COMPOSERS: Max Steiner
LABELS: Marco Polo
PERFORMER: Moscow SO/William J Stromberg
CATALOGUE NO: 8.223763
Last year Korngold was belatedly given his due with two biographies and concerts galore; now it seems to be Max Steiner’s turn. The liner-note to the score for King Kong is almost a book in itself with tributes from a series of luminaries, including Danny Elfman (‘from this point on, movies would never be the same’) and the writer Ray Bradbury (‘his film music opened the great doors of my ears’). John W Morgan’s reconstruction of the score has been done with intelligent devotion and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra brings it to life.