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Henry Mancini's Breakfast At Tiffany's - Intrada releases complete score!


Jay

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INTRADA Announces:

1472074_10151788550372169_1844529138_n.j

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
Music Composed and Conducted by HENRY MANCINI
INTRADA MAF 7129

For the 1961 Paramount Pictures' film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Henry Mancini wrote the melody of a lifetime and the score to go with it. Along with lyricist Johnny Mercer, he penned the song “Moon River” and enjoyed seeing it win the 1961 Academy Award for Best Song—and rapidly become one of the most recorded hits of all time. His Academy Award-winning score became equally famous. As was the norm in those days, Mancini selected approximately half an hour of melodies from the film score and re-arranged them for an RCA album aimed at the easy listening market. While the arrangements made for tuneful listening,the more serious orchestral sequences went unrepresented. Incredibly, while the “Moon River” theme, with its signature harmonica solo representing the lonely melancholy of principal character Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) was the most famous melody in the picture, Mancini chose to leave it off the re-recorded album save for the main title and a cha-cha version. That meant the entire final (and justifiably celebrated) sequence of the picture—the search for “cat,” that unforgettable embrace of the two lovers, the beautifully shot closing image of both cat and lovers re-united in the rain—and the dramatic treatment of “Moon River” with its trademark discordant notes of suspense leading to one of the most stirring orchestral crescendos and codas in all film music, went completely unrecorded for the record-buying public. Also gone were all of the lonesome variations of the melody, as well as the dramatic scoring for “Doc” Golightly (Buddy Ebsen), the magnificent parting sequence at the bus station, and many other cues.

Until now.

For the first time, fans of this moving and magnificent film score can hear the soundtrack versions Mancini composed and conducted for the film—every dramatic cue, all of the sentimental variations, every big band tune and all the other pieces that make up this special soundtrack CD. Working from a number of master materials, including the 35mm three-channel stereo tracks, mono film soundtrack stems, DAT transfers made by Paramount Pictures and a handful of alternate and demo recordings, the entire score was remixed into a rich and rewarding stereo experience (with the exception of three score cues and the variety of extras that appear on this CD). It’s everything film music fans could want and it's everything Henry Mancini wrote for this most cherished of never-before-released soundtracks.


INTRADA MAF 7129
Retail Price: $19.99
Available Now
For track listing and sound samples, please visit
http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.8320/.f

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
Henry Mancini
Price: $19.99
Label: Intrada MAF 7129
Date: 1961
Tracks: 38
Time = 79:05
At long last! Henry Mancini's all-time most famous score becomes available in its original Academy Award-winning soundtrack performance, in stereo, complete with all knock-out big band numbers and dramatic orchestral cues intact. And achoring all, big surprise, is Mancini & Mercer's also Academy Award-winning masterpiece "Moon River" sung by Audrey Hepburn. They don't get any more famous. When 1961 Blake Edwards feature, from novel by Truman Capote, first hit screen, movie history was made. Hepburn in her signature role, along with George Peppard, Patricia Neal and Mickey Rooney, bring warmth, romance, fun, tenderness, sorrow, drama all to beautiful tale, with bittersweet Buddy Ebsen earning particular praise. And then there is Cat. Mix Hepburn, Peppard, Cat and Mancini's note-perfect swell of strings and horns soaring with a powerful full orchestral reading of "Moon River" in that legendary finale... not a viewer in the audience avoids the tears. And none of it has ever been released before, until now! RCA issued multi award-winning and best-selling LP in 1961, offering just 30 minutes of completely re-arranged music in dance fashion. Album was admittedly a masterful selection of Mancini's all-time greatest big band numbers. "Something For Cat" is an absolute gem! But, incredibly, that same album omitted "Moon River" save the instrumental opening titles and a cha-cha arrangement. Now enjoy all of those moving variants heard throughout actual soundtrack. But there is more! Note also the dramatic scoring as Ebsen's "Doc" reveals himself, the complete original version of the heist sequence and the haunting, saddened parting scene at the bus station. Also savor those fabulous big band numbers in their full length, original versions complete with dazzling solo passages, blazing final codas. If that isn't enough, enjoy other unused versions of "Moon River" made during the sessions plus rare demo, all courtesy Paramount Pictures. Informative notes by Jeff Bond grace interior of booklet, original campaign artwork wraps up memorable package in beautiful bow. Henry Mancini conducts, delivers his greatest masterpiece!
01. Main Title (Moon River) (3:07)
02. Paul Meets Cat (1:24)
03. Sally’s Tomato (4:57)
04. The Big Blowout (1:05)
05. Poor Fred (3:22)
06. Moon River (Cha Cha) (2:32)
07. Latin Golightly (3:05)
08. Something For Cat (4:48)
09. Loose Caboose – Part 1 (À La Cha Cha) (3:22)
10. Loose Caboose – Part 2 (2:11)
11. Moon River (Vocal By Audrey Hepburn) (2:03)
12. Meet The Doc (With Organ Grinder) (1:37)
13. An Exceptional Person (2:57)
14. You’re So Skinny (0:57)
15. Turkey Eggs (2:43)
16. Hub Caps And Tail Lights (2:19)
17. Rats And Super Rats (2:27)
18. The Hard Way (0:55)
19. Rusty Trawler (0:26)
20. Holly (1:56)
21. A Lovely Place (1:33)
22. Bermuda Nights (0:22)
23. The Big Heist (4:02)
24. After The Ball (1:14)
25. Just Like Holly (1:41)
26. Wait A Minute (0:44)
27. Feathers (1:14)
28. Let’s Eat (1:39)
29. Where’s The Cat? And End Title (Moon River) (3:50)
The Extras
30. Moon River (Audrey Hepburn & Guitar) (1:38)
31. Moon River (Piano And Guitar) (1:38)
32. Moon River (Harmonica And Guitar) (1:36)
33. Meet The Doc (Without Organ Grinder) (1:37)
34. Piano Practice No. 1 (1:38)
35. Piano Practice No. 2 (1:48)
36. Piano Practice No. 3 (0:54)
37. Moon River (New York Version) (2:01)
38. Moon River (Whistling) (0:10)
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There's a John Williams connection here, as he played on the recording session, but not on the original soundtrack album. So I guess this marks the first time Williams' piano playing for this film is made available commercially.

