in charge and she was able to select female writers.” drowned. In an attempt to save her, the good twin tank we had chutes coming down and waves coming the story, the writer, director and male lead for A Stolen Davis and Turney worked closely on A Stolen Life, accidentally pulls the wedding ring off her hand. After up, and one of them was supposed to swish her Life, it would seem logical she also could select (or Turney told Lee Server. “I was on the set all the time some hesitancy, she decides to assume the sister’s overboard. She should have come up immediately but reject) the composer. Obviously she went with the man with that, and very much against the will of the studio,” identity, only to find out that the wife had affairs with she went down and didn’t come up. I was horrified who was associated with many of her finest films – she said. “Because I was under contract and they other men and that the husband was planning to leave because I realized that she had been caught in one of Max Steiner. About the time that Steiner was scoring wanted me working on something else … Bette was her. But he finally realizes she is really the other sister the wires. We had what probably today would be A Stolen Life, Leo Forbstein, the head of Warners’ the producer on A Stolen Life. At that time, the studio and that he loves her and not the “evil” twin. called frogmen standing by who instantly dived in and music department, wrote to Steve Trilling, Jack L. was making deals with some of the big stars … They The Davis-Warner A Stolen Life, set in New pulled her out.” And Catherine Turney corroborated: Warner’s executive assistant, on February 9, 1946: would make them producers in name only, and it England, had a long shooting period: 105 days were “Bette did give her all to that picture. I remember when allowed them to get capital gains … They did this with used between February 14, 1945 until July 28, 1945 they did the scene with the shipwreck … I don’t think I think we should start a new contract with him , for instance, on another picture I did, Cry with several days of added scenes and retakes in mid a real storm at sea could have been any stronger when [Steiner] for five years beginning March 1st … I am Wolf [1947] … But when they set up this deal with January, 1946. Most of the interiors were shot at the they let loose those tons of water through the chute. getting many calls every day for his services at other Bette, to their astonishment and dismay she took it studio. The exteriors of the New England island wharf And Bette was in there, doing all those shots herself. studios with price no object and I assure you that with completely seriously. She would attend all the were filmed at “Warner Lake” on the backlot. Some The water would knock her right out of the boat. . . . the Warner spirit, if he lives for ten years, it will be a meetings and would call for endless meetings in her coast and sea material was photographed in the Laguna But she wouldn’t use a double. I guess she thought miracle … portable dressing room on the set.” Beach and Balboa area south of Los Angeles. Bette that in this picture there was already enough doubling.” I assure you that I will always try to sneak in an Davis and director Bernhardt had difficulty Davis recalled that “the lighthouse was built offshore “No compliments can be too much for the dual- extra picture or two for Steiner to do during each year deciding on a leading man. Contract players Dennis in Laguna Beach, which is where I lived at the time. shot scenes planned by Bernhardt,” Bette Davis told which would compensate not having to bring in Morgan and Robert Alda were considered but then The town grew very fond of it and didn’t want us to Whitney Stine. “I have people still ask me how they someone else to do them. He also has been here for the Columbia contract player Glenn Ford was medically take it down after we finished shooting.” The interior were done. They were completely real – filmed as if past eight years with us and in those eight years he discharged from the Marine Corps. “In 1945 I went and exterior airport sequence was filmed in Long two actors were in the scenes instead of the same has scored over eighty pictures which is a pretty good for lunch at the Warner Bros. commissary. Bette asked Beach, and for the coastline scenes at the end of the actress playing both parts.” record for any man to do, so use your own judgment me to sit at her table,” Ford recalled in 1989. “She film, the company went to the Monterey area in A Stolen Life was well-received by audiences in and see if we can get this through as quickly as looked at me and said, ‘A week from Sunday you are Northern California. Warners “Maritime Stage 21,” 1946 – indeed, it was one of the biggest commercial possible … to come to the studio, and wear a tweed coat and which was capable of being flooded with water and successes of any Davis film up to that time. In 1964 smoke a pipe.’ She said to a friend, ‘That will make had been used to good effect with full-scale ships in Bette Davis once again portrayed twins in the Shortly afterward a new contract was signed. him look older,’ and then told me, ‘I want to make a such films as The Sea Hawk, The Sea Wolf, Action In melodrama Dead Ringer. In this, one of the twins Before Steiner started to compose his original A test with you.’ I did the film – A Stolen Life – and from the North Atlantic, etc., was put into service for the purposely kills her sister, then takes over her dead Stolen Life score, Leo Forbstein wrote to Herman Starr that came Gilda. So she was responsible for everything closer shots of the big storm at sea sequence. twin’s life. “Since you already played twins in A Stolen in Warners’ New York office: “Do you think it is good that happened to me.” Gilda (1946) with Rita Previously photographed long-shot story material Life, what was the difference between them and the possible to clear La Mer [The Sea] by Debussy … to Hayworth and Ford was made directly following A (including rear projection footage) with doubles had twins in Dead Ringer?” Whitney Stine asked the be used as a theme throughout the picture Stolen Life Stolen Life, but was released first. been done off Laguna Beach. actress years later. “Bette threw her head back and – as the story of this picture pertains to a story about The basic plot of both film versions of A Stolen Director Curtis Bernhardt recalled in The Celluloid laughed. ‘About 20 years!’” the sea … 8.570184 6 7 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 6

not yet been released. “I don’t believe I would have Life (minus the last third of the novel) had to do with Muse problems relating to shooting this sequence on Between All This, and Heaven Too in 1940 and A gotten a contract to write at Warners if it hadn’t been the “bad” twin taking away the “good” twin’s love Stage 21: “It was very difficult and Bette almost Stolen Life in 1946 Max Steiner scored seven Bette for the war,” Catherine Turney said. “It always struck interest. Some time after their marriage, while the drowned. In these tank scenes, you see, we have a boat Davis films at Warners – including two of her (and me as a man’s studio. Jack Warner seemed to me to be husband is away on a trip, the “bad” twin persuades the with wires underneath it to control it and jiggle it his) best, The Letter (1940) and Now, Voyager (1942). a shy man, particularly among writers, especially “good” twin to go sailing. During a storm, the wife is around wherever you want it. Well, in this tremendous Because Davis was in charge and she was able to select female writers.” drowned. In an attempt to save her, the good twin tank we had chutes coming down and waves coming the story, the writer, director and male lead for A Stolen Davis and Turney worked closely on A Stolen Life, accidentally pulls the wedding ring off her hand. After up, and one of them was supposed to swish her Life, it would seem logical she also could select (or Turney told Lee Server. “I was on the set all the time some hesitancy, she decides to assume the sister’s overboard. She should have come up immediately but reject) the composer. Obviously she went with the man with that, and very much against the will of the studio,” identity, only to find out that the wife had affairs with she went down and didn’t come up. I was horrified who was associated with many of her finest films – she said. “Because I was under contract and they other men and that the husband was planning to leave because I realized that she had been caught in one of Max Steiner. About the time that Steiner was scoring wanted me working on something else … Bette was her. But he finally realizes she is really the other sister the wires. We had what probably today would be A Stolen Life, Leo Forbstein, the head of Warners’ the producer on A Stolen Life. At that time, the studio and that he loves her and not the “evil” twin. called frogmen standing by who instantly dived in and music department, wrote to Steve Trilling, Jack L. was making deals with some of the big stars … They The Davis-Warner A Stolen Life, set in New pulled her out.” And Catherine Turney corroborated: Warner’s executive assistant, on February 9, 1946: would make them producers in name only, and it England, had a long shooting period: 105 days were “Bette did give her all to that picture. I remember when allowed them to get capital gains … They did this with used between February 14, 1945 until July 28, 1945 they did the scene with the shipwreck … I don’t think I think we should start a new contract with him Errol Flynn, for instance, on another picture I did, Cry with several days of added scenes and retakes in mid a real storm at sea could have been any stronger when [Steiner] for five years beginning March 1st … I am Wolf [1947] … But when they set up this deal with January, 1946. Most of the interiors were shot at the they let loose those tons of water through the chute. getting many calls every day for his services at other Bette, to their astonishment and dismay she took it studio. The exteriors of the New England island wharf And Bette was in there, doing all those shots herself. studios with price no object and I assure you that with completely seriously. She would attend all the were filmed at “Warner Lake” on the backlot. Some The water would knock her right out of the boat. . . . the Warner spirit, if he lives for ten years, it will be a meetings and would call for endless meetings in her coast and sea material was photographed in the Laguna But she wouldn’t use a double. I guess she thought miracle … portable dressing room on the set.” Beach and Balboa area south of Los Angeles. Bette that in this picture there was already enough doubling.” I assure you that I will always try to sneak in an Davis and director Bernhardt had difficulty Davis recalled that “the lighthouse was built offshore “No compliments can be too much for the dual- extra picture or two for Steiner to do during each year deciding on a leading man. Contract players Dennis in Laguna Beach, which is where I lived at the time. shot scenes planned by Bernhardt,” Bette Davis told which would compensate not having to bring in Morgan and Robert Alda