By Steve Vertlieb: I corresponded for a number of years with conductor Charles Gerhardt, the acknowledged “father” of recorded film music. His classic recordings, begun in 1972 for RCA Red Seal Records, were the beginning of the modern era of classic film score appreciation and, thanks to the pioneering efforts of both Gerhardt, and his producer George Korngold (son of legendary composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold), created the modern era, appreciation of, and respect for classic film scores, their restoration, and preservation.  

Chuck was a wonderful man who, sadly, found himself left behind in later years when record labels such as Varese Sarabande, Intrada, Tadlow, La La Land, and Silva Screen renewed the promise of film score preservation, begun with their own marvelous restorations and lavishly produced albums and CD’s.

However, it was Charles Gerhardt who first brought life and cherished remembrance to the stilled voices of such Hollywood composer royalty as Miklos Rozsa, Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, and Franz Waxman to a new generation of motion picture score enthusiasts, offering a greater understanding of the importance and significance of these major musical figures, as well as their place among the great classical composers of twentieth century symphonic music. 

Born February 6, 1927, Chuck passed away, sadly, from cancer on February 22, 1999. To celebrate his memory and historic legacy, here is one of my surviving letters from this genuine, never to be forgotten, film music pioneer.