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I just saw the film for the first time earlier this year. Loved both the film and the score. I was hoping a complete release would come along, but didn't expect it so soon. Very cool indeed.

There's a John Williams connection here, as he played on the recording session, but not on the original soundtrack album. So I guess this marks the first time Williams' piano playing for this film is made available commercially.

This'll be the icing on the cake! :yes:

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  • 10 months later...

There's a John Williams connection here, as he played on the recording session, but not on the original soundtrack album. So I guess this marks the first time Williams' piano playing for this film is made available commercially.

I finally got this one, and was surprised that only two pianists were listed: James Rowles (who performed on the re-recorded selections that were previously available) and Ray Sherman. No indication whatsoever of Williams being a performer on the sessions. Either the listing of the studio musicians is incomplete, or our sources are wrong -- and by source, I think we got that bit of information from an interview with Williams himself.

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  • 4 months later...

I thought he DID perform, but isn't credited.

 

EDIT: Oh, I see Miguel's posts above now.  Sounds like its an unsolved mystery?

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So if he's not credited and he perfoms, it means that JW's manager intented a lawsuit against Intrada for copyrights infringement, no?

In the 21st Century, you don't issue a CD containing a performance by the greatest music composer in the world and omit to credit him. If you do, you expose yourself to a lawsuit.

No record company would be so fool to do that, do you think Intrada would play that game?

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So for the moment: no credits & no proof that he performs = no mention in the disco. :P

The entry will be removed.

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There's a John Williams connection here, as he played on the recording session, but not on the original soundtrack album. So I guess this marks the first time Williams' piano playing for this film is made available commercially.

I finally got this one, and was surprised that only two pianists were listed: James Rowles (who performed on the re-recorded selections that were previously available) and Ray Sherman. No indication whatsoever of Williams being a performer on the sessions. Either the listing of the studio musicians is incomplete, or our sources are wrong -- and by source, I think we got that bit of information from an interview with Williams himself.

Someone needs to track down this interview.

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As if an interview with an artist remembering events that occured 40 or 50 years ago was something reliable at 100 %. ;)

And I don't know the story, maybe JW really played on the sessions or rehearsals, but who can confirm that his takes made it to the movie?

I'm sure that Intrada would have been very proud to credit John Williams on their CD to propulse the sales. If they did not, there's a reason.

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Williams played on Peter Gunn too, no? I also recall that interview Miguel mentioned.

