MovieChat Forums > Tension at Table Rock (1956) Discussion > Composer Dimitri Tiomkin

Composer Dimitri Tiomkin

posted 13 years ago by pgreenst-1
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Another "rousing" Western score for Dimitri, here. Though I can't imagine certain films without his scores, I must admit that there are some strange and excessive moments. Odd are the occasional mystic sounds like when the cattle drive first comes down the street in Table Rock. This sound is reminiscent of the way Tiomkin wrote for "The Thing (from Another World)" Pretty interesting. There are plenty of other moments like this.

But not always to my taste is the way Tiomkin at times just goes hysterical. Example: early on, when the hero, Wes Tancred, is beaten up in the saloon. I don't know, maybe it's just a matter of taste, but IMHO the music is pretty over the top, ugly rather than powerful, and just overpowers the scene.

[–] pjwoodall1 12 years ago

A 4 DVD collection of Tiomkin's themes was released several years ago. Prominence was given to The Thing and The Alamo, and it also included theme songs and his nonwestern themes.

The special edition of Giant contains Gig Young interviewing Tiomkin on the old WB tv shows in the 50's. Young doesn't try to sing the title song.

At the commentary tracks for El Cid and Fall of The Roman Empire Samuel Bronston's son tells how Miklos Rosza didn't like his music being drowned by the onscreen action and was replaced by Tiomkin.

As an afterthought, the original music for Major Dundee was replaced by a new score several years, especially Mitch Miller and his chorus singing the title song. The special DVD contains both soundtracks.

[–] ScarletPimpernel64 12 years ago

TENSION AT TABLE ROCK is a rarity, in that it's one where Tiomkin had no hand in writing the song. In the novel, the song is part of the novel, but one never sees the lyrics. All you know is that it exists.

"Be sure you're right, then go ahead."
Davy Crockett

[–] pjwoodall1 12 years ago

Always seem to miss that one as I always miss his appearance on Jack Benny who wants Tiomkin to write a song for him. Too late at night.

BTW, the special edition for High Noon includes a radio interview with Tex Ritter who didn't get to hold the Oscar Tiomkin won even after he sang the song at the awards show. The commentary is a kind of rarity in that Maria Cooper, Tim Zinneman, John Ritter and Jonathan Foreman talk about their fathers work on the film although Prince Albert is only interviewed in the documentary.

High Noon and The Green Leaves of Summer were two theme songs I used to enjoy banging out on the piano.