Dimitri Tiomkin’s music score for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, Dial M for Murder, was recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) in Glasgow for release by Intrada Records. The company’s president, Douglass Fake, served as producer of the re-recording of the soundtrack. After the sessions he wrote, “Our whole team is proud of what we just put down on tape and we’re all looking forward to presenting the finished album to everyone for their listening pleasure!”
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Patrick Russ, below right, assisted with the score reconstruction and booth-reading during the recording sessions, which took place over two days in early September.
Bill Stromberg and Patrick Russ
In addition to Fake and Russ, the team included conductor William T. Stromberg, above left, scoring mixer Simon Rhodes, the RSNO musicians and staff, contractor Paul Talkington, and music preparation Anna Stromberg. Olivia Tiomkin was present throughout the recording sessions.
Left to right: Patrick Russ, Olivia Douglas, Paul Talkington (music contractor), Anna Stromberg (music preparation and booth-reader), Douglass Fake (producer of the re-recording and president of Intrada Records), William Stromberg (conductor and music preparation), and Simon Rhodes (music engineer). Photograph by Roger Feigelson.
Patrick Russ filed the following report…
The Glasgow sessions were a wonderful experience.
The RSNO navigated their way faultlessly under the direction of conductor William Stromberg.
With 25 minutes to spare at the end of the last session, we squeezed in Christopher Palmer’s eight-minute suite from Strangers on a Train.
The players are excellent sight-readers and Bill Stromberg got the tempos exactly right.
The entire recording process was flawless with Simon Rhodes as music engineer, and the orchestra management could not have been more helpful.
A few bonuses will be included in the soundtrack release, including some cut music, an alternate main title, and an apparently unreleased instrumental arrangement of the main theme titled, “Dial M for Me.”
Copy of original conductor score for “Dial M for Me”The recording took place with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland.
Four years ago, the RSNO relocated to a new, purpose-built auditorium in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in the center of Glasgow. Acoustic specialists ARUP brought in fixed sound absorption, adjustable acoustic banners, and overhead reflectors to maximize the hall’s sound.
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra recording in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
To bring this soundtrack back to life, more than 400 dedicated and generous soundtrack enthusiasts donated more than $49,000 during a successful Kickstarter campaign that surpassed its goal in September 2018.
READ: Intrada Records Kickstarter for Dial M recording surpasses goal
READ: Kickstarter updates from Roger Feigelson
Checking the tempos, Bill Stromberg and Douglass Fake watch the main title to Dial M for Murder.
Anna Stromberg charts the progress of the recording.
Bill Stromberg conducts.
The music.
Sources
“Welcome to Doug’s Corner!” [Douglass Fake blog], see 9/9/2019
“World class music venue opens in Glasgow,” press release, November 16, 2015
All photographs by, and courtesy of, Roger Feigelson.