Hitchcock was a brilliant director. Herrmann was a genius. I watched Psycho with the sound off and was interested but disengaged. When I listen to Herrmann's score without watching the film, I am terrified.
@@boborrahoodAlas, they never did. I’m Herrmann’s biographer, and sadly report that they had one brief, chilly meeting two years after Torn Curtain that Hitchcock cut short.
Hitchcock also doubled Herrmann's salary, and moved his name in the opening credits right before Hitchcock's, in the same size letters -- bigger than even those of the film's stars.
Hitchcock told Herrmann after hearing "The Murder" cue, was, "Well of course we'll have that." Benny (knowing he'd nailed the scene and was absolutely right) ribbed his friend, saying, "But Hitch, you said there was to be no music?" To which Mr. Hitchcock answered, "Improper suggestion, my boy. Improper suggestion."
Some years ago a programme called The Four Rooms was screened on Channel 4 . People with items to sell would enter each room and a antique expert would make them an offer and so on... The stepson of Bernard Herrmann appeared on the show with the original score sheet from Psycho. Herrmann had yet to know what the title of the movie was to be so it was simply entitled "The Murder". The seller was asking £30,000 for the score but was refused by every dealer. I often wonder if it was eventually sold and for how much. In my view those dealers lost out on a priceless piece of cinematic history.
Hi Matthew, I’ve always known the effect of music on a person and often reacted to music on an emotional level. I really appreciate the breakdown of the musical components and subsequent explanation in this video and I’m looking forward to more. Loved it! Chris
Hitchcock was determined to make this movie on the lowest budget possible. To that end, the same crew that shot Hitchock's TV show also shot "Psycho". All the main actors worked for less than their usual fee. The only one who would not take a salary cut was Bernard Herrmann. His money-saving solution was to forgo a full orchestra for the score, and only use strings. And the rest, as they say, was history.
I'm not holding it against you,haha, but I was waiting for the line 'Improper Suggestion', encountering Herrmann's apology that he did add music to the shower scene, in spite of Hitchcock not wanting any. Both are my favorite director and composer in movies!
Psycho was not horror, it was a thtiller. In horror (Frankenstein/Dracula etc.) you know the motives from the start. In a a thriller they are hidden or not given. It is hence easier to make thrillers than a horror-movie.
years go saw Vertigo with just the Herrmann track and, of course, it was clear that as with all Hitchcock, the films were at least 50% Hermann. However, I wold challenge your assertion that his films were "family entertainment"! Ever, including the silents.
I am simply reporting how my parents felt in 1960 when they went to see Psycho. They told me they were expecting something 'fun' like 'North by Northwest'. My Dad was a fan of 'The Lady Vanishes' and 'The 39 Steps'. These may not be childrens' films but they are popular and entertaining.
@@themusicprofessorHe was quite capable of writing a jazzy score but he felt such a score would not have been right for this film (Hitchcock wanted one similar to "Anatomy of a Murder" which came out a year earlier than "Psycho")
BoneEating Silicate, I wouldn’t take Herrmann’s daughter too seriously. ! said that It's inconceivable that Herrmann would disparage a classic film that has one of his greatest scores! For example, she had also stated incorrectly that her father had to score Psycho using “only strings” due to budget restrictions!. In fact, Bernard Herrmann had said that he used a completely '"string orchestra to complement the black and white cinematography" of Psycho. He can also be heard speaking favorably about it in a narration used in a video about his music. And as anyone who’s a fan of his music can tell you, he rarely bothered with saying much about scores of any of his other classic movies. Was Dorothy Herrmann even aware that her father wove phrases and short sections of his well received 1936 "Sinfonietta for String Orchestra" into a couple scenes of Psycho to brilliant effect? And there weren't any budget restrictions for that major Herrmann string orchestra opus from 24 years earlier. I rest my case.
@@boborrahood Originally Herrmann wanted to use a full orchestra but the film's low budget only allowed for a string score, since Hitchcock had mortgaged his home and was producing the film himself.
@@ericbrown1327 In all my years as a long time fan of the movie and Bernard Herrmann, and music major, I've never read or heard that. I did hear Herrmann say in a documentary on Hitchcock, as well as in print, that he used an all string orchestra "to complement the black and white cinematography" Herrmann could have simply used a conventional orchestra with all the other instruments for the same price, since he composed it for a full string orchestra, not just a chamber orchestra or string quartet Paul McCartney was inspired by the title music for Psycho and asked producer George Martin to write a string accompaniment with similar rhythmic. urgency for Eleanor Rigby. Again - no brass, or woodwinds, or percussion were needed for that, as well. Oh, and NO budget considerations as well! Herrmann's string orchestra for Psycho was an aesthetic choice, not a budget limitation!
There is plenty of evidence that he had a very significant role in persuading Hitch to release it as a movie. H was preparing to release it as episodes of his TV show.
