A Streetcar Named Desire

Music by Alex North

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental work on the history of cinema, the music for Streetcar Named Desire (1951), paved the way for subsequent soundtracks use the jazz idiom for dramatic support. Along with the movie, the music also had problems with the American censorship which forced changes in certain sequences.

The film, in recent editions to DVD has been restored to its original form and the soundtrack was fortunately rescued in a new recording made by Jerry Goldsmith.

Streetcar Named Desire was a real historical turning point in the evolution of soundtracks. Musically it can be considered the Citizen Kane of its time. North exemplary balances the symphonic expression and jazz insertions discovering new sound alternatives. In the track Blanche the instrumental sophistication is equivalent to the experiences of the then embryonic cool jazz. Blanche and Mitch, with trumpet and strings is a beautiful moment of encounter between two schools (classical and jazz). It is also one of the few moments of romantic softness in a set characterized by intense jazz performances. Driven by the perception of Blanche (Vivien Leigh) the music reveals her emotional states: it is chaotic and disoriented in the opening with the sounds of the street and bars in New Orleans Street, suspiciously at the meeting with Stanley (Marlon Brando) in Stan Meets Blanche, reminiscent, dreamy and alienated in Belle Reve. Available before in segmented suites, the Jerry Goldsmith recording can be considered as a definitive and historical edition.