Quartet Announces Heidi by John Williams!

[Thor 7,478]

So the Label X CD is a bootleg??? I bought it in Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus back in the mid 90s so I assumed it was official! (Mind you, I bought the two Tsunami CDs there too and they are generally considered to be of questionable legality these days, aren't they?) So who conductied Heidi? According to the Label X CD Eberhard Soblick conducted the orchestra, but the new Quartet release states "Composed and Conducted by John Williams" on the cover.

No, it is not a bootleg, but it was produced in Germany where other copyright rules apply.

The Label X CD was apparently produced in conjunction with Studio Hamburg, who helped finance the film and gave it theatrical distribution in Germany. Label X did not, however, license the recordings from Capitol Records or EMI. It may have been within the letter of German copyright law (or maybe not; I'm no lawyer), but from an international perspective it was dubious. Furthermore, I would argue that the treatment of the music left something to be desired. Nothing was done to address the looped passages (which were not done for musical reasons, but to conform to dialogue), and in my opinion the track sequence was also wanting in terms of musical flow. I don't wish to offend anyone who was happy with this approach, but I was not satisfied.

As far as Eberhard Soblick goes, consider that John Williams is credited as the sole conductor in the film itself, and John Williams is credited as the sole conductor on the original Capitol Records LP. I am unwilling to accept the Label X CD as good evidence to the contrary, given the presence of major errors throughout their release. For example: Label X erroneously credits CBS rather than NBC; they give a recording date of 1967, when I have documents that indicate 1968; and they use the "Johnny Williams" credit, when both the film and original album use "John Williams." Most objectionably, they make NO mention of the fact that, in addition to the Hamburg material, their release includes tracks that were recorded by Williams at CTS Studios in London (and without crediting the vocalist).

These are some of the reasons I hope that Williams fans who already have the Label X CD in their collections will consider purchasing the Quartet Records release -- if the improved sound were not motive enough, of course!

Since the Quartet CD also includes the original album program -- which I love -- then I might upgrade. But I've postponed untill now, since I'm one of those who are satisfied with the Label X (errors in the liner notes or not). If there are only about 70 left, however, I need to reconsider fast. But 28 Euro is kinda steep for me right now.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Thanks Thor and John. I've enjoyed the Label X CD since I bought it way back when, but the new Quartet release is a significant upgrade. I'm really loving it. Great liner notes too, John. Quartet is rapidly becoming a major player in the collector's soundtrack market.

[John Takis 206]

Thor, you rogue! I did not carefully sequence this album with an ideal listening experience in mind just to have you turn up your Norwegian nose at it!

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

It's curious how Thor would prefer a probable bootleg rather that the 1st official OST in this case...

[Thor 7,478]

Thor, you rogue! I did not carefully sequence this album with an ideal listening experience in mind just to have you turn up your Norwegian nose at it!

You did? Sorry; I must have missed that. I thought this was C&C plus the album (w/narration) tagged on at the end. My bad.

[John Takis 206]

Thor, you rogue! I did not carefully sequence this album with an ideal listening experience in mind just to have you turn up your Norwegian nose at it!

You did? Sorry; I must have missed that. I thought this was C&C plus the album (w/narration) tagged on at the end. My bad.

Well, if truth be told, I WOULD have liked it to have been C&C, if it had been possible.

As it happens, the only tape known to survive is the same one that Label X got hold of. It contains about 2/3 of the film score, plus the album versions that were recorded in London. We improved the sound, removed the looping, and came up with more accurate track titles (and sub-track titles, for inside the booklet). Then we resequenced things for a flow that follows the general shape of the narrative, but is not strictly chronological. My own opinion is that the experience is much improved.

[Incanus 5,713]

I can't but agree. A wonderful release for all the reasons mentioned above. What is there to hesitate if you can afford it?

[indy4 155]

Finally got around to reading the liner notes...here's a very interesting section:

"Brogger elaborated on a follow-up lettr thant Williams and the compser's wife, Barbara Ruick, were to join him in London for several weeks to research the possiblity of collaborating on a musical--'Hopefully with the sensitityv of Candide but with perhaps a stornger backbone'--although the project never materialized."

Just something I thought was interesting!

[filmmusic 1,823]

Less than 80 copies for anyone that hasn't got it yet and wants it!

http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=97040&forumID=1&archive=0

[John Takis 206]

Now SOLD OUT at Quartet: http://www.quartetrecords.com/heidi.html

[Thor 7,478]

Now SOLD OUT at Quartet: http://www.quartetrecords.com/heidi.html

Good for Quartet!