were considered but then The town grew very fond of it and didn’t want us to Whitney Stine. “I have people still ask me how they someone else to do them. He also has been here for the Columbia contract player Glenn Ford was medically take it down after we finished shooting.” The interior were done. They were completely real – filmed as if past eight years with us and in those eight years he discharged from the Marine Corps. “In 1945 I went and exterior airport sequence was filmed in Long two actors were in the scenes instead of the same has scored over eighty pictures which is a pretty good for lunch at the Warner Bros. commissary. Bette asked Beach, and for the coastline scenes at the end of the actress playing both parts.” record for any man to do, so use your own judgment me to sit at her table,” Ford recalled in 1989. “She film, the company went to the Monterey area in A Stolen Life was well-received by audiences in and see if we can get this through as quickly as looked at me and said, ‘A week from Sunday you are Northern California. Warners “Maritime Stage 21,” 1946 – indeed, it was one of the biggest commercial possible … to come to the studio, and wear a tweed coat and which was capable of being flooded with water and successes of any Davis film up to that time. In 1964 smoke a pipe.’ She said to a friend, ‘That will make had been used to good effect with full-scale ships in Bette Davis once again portrayed twins in the Shortly afterward a new contract was signed. him look older,’ and then told me, ‘I want to make a such films as The Sea Hawk, The Sea Wolf, Action In melodrama Dead Ringer. In this, one of the twins Before Steiner started to compose his original A test with you.’ I did the film – A Stolen Life – and from the North Atlantic, etc., was put into service for the purposely kills her sister, then takes over her dead Stolen Life score, Leo Forbstein wrote to Herman Starr that came Gilda. So she was responsible for everything closer shots of the big storm at sea sequence. twin’s life. “Since you already played twins in A Stolen in Warners’ New York office: “Do you think it is good that happened to me.” Gilda (1946) with Rita Previously photographed long-shot story material Life, what was the difference between them and the possible to clear La Mer [The Sea] by Debussy … to Hayworth and Ford was made directly following A (including rear projection footage) with doubles had twins in Dead Ringer?” Whitney Stine asked the be used as a theme throughout the picture Stolen Life Stolen Life, but was released first. been done off Laguna Beach. actress years later. “Bette threw her head back and – as the story of this picture pertains to a story about The basic plot of both film versions of A Stolen Director Curtis Bernhardt recalled in The Celluloid laughed. ‘About 20 years!’” the sea … 8.570184 6 7 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 8

“Bette Davis, who is starring in this picture, would Aida Mulieri-Dagort, who played harp under balanced and re-recorded. Steiner recalled in his Anatole, however, was a close friend of mine, so I like to have this number used throughout – if possible.” contract to Warners from 1942 to 1948 (and for unpublished autobiography, Notes to You, that director told him I’d sneak him in. We went upstairs and he Starr replied: “The publishers … wanted to know in Paramount from 1949 to 1968), worked on A Stolen Anatole Litvak came over to his table in the Warner listened to a couple of reels. Then he put his arms full detail how we contemplate using this selection. Life. Speaking of Steiner, she wrote that “He was a commissary one day and asked: around me and said: “Maxie, it’s the greatest and I’m The selection consists of three parts and they feel it wonderful, sweet gentleman, who shifted from one going to tell Warner about it.” He left and started for should be used as published, without any cuts. We foot to the other and chewed on his cigar when “Can I come up [to the dubbing stage] and listen to a the front office. Fifteen minutes later I had a call from pointed out that this would seem to be impossible in someone came up to talk to him.” This was from her couple of reels?” I gave my permission which I really Jack Warner. “Maxie,” he said sternly, “haven’t I told view of the fact that we want to theme it.” 1997 autobiography, Harps are not for Angels. She shouldn’t have done because Mr. [Jack] Warner had you not to let anybody in while you’re dubbing? You La Mer consists of three symphonic sketches with also wrote, “He loved the harp, and used it very well. just issued an order that no directors or producers disobeyed me. And now Litvak has just been here and a total playing time of approximately twenty minutes. In his compositions, I would say he used it like a piano. were to be allowed in on the stage where I was wants me to take you off the picture. He thinks the Apparently nothing came of the discussions and In too many film scores, the harp is usually heard for recording or when we were dubbing. Mr. Warner felt music will ruin it. So it just serves you right!” Steiner was free to do an original score. The composer special effects only, but in Max’s scores the harp that the presence of visitors was distracting and had reprised his primary A Stolen Life theme as one of the always enriched the sound of the music. I usually told my co-workers that they could hear the music at Of course, it’s just possible that Warner, to make secondary themes in A Summer Place (1959). And the played continuously in the background throughout one the preview. Then they could make any criticisms