Bernard Herrmann - Battle of Neretva

Information

Composer: Bernard Herrmann

1. Prelude
2. The Retreat
3. Separation
4. From Italy
5. Chetniks' March
6. Farewell
7. Partisan March
8. Pastorale
9. The Turning Point
10. The Death Of Danica
11. Victory
12. Danica's Theme
13. Battle of Neretva Suite (European Version, Pt. 1)
14. Battle of Neretva Suite (European Version, Pt. 2)
15. Battle of Neretva Suite (European Version, Pt. 3)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Bernard Herrmann, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Dragons Domain Recording

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Dragon’s Domain Records releases Battle of Neretva, featuring Bernard Herrmann’s score for the 1969 war epic directed by Veljko Bulajic. The large-scale film involved extensive international collaboration, including military consultants from Yugoslavia, Germany, and Italy, elaborate special effects, and full-scale village and fortress sets built for destruction. The original score by Vladimir Kraus-Rajteric emphasized human suffering over action and was retained in some European versions. However, for English-speaking audiences, it was replaced by Herrmann’s more conventional and emotionally impactful score, performed by the 120-member London Philharmonic Orchestra, to better suit the re-edited version of the film.

Bernard Herrmann was a pioneering 20th-century film composer known for his emotionally intense and psychologically rich scores. He won an Oscar for The Devil and Daniel Webster (1947) and made early contributions in radio, including scoring Orson Welles’ famous War of the Worlds broadcast. Herrmann worked with top directors like Hitchcock, Welles, Scorsese, and De Palma, with notable credits including Psycho, Vertigo, and Taxi Driver. A perfectionist, he often ignored directors' musical suggestions. Vladimir Kraus-Rajteric, born in 1924 in Zagreb, Croatia, is remembered for his scores for Nights and Days and Atomic War Bridge. He died in 1996.

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