TEMPO MARKINGS OF BERNARD HERRMANN SCORES ...

est method is to create as less symbols as possible (note how common 64 th notes were in
centuries before).
Assigning music tempo marking is an art, not a strict science, open to
interpretation. Maelzel’s metronome invention in 1816 did not settle the matter because
while a metronome marking may provide an exact tempo (or rather, speed) objectively
speaking (designated as b.p.m.), it says absolutely nothing about the character or mood
of the music. Verbal descriptive tempo markings are quite important for providing insight
into the mood (feeling) of the music that the composer really wishes to convey. Herrmann
realized the great importance of tempo markings, especially the adorned ones. Apparently
he did not give enough attention to metronome markings since only 6% of his scores had
them! Anyway, within the last few years of his life, he “slowed” down his conducting
quite noticeably. For example, his tempo for the 7 th Voyage of Sinbad ‘s “Fight With the
Skeleton” cue was quite slower in his London/Phase Four rerecording (100 b.p.m.) than
in the original tracks (120 b.p.m.). This change of pace is not “right” or “wrong” (because
he conducted to a different feel of his own music), although the originally intended
Allegro Feroce might need to be changed somewhat to reflect the “new” (much slower)
pace. Similarly the “Pursuit” cue in Three World of Gulliver was 120 b.p.m. in the
original tracks (perhaps a tad bit more) while in the rerecording it was between 90-100
(probably about 96 b.p.m.). “The Trees” cue from that movie was originally set at about
100 b.p.m., whereas the rerecording has it as about 80 b.p.m. (or slightly less). Other cues
are only about 10 b.p.m.less (such as “Sunrise” from Journey to the Center of the Earth),
and some (a minority) are fairly close to the original speeds, but most are slower. I
wonder if any scholar out there ever compared the tempo speeds of various conductors
when they were young to those paces on the same works when the same conductors were
much older? Perhaps Herrmann’s illnesses towards the end of his life prevented him
conducting at fast metronome speeds for any considerable length. That’s a speculation.
Or he simply wanted to slow it down to better savor the music (another speculation).
It would also be interesting to speculate if Herrmann was strongly influenced by
his choice of tempo markings when he conducted so many works (principally in the
Forties) of others composers. He conducted several of Vaughn Williams works, including
the London Symphony at least three separate times! He conducted Ives (3 rd & 4 th
symphonies, etc), Holst of course, Beethoven quite often, Wagner, Debussy (e.g., Claire
de Lune), Rimsky- Korsakov, Stravinsky, Copland, Raff, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and
many others. I believe Herrmann was influenced by Rachmaninoff somewhat, including
Isle of the Dead (set in Lento in 5/8 time with the m.m. as 60). Copland’s Appalachian
Spring was initially set as Very Slowly in C time (quarter note = 66). Rimsky-Korsakov’s
Scheherazade was set initially as Largo e Maestoso in 2/2 time (half note = 48).
Hanson’s Symphony # 2 is initially set as Allegro Moderato in C time (quarter note =
100). The Peer Gynt “morning Mood” is Allegretto Pastorale in 6/8 time (dotted quarter
note = 60).
Now: Since Herrmann was a master of mood, it would be logical for him to pay
extra attention to tempo mood markings. He probably did not want to spend too much
attention on metronome markings since, as a consummate artist, he knew that music is
not meant to be quantifiable (science) but qualifiable (art). While important (to make
certain “hits” of music with specific actions on the screen), Herrmann’s approach was far
more “mood music” than “following the action” or musical “micky-mousing” (as Max
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