or a point, reported a negative reaction to Steiner to melody turned up during the air trip across America in of his scores.” She added that “Max was very near- suggestions, but my boys and I were not to be disturbed emphasize to him that he didn’t want directors present. the first Cinerama feature, This is Cinerama (1952). sighted and had to hold the score right under his nose while we were working. The music was not changed. Because he was moonlighting on that attraction for his … when conducting. He was generous to his musicians old colleague and friend Merian C. Cooper (King … I loved working for him and considered those days A Stolen Life Kong, etc.), Steiner received no official credit. the best in my career.” At one point in A Stolen Life there is a sequence Bette Davis’ next picture at Warners was her last The good twin and the evil twin bringing about ensuing the Waves in 1944. That same year Universal released that takes place at a formal reception and exhibition of really good one at the studio, Deception (1946), with complications is a concept that has been around in film yet another in their parade of Maria Montez, Jon Hall, the “good” twin’s paintings in an art gallery. Steiner an Erich Wolfgang Korngold score. Then Steiner did (and literature) for a very long time. In the 1940s there Sabu exotic adventures in Technicolor, Cobra Woman, said in a letter to his agent, Harry Fox, that “The her final two out of three films there, Winter Meeting was a considerable number of twin feature films with Maria portraying South Sea island twins – good producer wanted to use a Chopin waltz [in the (1948) and Beyond the Forest (1949), neither top-of- ushered in by the Alexandre Dumas story The Man in and evil, naturally. background as source music], but I did not think this the-line pictures. Ten years later when she was a “guest the Iron Mask in 1939, followed by The Boys From About the same time Warner Bros. bought the was the right kind of music to use as mine matches star” playing Empress Catherine of Russia in John Syracuse in 1940 and then another Dumas tale, The rights to the aforementioned Stolen Life. Jack Chertok the action so perfectly.” “Mine,” in this case, being Paul Jones (1959), distributed by Warners, Steiner Corsican Brothers (1941). Later, in 1945, Danny Kaye and Frank Cavett were announced as producer and his 1934 composition, “Petite Valse,” which had been provided the score. It was their last film together. played his first of three twin (or look-alike) rôles in writer respectively, and at some point Margaret Buell published. “Petite Valse,” played only on piano, At the time of Steiner’s death in 1971, Davis said: Wonder Man. Wilder did an adaptation. Then producer Jerry Wald ultimately was used behind the entire art gallery “He often improved our acting. He knew more about Women were heavily represented with twin rôles was mentioned briefly as producer. But this changed sequence but it is not included in this recording. drama than any of us.” during the 1940s – in both dramas and comedies. The when it was decided that the picture would be the first Rudy Behlmer precursor was a British film, released in the U.S. in of six pictures of the new B.D., Inc. (Bette Davis) Author of Inside Warner Bros., Behind the Scenes: 1939 by Paramount, called Stolen Life, in which production company, in association with Warner Bros. The Making of …, Memo from David O. Selznick, etc. Elisabeth Bergner plays a good and a bad twin – both For A Stolen Life, Davis chose Catherine Turney to do in love with the same man (Michael Redgrave). Keep the final script and Curtis Bernhardt to direct. (Both ’Em Flying (1941) presented twin Martha Rayes vying were under contract to Warners.) She admired the with Abbott and Costello; then there were twin Betty work they had done on My Reputation with Barbara Huttons interacting with Bing Crosby in Here Come Stanwyck and George Brent, although that film had 8.570184 8 5 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 4

on loan from Universal where she was briefly under Steiner had an unusual challenge with All This, Music Notes contract. The score to Way Back Home was sparse, in and Heaven Too. The lovers in the film never touched, keeping with the times, consisting almost entirely of let alone kissed. In the words of the film’s associate The original Marco Polo Film Music Series recorded album, I included all the big musical “set-pieces,” but arranged folk and public domain materials for the Main producer, David Lewis, “It was the story of a very much of Max Steiner’s prolific output. Previously, we eliminated much of the repetition, thus allowing a and End titles. deep love, never openly discussed, never had recorded such diverse scores as King Kong, The balanced and enjoyable music experience — even for Steiner’s next encounter with a Davis film was consummated, but fulfilled within the minds and hearts Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Beast With Five listeners who may be unfamiliar with the film. Hugo again at R.K.O. in 1934 when she had been loaned – of the two principals and with full understanding of Fingers, The Three Musketeers, and others but until Friedhofer, who orchestrated this score as well as A this time by her new home studio Warner Bros. – to co- its consequences.” So it was necessary to support the now we haven’t recorded what Steiner himself Stolen Life, considered this one of his Steiner favorites, star with Leslie Howard in the prestigious Of Human unfulfilled love with music that would not overwhelm considered his favorite type of film … the Bette