[Incanus 5,713]

So did you buy this album Thor?

[Thor 7,478]

I did not, unfortunately. $30 incl. shipping proved a little hefty with a lot of other expenses right now, and the 'pressure' wasn't as big since I already had the Label X (and yes, I'm well aware that the new release has better sound, liner notes etc. etc.). These days, I'm really only interested in scores that have had no commercial release whatsoever since I have a representation of everything in one form or another.

[filmmusic 1,823]

and yes, I'm well aware that the new release has better sound, liner notes etc. etc.

well, these weren't the factors that persuaded me to buy it, but the fact that the cues didn't have any artificial looping , as the Label X had.

[Thor 7,478]

I'm not sure what 'artificial looping' is....to me, the album sounded pretty straightforward, like any other album?

[Jay 37,322]

For the original LP, they took Williams original recordings and artificially looped (IE repeated sections) of tracks in order to fit more dialogue over them. The Label X CD retained those loops; The main program of the Quartet CD does not. The Quartet CD, of course, also retains the complete original LP w/ dialogue, which the Label X CD does not have.

So you own an inferior and ILLEGAL presentation instead of a vastly superior and LEGAL one.

[John Takis 206]

Eh, moot at this point. One copy less for Thor is one more copy for someone who actually wanted it!

[filmmusic 1,823]

Eh, moot at this point. One copy less for Thor is one more copy for someone who actually wanted it!

Or maybe one who wanted to sell it at double and triple price at ebay when it'd be sold out!

Because there are those people - unfortunately - too.

[Thor 7,478]

I'm still not sure I understand the 'loop' thing, but thanks for trying to explain it to this thick skull of mine, Jason. I'll try to pay more attention to any "weird" things happening the next time I listen to it -- repetitions and such (I hadn't noticed before).

If there's one cool thing coming out of all of this, it's that we're now talking about a Williams score that isn't often talked about. I remember I did a couple of HEIDI threads back in the day, and there was hardly any response. As you know -- when it comes to Williams, I'm more interested in the lost and obscure than the big and famous.

[Jay 37,322]

looping = repeating, what's not to get?

[Thor 7,478]

I don't know. Guess because I've never really noticed any such 'looping' when I've listened to it. As I said, though, I'll pay some attention to it now that I'm aware of it.

[Marian Schedenig 8,177]

Moreover, looping = artificial repeating, purely for padding reason. In a way, it's the worst kind of expansion.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I don't know. Guess because I've never really noticed any such 'looping' when I've listened to it. As I said, though, I'll pay some attention to it now that I'm aware of it.

it's like eg. listening to the Superman March with the fanfare, and someone - after the first statement of the fanfare - inserts it again from the beginning, and so you hear it in the piece twice!

While it is originally written of playing once.

Yes, i wasn't aware of it too when i had heard Heidi, but now that I listen to it, it bugs me..

[Thor 7,478]

To be honest, I don't think I would have paid this any attention if I didn't know it, and I'm not sure I'm going to now either. What matters is only how everything holds up as a listening experience. Unless the 'looping' detracts from that, there isn't really a problem for me.

A problem, however, would be if the sound track itself was damaged in some way, like "The Rescue" (I think it is) from Goldsmith's THE EDGE, where there are scratching noises from a faulty transfer or something. THAT is annoying and detracting.

[Incanus 5,713]

That is not a problem on the LLL version of The Edge.

[Thor 7,478]

That is not a problem on the LLL version of The Edge.

That one has a new release too? Yikes, I've really zoned out in recent years.

I actually think it was possible to return my faulty disc back when I bought it (just as you could the reversed channel version of THE COWBOYS), but I never did. However, I did sell my CD a couple of years ago.

[Incanus 5,713]

Yes the LLL The Edge is almost sold out Thor! Now is your chance. Be warned though. It is C&C.

[Thor 7,478]

He, he...thanks, but I'm set with a digital copy of the original release. I only wish I could buy the single track "The Rescue" to replace the faulty one. Are these new C&C releases available in iTunes?

[Joe Brausam 214]

The music is wonderful of course, but I also have to mention how much I enjoyed the booklets. It makes the music the true topic rather than providing too much background on the film and it's production, etc, which I don't often find interesting. I enjoy reading more about the music than anything else, so this was nice.

[Jay 37,322]

Yea!

[airmanjerm 78]

I put this in the Low Stock Alert thread a while back, but since you bumped This thread I'll add it here too. Heidi had apparently sold out, but is currently in stock at the Movie Music Store. Haven't checked to see if it's in stock at any of the other sites, but if anyone missed out its still there.