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This album is only twenty years overdue!
I can remember going into the record stores almost once a week and asking, "Have any original soundtrack recordings from the STAR TREK television pilots been released yet?" The answer was invariably--and always disaapointingly--"Not yet."
After a while I stopped asking, but I never stopped looking. I just wanted to hear the music again, and again.
I was not alone in this quest. The original master tapes and scoring sheets for Alexander Courage's music have become something of a holy grail for STAR TREK fans. It's not hard to understand why. The opening fanfare seems to say it all: :Space! The Final Frontier! Adventure! Challenge!" And then the soaring melody that follows suggests a wonder-filled answer to the fanfare's opening question. It is the song of the Enterprise, the sound of a great lady sailing out to the stars.
Once, at a banquet, the orchestra suddenly broke into the theme music from STAR TREK and everybody in the room burst into smiles of recognition—and then applause. I remember sitting there with a lump in my throat and a silly grin on my face. STAR TREK has always been special to me (for somewhat obvious reasons); the music has the power to stop me dead in my tracks. It was wonderful to discover that it had the same effect on a whole room of people.
On another occasion, I watched as the first United States Space Shuttle was rolled out for its first public appearance—and the Air Force band struck up the familar STAR TREK theme in a proud march tempo. That time there were tears in my eyes, I felt silly to be so moved—and then gave in and just enjoyed the tremendous feeling of pride. STAR TREK wasn't just a TV show any more—now it was part of history. Now it was publicly and officially acknowledged as one of the forces that had helped to turn the dream of space into reality. The first American spaceship was named Enterprise.
Over the years, it has been my privilege to be a part of STAR TREK, not just as one of its original writers, but also as its unofficial historian and friend. During all of those years, I have wanted a copy of this recording—along with the rest of STAR TREK's vast audience. Other recordings, other versions, other interpretations have been released—but it hasn't been the same.
This is the one we've all been waiting for: this is the original soundtrack album for the pilots "WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEOFRE" and "THE CAGE" (to date, still not shown in its original form on television). Long overdue, but no less welcome for the delay. Neil Norman has brought his own love of science fiction and STAR TREK to this project. The original soundtrack tapes from the pilots have been meticulously remastered in digital form in order to provide the best possible sound quality.
When Neil first told me he was preparing this album, I was excited and eager—and all of my old impatience came right back.
I am thrilled and delighted that the long wait is finally over. Neil Norman has given all of us a tremendous gift.
Thanks Neil.
—David Gerrold
David Gerrold is the award-winning author of one of STAR TREK's most popular episodes, "The Trouble with Tribbles." He has also written the definitive history of the series: THE WORLD OF STAR TREK, published by Bluejay Books.
The original tapes!
It is our privilege to present the original master tapes of the awe-inspiring music to the two television pilots of STAR TREK! The Star Trek series, created by Gene Roddenbery, first broadcast in 1966 and seen widely in syndication ever since, now was several generations of faithful STAR TREK devotees.
The composer, Alexander Courage, was born in 1919 in Philadelphia and grew up in Northern New Jersey. After attending Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., he enlisted in the Air Force as a bandleader during World War II.
From 1946 to 1953 he composed and conducted for CBS radio. In 1948 he began a 12-year stint arranging and orchestrating at MGM with Adolph Deutsch and Andre Previn. That same year he also appeared in a studio revue at 20th Century Fox playing opposite Marilyn Monroe.
From 1957 until present, Alexander has been composing background music for over 300 episodes of television in 56 seperate series including 120 shows of "The Waltons" and the "Star Trek" music contained in this album.
A few of his feature film credits include "The Left Handed Gun", "Day of the Outlaw", "The Sun Also Rises", "Tokyo After Dark", "Hot Rod Rumble" and "Undersea Girl." As arranger: "Showboat", "The Million Dollar Mermaid", Kismet", "Gigi", "Guys & Dolls", "Porgy & Bess", "The Five Pennies", "Some Like It Hot", "The Pleasure Seekers", "The Agony and the Ecstasy", "Inside Daisy Clover", "Doctor Doolittle", "Hello Dolly", "Fiddler on the Roof", "Papillon", Lost in the Stars" and many others.
Courage has also arranged for many Academy Award programs and performances of the "Cincinnati Pops" and "Boston Pops." Recently Alex collaborated on a film with Jerry Goldsmith in England and currently teaches a special class of "Film Composition." We will look forward to more of his exciting, unique work in the future!
During the editing of the series, the music was cut to suit each scene. This LP contains the unedited masters from the pilots, never availalbe to the public for over 20 years?until now!
The music included here was originally created and scored for "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before." It was later utilized, however, qwuite often in many other episodes, (such as "The Menagerie") especially the main and end title theme which became the signature of the series.
The master tapes for this album are from the best sources available. They have endured fire and flood at Paramount and though they do betray their age, they are still in mint condition. For many years their whereabouts were cloaked in an aura of mystery. In my adventures as a Science Fiction archaeologist, my colleagues and I were finally able to unearth them! No expense has been spared to bring them to you in "state of the art" digital form.
Occasionally you may encounter some hiss or distortion, due to the condition of the original tapes. We have eliminated as many imperfections as possible without impairing the performances. You will find that the music is paramount, however, as your are transported into the enchanting realm of STAR TREK!
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