Davis calling it “utterly charming.” He also told me that when Bondage. For this film, again in keeping with the by but reinforce the suppressed yearnings of the Davis dramas. Although he was equally adept at writing Bernard Herrmann referred to his 1947 score for Fox’s then changing times, Steiner contributed a relatively and Boyer characters. Steiner skillfully met the action music of great excitement and technique for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir as his “Max Steiner score,” full score. Steiner’s first Davis-Warner assignment challenge. battles and chases, he often bemoaned the fact that he was referring specifically to All This, And Heaven was the popular Kid Galahad in 1937. This was Liliane Covington was only 19 when she joined after writing all those notes, they often got lost in the Too. followed by That Certain Woman (1937) and then the the Warner Bros. orchestra in 1936. Over the next 29 final sound mix. But with the Davis films, the Most film composers write what we refer to as turning-point film for Davis – the one that made her a years, she played first oboe on a vast number of composer got the opportunity of writing music for cues. They compose music for a specific scene and top star – Jezebel in 1938. From then on Steiner was features, cartoons, and short subjects. In an interview character development and psychological motivations usually give it a title. Steiner approached film scoring the composer of choice for what were known as “Bette with Bill Powell, he asked how she came to Warners. where virtually every note is heard and contributes to more as opera minus libretto and composed long Davis vehicles” – top- of-the-line “woman’s pictures” “Well, I played on [Selznick’s] The Garden of Allah the drama. chunks of continuous music that could run throughout given big budgets and major talent in all departments. [1936] for Max Steiner and had many solos in that Choosing what scores to include on this album several connecting scenes and even reels, which ran up Following The Sisters (1938) came the highly regarded film, and I guess he liked what he heard because he was fairly simple. They are two of my personal to eleven minutes in those days. He rarely titled these Dark Victory (1939) and The Old Maid (1939), another helped me get my job at Warners.” As for female favorites, though a case can be made that any Steiner- musical sequences, and the cue sheets of his scores big hit, and then All This, and Heaven Too. musicians at Warners at this time, “There were only the Davis-Warner score is worth recording. Another generally list the customary reel and part number as Steiner, since his start at Warners in 1936, harpist [Louise Elian Steiner, Max’s wife] and myself. reason is these two scores are very different in concept. well as a rundown of theme identifications that appear composed for all types of films, but he was particularly Later, they hired another harpist [Aida Mulieri- All This, and Heaven Too came in 1940 when the within the body of the music. Steiner regarded his partial to the Davis pictures because of the richly Dagort], a cellist [Eleanor Slatkin], and a pianist composer’s approach was very emotional with highly music as one long composition and not as separate melodic romantic support they offered and Steiner so [Norma Drury], but there were never more than three chromatic writing in the Wagner tradition. The music musical pieces. capably provided. All This, and Heaven Too saw or four women in the orchestra.” With regard to reflects and comments on the dialogue, surging The Main Title opens with Steiner’s signature Steiner riding the crest of the wave. The year before he composers at the studio, Covington said Steiner was dramatically and appropriately at every opportunity. music for the Warner Bros. shield and segues to a had been loaned to David O. Selznick to score the her favorite: “He was very sweet, and he really knew A Stolen Life, coming six years later, reflected a subtle majestic statement of the Duchess Theme, followed monumental Gone With the Wind. Now he was how to write for the oboe … There was a good deal of change in both film and musical styles. Not as by the waltz associated with the Bette Davis character, assigned to the very important All This, and Heaven variety in the rehearsal time. Maxie liked to rehearse melodramatic, Steiner’s music was leaner and less Henriette. These two themes, along with the Duke’s Too. a lot; it wasn’t quite the mood he wanted or it wasn’t prone to follow the dialogue in operatic terms. The majestic motif heard at the end of Track 2, form the “Real film music began with Max,” said his quite this or that ... When he got older his eyesight thematic and harmonic material were somewhat basis of the score and are varied, developed, and even orchestrator during that period, Hugo Friedhofer. “His began to fail and he used a huge stopwatch when he simpler and the various themes were more clearly combined when dramatically warranted. There are also is true mood music, unobtrusive background that is conducted.” defined. This score foreshadowed Steiner’s work in secondary themes, such as the lovely and moving also connective tissue, subtle and sensitive.” Steiner’s After Steiner finished conducting and recording the 1950s. Preacher’s Theme heard at the start of Track 9. Studio career with Warner Bros. spanned almost thirty years his lengthy score, the next step was the dubbing room All This, and Heaven Too contains over 100 harpist Louise Steiner, who was married to Max at this and included the scores for more than 150 films. where dialogue, music, and sound effects were minutes of music. In arranging the music for this time, told me that their son Ronnie was born during 8.570184 4 9 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 10

