Because of his fabulous success as composer-conductor for such TV shows as
"Peter Gunn" and "Mr. Lucky," the television industry has come to
regard Henry
Mancini as one of its own. This album serves as a reminder that the talented young
musician had already made quite a name for himself in motion pictures before he
turned his imaginative attention toward video.
Mancini's score for the 20th Century-Fox production
"High Time" marks his triumphant
return to the domain of the silver screen. It will be noted, however, that his sojourn
into television has left a decided mark on the Mancini approach to background music, a
mark which is clearly evident in this fine motion picture score. That same quality of
close integration between the music and the action, the trademark of his work in the
"Gunn" and "Lucky" series, has obviously carried over into his
approach to the "High
Time" score. Heard with the picture, each theme highlights, dramatizes and
accentuates the action. Heard by themselves, the melodies and their imaginative
presentations are catchy, listenable and musically excellent.
It is significant that Blake Edwards, producer-director of
the "Gunn" and "Lucky" TV
shows, is also the director of "High Time." The joint efforts of Edwards and
Mancini
have already virtually revolutionized the background music concept for TV, so it is
appropriate that they should now team up to carry that approach into motion pictures.
As usual, Mancini's score provides an abundance of attractive melodies and themes.
His choice of instruments and the imaginative way in which he uses them are further
examples of his musical taste and ability. The whole concept is fresh, modern and
distinctive. But then, one would hardly expect less from Henry Mancini!
Copyright 1960, Radio Corporation of America
