The Heroes Of Telemark / Stagecoach

Released in 2015 by the specialty label Intrada, this disc serves as a definitive archival coupling of two classic mid-century film scores. The inclusion of Malcolm Arnold’s adventurous, brass-heavy score for the 1965 war film The Heroes of Telemark, alongside Jerry Goldsmith’s pioneering, sparse soundtrack for the 1966 television remake of Stagecoach, highlights a pivotal era in Hollywood music composition. These recordings were sourced from the original masters, intended to provide film music enthusiasts with high-fidelity versions of scores that had previously existed only in fragmented or inferior audio states.

The release reflects Intrada’s commitment to restoring significant works of orchestral film music that were often neglected by major studio catalogs. Malcolm Arnold’s work on Telemark is celebrated for its evocative, heroic textures that reflect the film's rugged Nordic setting, while Goldsmith’s Stagecoach is noted for his departure from the traditional Americana sound, signaling the innovative minimalism he would later refine in other projects. The album was well-received by critics and serious soundtrack collectors for its detailed liner notes and the technical quality of the restoration, solidifying its place as an essential entry in the canon of mid-century film scoring.