Max’s work on the film and this theme was originally Barcarolle, a waltz theme associated with Kate, the All This and A Stolen Life Too: conceived for their son. “good” twin sister. Track 14 presents all the primary Bette Davis in Stride at Warner Bros. A scene at an opera house needed some “source” themes; the Stolen Life motif, the Barcarolle for Kate, music. The Overture to Armida by C.W. Gluck, which a descending figure representing the twins, and a rather By the time she was cast in Warner Bros.’ opulent ultimately brutal man whose lack of feeling for his was composed in 1777, is heard appropriately although slinky theme for Pat, the other sister. All these themes 1940 production of All This, and Heaven Too, Bette wife was attributed to a passion for his ambitious, it is truncated in the final release of the film. For this are very distinctive in themselves, but are clearly Davis was the queen of the Warner lot. In 1939 she social-climbing governess. In others, such as Field’s CD, we have recorded the full version as originally interrelated and are used contrapuntally when made her initial appearance in Motion Picture Herald’s All This, and Heaven Too, sympathy lies with the prepared for All This, and Heaven Too. dramatically appropriate. There is also a rather “oily” top ten box-office stars, placing sixth. She was also governess, who, like the Duc, is subject to the Another interesting musical sequence is the All theme with descending bassoons and clarinets for frequently referred to at that time as The First Lady vicissitudes of a paranoid Duchesse who had no use for Hallows Eve (Track 8) where eerie voices are com- Karnock, the Dane Clark character. of the Screen. anyone but her husband. The Warner Bros. adaptation bined with the orchestra during a Halloween night As previously stated, this score looks ahead to the Davis had been under contract to the studio since of the novel reinforces this interpretation of the Praslin filled with witches and goblins. This sequence ends style Steiner would adopt for most of the scores he December 1931 and although she appeared in some affair even more strongly, casting Bette Davis and with the delightful orchestral tour de force depicting a composed during the fifties and beyond. The composer good films such as Of Human Bondage (1934 – on Charles Boyer in the rôles of governess and Duc. Davis carousel, with Steiner’s uncanny ability to create a also looks back nostalgically to his RKO period in the loan to R.K.O. Radio), Fog Over Frisco (1934), gives an unusually restrained, even demure, dazzling cacophony of sound with his music. early thirties. Besides the piano source piece which Bordertown (1935), The Petrified Forest (1936), performance as Henriette and Boyer plays a romantic The orchestra for All This, and Heaven Too was Rudy Behlmer mentions in his notes, Steiner reprises Marked Woman (1937), it was Jezebel in 1938 and sympathetic Duc with his usual understated large, consisting of three flutes (doubling piccolo and his moody fog music from King Kong as well as the followed by Dark Victory in 1939 that made her a power.” It should be emphasized that Rachel Field’s alto flute), two oboes (doubling English horn), three Shopping Tour music, originally composed for the major star. work is a novel, not a biography. So it is indeed a clarinets (doubling bass clarinet), and two bassoons RKO 1933 production Sweepings, which dealt with The book All This, and Heaven Too was number sympathetic interpretation with, of course, invented making up the woodwinds. The brass includes four the building of a department store empire. Steiner must six on the Best Seller list of 1938 and number two in scenes and dialogue. French horns, four trumpets, four trombones and tuba. have associated “department stores” with this music. 1939. Rachel Field’s novel was based on actual events Davis later said that “Henriette was an extremely The percussion requires four players, although seven In many ways, Steiner’s style was slowly reverting to in her own family history and dealt with the difficult part for me to play. Her calm, her players are needed for The Carousel. Two harps, two the simpler, more defined melodic and harmonic employment in 1841 of Henriette Deluzy-Desportes understatement in everything she said and did, was a pianos, celeste, organ, strings, and small choir language first employed for the dramas at RKO, as a governess to the Duc and Duchesse de Praslin’s challenge to me as an actress. Without the smoldering complete the complement. although he had a bigger and more polished orchestra children in France. Some time later, the Duchesse was passion portrayed by Boyer as le Duc, this could have A Stolen Life, as mentioned previously, available to him at Warners, not to mention the murdered by her husband and the governess was been a very dull relationship with Henriette.” Davis demonstrated Steiner’s more restrained and less recording advances developed in the intervening years. arrested as an accomplice. Then the Duc committed also recalled in her autobiography that Warners gave complex scoring. Although the orchestra is still a large The orchestra requirements for A Stolen Life were suicide, and later Henriette was acquitted in court All This, and Heaven Too a lavish première at the one, many cues dispense with the brass (with the somewhat modest as compared to most Warner scores owing to lack