Yes. The 1958 album as been reissued in 1994 by Fresh Sound Records.

http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/peter_gunn_-_the_jazz_sound_from_the_tv_series-cd-2111.html

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Williams played on several Mancini recording sessions, so when it was mentioned he worked on "Tiffany's" it seemed credible. But again, maybe he was just confusing films or for some reason he wasn't listed on the AMF files.

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  • 6 years later...
On 06/03/2015 at 1:59 PM, Miguel Andrade said:

Williams played on several Mancini recording sessions, so when it was mentioned he worked on "Tiffany's" it seemed credible. But again, maybe he was just confusing films or for some reason he wasn't listed on the AMF files.

 

Perhaps his work involved other things than playing the piano, such as helping out with a few cues due to time constraints.

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I somehow wasn't aware of this Intrada edition so thanks for the thread bump Shark.  I have more attachment to "Moon River" because of Angels in America than because of this movie, but I always enjoy a Mancini score so I'm saving this in my Intrada cart for now until they have a new release I want.

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I only watched the film after getting to know the great song, and found it (the film) quite forgettable. I never bought the OST because, apart from the song, it contains mostly annoying music. I knew about this expanded release, but only after reading about it today on @Chris Malone's website did I realize it contains a lot additional material that's in line with the song's temperament. Now I'm planning to get the expansion.

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5 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I only watched the film after getting to know the great song, and found it (the film) quite forgettable. I never bought the OST because, apart from the song, it contains mostly annoying music. I knew about this expanded release, but only after reading about it today on @Chris Malone's website did I realize it contains a lot additional material that's in line with the song's temperament. Now I'm planning to get the expansion.


It’s not really an expansion, but a premiere of the original film recording. Mancini’s album recordings were usually an entirely different animal, sometimes unrecognizable!

 

Yavar

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1 minute ago, Yavar Moradi said:


It’s not really an expansion, but a premiere of the original film recording. Mancini’s album recordings were usually an entirely different animal, sometimes unrecognizable!

 

Yavar

 

Yeah, I meant the original film recordings.

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  • 1 year later...

So recently I got a Mancini compilation (never seen anything he scored or heard anything but the most well-known pieces of his), of mostly his OSTs and some recordings of his from other composers' work. Overall it painted one picture of the man, and didn't leave me wanting for more. Breakfast at Tiffany's was definitely one of my favourites though and when going through some backlogs while assembling my last order, I found this: Intrada expanded it and it's still available. Listening to the samples made the decision pretty easy and now that I've heard it multiple times, I really like it! The dramatic/emotional score cues paint a whole different picture of scoring abilities he showed no proof of in the albums I've heard, like in An Exceptional Person, Turkey Eggs or Where's the Cat. It's also interesting to basically witness the birth and first uses of what is now, 60+ years later, still one of the most recognisable and ubiquitous tunes in popular music history. Chris Malone is a wizard to make this all sound so good despite the disparate and aged sources. Definitely zero regrets on getting it.

 

The program is a bit strange with today's eyes, though. I kept thinking all this source music would be in a bonus section today - but then what we'd be left with is 30 minutes of variations on Moon River and the date theme and 30 minutes of mostly completely unrelated pop tracks. Hepburn's rendition coming in after the long party stretch definitely makes it stronger than if it was just one more variation between a long stretch of many more. The barrel organ rendition of Meet the Doc should definitely be switched with the clean bonus section version, it's source music overlay that takes away from it with its disparate rhythm. And of course the big obvious one, now when Doug's pressing hard for second discs with a copypaste of the same music, only worse sounding, it's strange to see the OST with its 30+ minutes of new arrangements and even completely new music being ignored here, it could've benefitted from a proper remaster.

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Yea I like this album a lot, and I went in not knowing Mancini well at all either (it was actually my first Mancini purchase).  I don't think I've listened to the bonus tracks much but the main program is always a nice listen (my playlist might have removed couple tracks actually)

 

I've actually never heard the OST album before - it's one of those complete re-recording dealies right?

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1 minute ago, Jay said:

I've actually never heard the OST album before - it's one of those complete re-recording dealies right?

Main Title and many of the source cues, all rearranged and rerecorded, plus at least one all-new track (Mr. Yunioshi).

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  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

A bit late with my reply, so maybe it's outdated already, but…

 

On 31/05/2023 at 4:50 PM, Holko said:

So recently I got a Mancini compilation (never seen anything he scored or heard anything but the most well-known pieces of his), of mostly his OSTs and some recordings of his from other composers' work. Overall it painted one picture of the man, and didn't leave me wanting for more.

 

…try this:

 

 

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