These four scores represent a fine cross-section of Steiner's versatility. From tender period drama to World War II espionage to post-Civil War splash action, Steiner's amazing gift for mood and melody is in rare form.

The scores are presented, for the most part, in comprehensive format. While merely an overture from CLOAK AND DAGGER survives (produced using the composite soundtrack's main and end cast cues), all of Steiner's underscore for MY GIRL TISA was preserved in his private disc collection. Remarkably, Steiner's contribution to TISA amounted to just over 13 minutes of music, the rest of the film's score accounted for by "source" music (played by an on-screen band, phonograph etc.).

SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS survives almost in its entirety and in remarkably clean condition. Only the music from the last reel was not preserved in the Steiner collection.

In addition to Max's score, you will be able to hear Bonnie Sue Williams' vocal (lip-synched by Alexis Smith in the picture) on Ray Heindorf's "Too Much Love."

DISTANT DRUMS is a favorite score of Steiner fans. The film is a re-working of OBJECTIVE BURMA with little story, but plenty of tense and evocative drama. The star of the hour is the on-location photography done in the Florida Everglades. Steiner responded to this unusual setting and his music has a tropical serenity permeating the suspenseful atmosphere as Gary Cooper and company are on the run from a band of renegade Seminoles.

While all of the primary motifs are original in this score, Steiner fans will pick up on some mood and action bits that Max originally wrote in 1933 for Merian C. Cooper's KING KONG. The recycling of score material by composers was a logical practice since there was never any thought paid to the idea that, once a film concluded its theatrical run, the music would very likely ever be heard again.

SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS is a prime example of Steiner's approach to western and American historical dramas. In addition to the expected quotes from period melodies, Steiner's score features a beautiful love theme and a uniquely rhythmed battle motif for the rivercrossing shootout.

One of the themes in 1948's MY GIRL TISA has an interesting lineage. It originated as a Russian folk song and was adapted by Steiner as the film's love theme, "Ever Beginning." However, during the course of the film's production, producer Milton Sperling hired Mack David to write lyrics to the tune so that MY GIRL TISA might benefit from some added exploitation. The result was a beautiful ballad, "At the Candlelight Cafe," sung by Al Jolson on NBC's KRAFT MUSIC HALL and recorded for Capitol Records by Gordon MacRae. Due to the publication of the song, Steiner's employment of the melody had to reflect its new title, "At the Candlelight Cafe," in the cue sheets registered with ASCAP and the Library of Congress.

DISTANT DRUMS: MAX STEINER'S SCORES FOR UNITED STATES PICTURES includes a lavish 32 page booklet featuring poster art reproduction, original stills and advertising art, reproductions of published sheet music from two of the films featured, and detailed notes on the films' production and scoring. Also available now is a single disc release features Steiner's score for Milton Sperling's production of PURSUED, one of the great film noir westerns.

Also available is Dimitri Tiomkin's THE COURT-MARTIAL OF BILLY MITCHELL.

Available Now! DISTANT DRUMS 2-CD Album $31.98

PURSUED CD $17.98

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