@@themusicprofessor No, the TV show thing came from him having to use the production crew off his show Alfred Hitchcock Presents and shoot it on the side to cut costs because no studio wanted to back him up. Either way Herrmann didn’t ‘save’ what Hitchcock already made, it was already a masterpiece when it was delivered to Herrmann. He just added to the fun.
Actually, the scores a lot to Bartok's Divertimento. What I would like to see is the film without any of Hermann's music. Hitchcock's own sound mastery is excellent. On RUclips, you can hear the shower scene without music.
Actually, it was gratuitous dialogue that Hitchcock didn't like. He was a visual director who could see the whole film in his head before it was filmed. Have you ever seen, or at least noticed in the first scene of Rear Window how much he lets you know through the camera what happened to James Stewart, how it happened, that it was work- related as a photographer on the job, and with no dialogue.
Hitchcock had said that 33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the score. He doubled Herrmann's salary after hearing the score added to his classic.
He should have raised his salary by 33%
@@themusicprofessor I was glad to find out that Hitchcock and Herrmann had reconnected again after their falling out over Torn Curtain.
Hitchcock was a brilliant director. Herrmann was a genius. I watched Psycho with the sound off and was interested but disengaged. When I listen to Herrmann's score without watching the film, I am terrified.
@@boborrahoodAlas, they never did. I’m Herrmann’s biographer, and sadly report that they had one brief, chilly meeting two years after Torn Curtain that Hitchcock cut short.
@@boborrahood Benny tried to reconnect, but Hitch was cold and distant. No reconciliation occurred.
Hitchcock also doubled Herrmann's salary, and moved his name in the opening credits right before Hitchcock's, in the same size letters -- bigger than even those of the film's stars.
Hitchcock told Herrmann after hearing "The Murder" cue, was, "Well of course we'll have that." Benny (knowing he'd nailed the scene and was absolutely right) ribbed his friend, saying, "But Hitch, you said there was to be no music?" To which Mr. Hitchcock answered, "Improper suggestion, my boy. Improper suggestion."
Thank you. Yes indeed. “Improper suggestion, my boy!”
Hitch listened his wife!
Some years ago a programme called The Four Rooms was screened on Channel 4 . People with items to sell would enter each room and a antique expert would make them an offer and so on... The stepson of Bernard Herrmann appeared on the show with the original score sheet from Psycho. Herrmann had yet to know what the title of the movie was to be so it was simply entitled "The Murder". The seller was asking £30,000 for the score but was refused by every dealer. I often wonder if it was eventually sold and for how much. In my view those dealers lost out on a priceless piece of cinematic history.
Herrmann created some fantastic film scores!
This deserves so many more views from the music community. Bravo!!!!
Thanks for the kind words!
"My father wasn't able to take a shower for months" hahahahahahah
you can tell him it's ok to shower now
He mustve smelled pretty bad
Two geniuses.
Hi Matthew,
I’ve always known the effect of music on a person and often reacted to music on an emotional level. I really appreciate the breakdown of the musical components and subsequent explanation in this video and I’m looking forward to more.
Loved it!
Chris
Thank you Chris. I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. The emotional effect of music on the listener is such a fascinating topic!
Hitchcock was determined to make this movie on the lowest budget possible. To that end, the same crew that shot Hitchock's TV show also shot "Psycho". All the main actors worked for less than their usual fee. The only one who would not take a salary cut was Bernard Herrmann. His money-saving solution was to forgo a full orchestra for the score, and only use strings. And the rest, as they say, was history.
Once I replaced the Herrmann Score for the title sequence with Wagners prelude to act 2 Parsifal. It was stunningly fitting. 😅
YES! BH was a great composer. I love the music from North by Northwest, Vertigo and Farenheit 451. The Psycho composition has a stabbing motif.
Amazing video Matthew!!
Thank you Jay!
It's nice to hear someone who really understand about this! Good work. From Brazil :)
Thank you!
Thanks for the great story and analysis.
looking forward to the upcoming videos! more please! :)
Thank you! There's plenty more where that came from.
I'm not holding it against you,haha, but I was waiting for the line 'Improper Suggestion', encountering Herrmann's apology that he did add music to the shower scene, in spite of Hitchcock not wanting any. Both are my favorite director and composer in movies!
Yes, well spotted! “Improper suggestion, my boy, improper suggestion!”
I am a Herrmann fanatic.
Hitchcock should have done what Spielberg does with John Williams: giving him total freedom. Being humble enough not to stifle a genius.
Thanks this is very helpful
This was really fun! Wish I could play the piano as easily as you do! Subscribed 👍
Thank you for the support!
He should have won his second oscar for this.
