© 2022/ 2026
A Centennial Tribute To Elmer Bernstein
A Personal Remembrance
I first became a fan of his film music way back in the 1950s with such superior
film scores as:
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,
GOD'S LITTLE ACRE, and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS.
I purchased a Mainstream LP album
with highlights from his early scores --
In the 1960s, he began with one of his most popular film scores
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.
From the 1960s onward he remained a busy man,
not only his film scores but also a new publication.
Here is a quote in Elmer Bernstein's Film Music Notebook
(The Film Music Society, 2004),
from what he wrote in the first issue of The Film Music Notebook (Fall, 1974):
"I wrote an article in HIGH FIDELITY in which I suggested the notion that a club
should be formed for the purpose of recording and thereby preserving film scores
from the past. For years large record companies ignored the field in the belief that
there was no interest on the part of the general public...I have always maintained
that there are enough devotees throughout the world to make
such a venture feasible."
And with that statement, he became a film music preservationist
as well as a respected composer.
I was fortunate to be a member of that preservation effort and still have some of
the LP albums released during those years,
including his favorite film score (mine too) for
TO KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD
Luckily, the LP soundtrack albums were reissued with music by five composers:
Bernard Herrmann,
Miklos Roza, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, Franz Waxman
on this recommended collection...
Elmer Bernstein's FILMMUSIC COLLECTION
(Film Score Monthly, 12 CD Box Set)
In 2000, I sent Elmer Bernstein a copy of my book,
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC: SONGS AND SCORES.
In return, he sent me a gracious letter ending with --
Congratulations!"
I also received this autographed picture:
One year later, I interviewed him for the magazine, Soundtrack,
and he was very direct and honest in his responses.
Note: This complete interview is included in
"Hooray For Hollywood"- Memorable Movie Music
In 2002, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, I wrote a personal story about my
first hearing his early impressive film score when I was a teenager. It is now
considered one of the worst films ever made
but certainly NOT his music score.
This article of his impressive early film score
is now
on the Elmer Bernstein Official Website -- click here
Also in 2002, when naming his last film score, FAR FROM HEAVEN,
for a Sammy Film Music Award,
I wrote the following which is now available on the composer's official website
What a pleasure to hear such a glorious score
by one of the grand film music masters!
FAR FROM HEAVEN comes from a composer who has been turning out well
crafted scores for over 50 years. In a year when there were many exceptional
film scores, Elmer Bernstein‘s score stands at the very top of them all. One of
the simplest yet most touching scores from recent years.
A masterpiece of film scoring.
After his passing, I wrote a memorial article for
Film Score Monthly (Volume 9,
Number 8,
October 2004) titled,
"
Elmer's Magnificent 7 - Essential Elmer Bernstein Scores of the 1960s."
(this article in "Hooray For Hollywood" book)
On this centennial year of his birth and in recognition of his many decades of
memorable film music,
and his efforts
at film music preservation through recordings
I say with greatest respect and reverence -
Bravo Maestro - You Are The Magnificent One!
-Roger L. Hall
Film Music Critic
Film Music Review
© 2022 (Updated, 2026)
An interview with Elmer Bernstein is in this new book (2026)
with twelve film composers highlighted --
Please help support this long-running e-zine, Flm Music Review
see the publications available at this link --
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