ALFRED NEWMAN ~ Song of Bernadette [1943]

This is my favourite cue from the great Alfred Newman's Academy Award winning score for the much-admired film version of Franz Werfel's THE SONG OF BERNADETTE. The sequence is called "Farewell of Farewells" and accompanies the scene where the girl Bernadette leaves her village for the last time to enter a convent. As she leaves, a young man (Willam Eythe) who in this version of the story secretly loved her, says goodbye telling her he has decided he will never take a wife. Newman's music is so touching here, and offers some of the most expressive, divided string writing (and playing, for that matter) of that era.

The score made a huge impression at the time and extended excerpts were issued on a special set of 78rpm discs in a custom made wallet, featuring poster art and photos from the film. It was later reissued as a 10" LP.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alfred Newman
• Song of Bernadette