Amazing
He wouldn't even hurt a fly
"I hope they are watching because they'll see. And they'll know and theyll say - Why SHE wouldn't even harm a fly."
very enjoyable! Subscribed and looking forward to more.
i just finished 🎧 soundtracks from first 3 movies first one had the best
George Martin's string arrangement for the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" was influenced by the music of Psycho.
ruclips.net/video/J-_YwcrIPIM/видео.html
It's a pity he didn't mention the score for "Torn Curtain."
Excelente! felicitaciones! me encanto! muy motivador!
Psycho was not horror, it was a thtiller. In horror (Frankenstein/Dracula etc.) you know the motives from the start. In a a thriller they are hidden or not given. It is hence easier to make thrillers than a horror-movie.
years go saw Vertigo with just the Herrmann track and, of course, it was clear that as with all Hitchcock, the films were at least 50% Hermann. However, I wold challenge your assertion that his films were "family entertainment"! Ever, including the silents.
I am simply reporting how my parents felt in 1960 when they went to see Psycho. They told me they were expecting something 'fun' like 'North by Northwest'. My Dad was a fan of 'The Lady Vanishes' and 'The 39 Steps'. These may not be childrens' films but they are popular and entertaining.
ah, I see!
hitchcock was right. the end result was good, but i wish the music or lack thereof had been handled his way this time.
I understand that Hitchcock wanted a jazzy score which Herfmann refused to write!
Correct. And yet he went on to write the score for Taxi Driver!
@@themusicprofessorHe was quite capable of writing a jazzy score but he felt such a score would not have been right for this film (Hitchcock wanted one similar to "Anatomy of a Murder" which came out a year earlier than "Psycho")
Herrmann's daughter stated after being taken to a screening of Psycho with her father, he said 'wasn't that the biggest piece of crap you ever saw'
Taffy told me the same
BoneEating Silicate, I wouldn’t take Herrmann’s daughter too seriously. ! said that It's inconceivable that Herrmann would disparage a classic film that has one of his greatest scores! For example, she had also stated incorrectly that her father had to score Psycho using “only strings” due to budget restrictions!. In fact, Bernard Herrmann had said that he used a completely '"string orchestra to complement the black and white cinematography" of Psycho. He can also be heard speaking favorably about it in a narration used in a video about his music. And as anyone who’s a fan of his music can tell you, he rarely bothered with saying much about scores of any of his other classic movies. Was Dorothy Herrmann even aware that her father wove phrases and short sections of his well received 1936 "Sinfonietta for String Orchestra" into a couple scenes of Psycho to brilliant effect? And there weren't any budget restrictions for that major Herrmann string orchestra opus from 24 years earlier. I rest my case.
@@boborrahood Originally Herrmann wanted to use a full orchestra but the film's low budget only allowed for a string score, since Hitchcock had mortgaged his home and was producing the film himself.
@@ericbrown1327 In all my years as a long time fan of the movie and Bernard Herrmann, and music major, I've never read or heard that. I did hear Herrmann say in a documentary on Hitchcock, as well as in print, that he used an all string orchestra "to complement the black and white cinematography" Herrmann could have simply used a conventional orchestra with all the other instruments for the same price, since he composed it for a full string orchestra, not just a chamber orchestra or string quartet Paul McCartney was inspired by the title music for Psycho and asked producer George Martin to write a string accompaniment with similar rhythmic. urgency for Eleanor Rigby. Again - no brass, or woodwinds, or percussion were needed for that, as well. Oh, and NO budget considerations as well! Herrmann's string orchestra for Psycho was an aesthetic choice, not a budget limitation!
@@boborrahoodnot until the film became a mega hit did Herrmann began to take it seriously..that's per Dorothy
He didn't 'save' Psycho that's a ridiculous thing to say. Psycho was a Hitchcock masterpiece before it was scored and after
There is plenty of evidence that he had a very significant role in persuading Hitch to release it as a movie. H was preparing to release it as episodes of his TV show.
@@themusicprofessor No, the TV show thing came from him having to use the production crew off his show Alfred Hitchcock Presents and shoot it on the side to cut costs because no studio wanted to back him up. Either way Herrmann didn’t ‘save’ what Hitchcock already made, it was already a masterpiece when it was delivered to Herrmann. He just added to the fun.
_Well, this guy doesn't look creepy ..._
Music critique and occasional Dad jokes 🤓🤦♂
They should release a version with no music.
Actually, the scores a lot to Bartok's Divertimento.
What I would like to see is the film without any of Hermann's music. Hitchcock's own sound mastery is excellent. On RUclips, you can hear the shower scene without music.
Actually, it was gratuitous dialogue that Hitchcock didn't like. He was a visual director who could see the whole film in his head before it was filmed. Have you ever seen, or at least noticed in the first scene of Rear Window how much he lets you know through the camera what happened to James Stewart, how it happened, that it was work- related as a photographer on the job, and with no dialogue.