of evidence. The author’s premise was Carthay Circle Theatre. “There’s no question that the exception of French horns), and the woodwinds play of the period. The woodwinds were in pairs, with an that the governess was innocent of any blame in the Hollywood première, so often satirized, is an exciting a major part in bringing a nautical feel to the extra clarinet playing bass clarinet exclusively. Four murder of the Duchess or any actual affair with the affair,” she wrote. “If you are in the picture being proceedings. After Steiner’s Warner Bros. signature horns were the norm, although four trumpets and Duc. premièred, it is difficult not to feel like a queen.” The music, the composer introduces the Stolen Life theme trombones and one tuba were brought in for the bigger “In the years that followed the Praslin case, picture was a great success. that is bold, wide open, with harp arpeggios suggesting cues. The percussion consisted of five players. There different writers and historians would interpret and Warner staff composer Max Steiner was no the milieu of the sea. were two harps, pianos, and one celeste, as well as the reinterpret the events surrounding the murder of the stranger to Bette Davis films when he was assigned to After the Main Title, we segue directly to Sailor’s usual complement of strings. Duchesse,” wrote Allison L. McKee. “In some All This, and Heaven Too in 1940. He went all the way Hornpipe, a light, whimsical sea chanty-like theme This CD is dedicated to the memory of Louise accounts, the Duchesse was a devoted wife and back with her to 1931 when he was at R.K.O. Radio for the Walter Brennan character. This merges into Steiner Elian, married to Max from 1936 to 1946, who mother, her husband an insensitive, weak, and Pictures if we count a film she did in a supporting rôle 8.570184 10 3 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 2

Max Steiner (1888–1971) passed away July 2002. She was always excited about memories for her. Although Louise didn’t live to see our re-recordings and added immeasurably to our the final product, she did hear our recording several Music for the Bette Davis films booklets with her memories of playing harp in the weeks before her death and was most pleased that this studio orchestras. She was particularly pleased that we music would live on through this release. All This, and Heaven Too 1940 recorded All This, and Heaven Too, which had special John Morgan A Stolen Life 1946 March, 2003 Score restorations by John Morgan John Morgan Conductor’s Foreword Widely regarded in film-music circles as a master colorist with a keen insight into orchestration and the power of music, Los Angeles-based composer John Morgan began his career working alongside such composers as When we started to record this Max Steiner CD, I felt elements make it interesting for the orchestra and me Alex North and Fred Steiner before embarking on his own. Among other projects, he co-composed the richly a sense of relief as the orchestra perked up with because the cues don’t sound like background music, dramatic score for the cult-documentary film Trinity and Beyond, described by one critic as “an atomic-age enthusiasm. Come to think of it, this happens every time but rather mini concert pieces strung together. Fantasia, thanks to its spectacular nuclear explosions and powerhouse music.” In addition, Morgan has won we start a Steiner score, which always makes conducting I love to see smiles of recognition come over the acclaim for efforts to rescue, restore and re-record lost film scores from the past. Recently, Morgan composed his music a rewarding experience. More than any other faces of the orchestra as we start a new score. Believe the score for the acclaimed documentary, Cinerama Adventure. composer in Hollywood, Steiner had a way of it or not, a lot of the musicians in Russia are familiar composing through scenes effortlessly with every note with Max’s music as more of our American movies are William Stromberg perfectly placed. The way in which he smoothly utilized showing up on their television. I often hear noodling on A native of Oceanside, California, who hails from a family of film-makers, William T. Stromberg balances his memorable themes throughout his scores was Steiner themes from other films when they recognize his career as a composer of strikingly vivid film scores with that of a busy conductor in the original Marco Polo unmatched. Steiner was easily the best composer who style. During rest periods for the orchestra, I heard Classic Film Score Series. Besides conducting his own scores—including his music for the thriller Other Voices could mimic the action on the screen, yet still keep it various players quote from Gone With the Wind, King and the documentary Trinity and Beyond—Stromberg serves as a conductor for other film composers. He is musical. Even in the 1930s and ’40s, this was hard to do Kong, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, always especially noted for his passion in reconstructing and conducting film scores from Hollywood’s Golden Age, and not sound comical in some way. All of these with a wink and a smile. including several works recorded for RCA with the Brandenburg Philharmonic. For Marco Polo, he has William Stromberg conducted albums of music devoted to Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Alfred Newman, Philip Sainton, March, 2003 Adolph Deutsch, Hans J. Salter, Victor Young and Malcolm Arnold. He has also conducted several much- praised albums devoted to concert works by American composers, including two albums of music by Ferde Grofé.

Moscow Symphony Orchestra Established in 1989, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra includes prize-winners and laureates of Russian and international music competitions and graduates of conservatories in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev who have played under such conductors as Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky, Mravinsky and Ozawa, in Russia and throughout the world. In addition to its extensive concert programmes, the orchestra has been recognized for its outstanding recordings for Marco Polo, including the first-ever survey of Malipiero’s symphonies, symphonic music of Guatemala, the complete symphonies of Charles Tournemire and Russian music by Scriabin, Glazunov, 8.570184 2 11 8.570184 570184bk Bette:570183bk Son of Kong 15/7/07 5:40 PM Page 12

Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Nikolay Tcherepnin. The orchestra also stays busy recording music for contemporary films. Critical accolades for the orchestra’s wide-ranging recordings are frequent, including its important film music re-recordings with conductor William Stromberg and reconstructionist John Morgan for Marco Polo. Fanfare critic Royal S. Brown, reviewing the complete recording of Hans J. Salter and Paul Dessau’s landmark House of Frankenstein score, saluted the CD as a “valuable document on the kind of craftsmanship and daring in film scoring that passed by all but unnoticed because of the nature of the films.” praised the orchestra’s recording of Korngold’s Another Dawn score, adding that “Stromberg, Morgan and company could show some classical concert conductors a thing or two on how Korngold should be played and recorded.” The same magazine described a recording of suites from Max Steiner’s music for Virginia City and The Beast With Five Fingers as “full-blooded and emphatic.” And Rad Bennett of The Absolute Sound found so much to praise in the orchestra’s film music series he voiced a fervent desire that Marco Polo stay put in Moscow and “record film music forever”. Many of these recordings are now being reissued in the Naxos Film Music Classics series.

William Stromberg (behind) and John Morgan

8.570184 Playing Time

8.570184 FILM MUSIC CLASSICS 71:08 8.570184 STEINER: All This, and Heaven Too • A Stolen Life DDD (1888-1971)

www.naxos.com Made in Canada ൿ MAX STEINER

2003 & Music for the Bette Davis films

Ꭿ All This, and Heaven Too 1940 2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. 2007 Naxos Rights International A Stolen Life 1946 Score Restorations by John Morgan Moscow Symphony Orchestra and Choir* conducted by William Stromberg

All This, and Heaven Too 44:51 0 Jailed 3:22 1 Main Title 1:40 ! Rushing to a Dying Duke— 2 To France—The Caretaker— The Duke—Final Farewell * 7:28 The Duke 2:39 @ Finale—End Cast 2:25 3 Carriage Ride 1:32 4 Henriette—Armide Overture A Stolen Life 26:11 (Gluck) 2:16 # Main Title—Sailor’s Hornpipe 3:56 5 A Night to Remember for Louise 3:46 $ A Stolen Life—Twins 6:43 6 Mysteries of Life 3:34 % Karnock—Shopping Tour 2:56 7 The Smiles of Hypocrisy 3:14 ^ Storm—Aftermath 4:26 8 All Hallows Eve—Lotis Song— & Interlude 1:50 Springtime—The Carousel * 5:42 * Talbot and Confrontation 2:25 9 Reunion and Understanding— ( Finale 3:56 STEINER: All This, and Heaven Too • A Stolen Life • Too and Heaven This, All STEINER: Springtime Again—Henriette 7:16 8.570184 Recorded at Mosfilm Studio, Moscow, Russia, in February–March 2002 • Producer: Betta International Recording Engineers & Editors: Edvard Shakhnazarian, Vitaly Ivanov • Music Notes: Rudy Behlmer Design: Ron Hoares • Cover image: Cape Ann beach, Massachusetts (Coleong / Dreamstime.com) Previously released on Marco Polo 8.225218