This long-awaited study explores the creation of NBC-TV's landmark
1952-53 WWII documentary series, with particular attention to its
evocative Rodgers-Bennett score.
Victory at Sea, NBC-TV's innovative 1952-53 WWII documentary, was
eventually broadcast to more than 100 million viewers worldwide. Its
episodes chronicled the war's conflicts while highlighting the US Navy's
contributions, NBC having sourced footage from the military,
governments, and newsreel agencies of fourteen nations. Victory's
special distinction was its music, with each episode's nonstop score
recorded by the acclaimed NBC Symphony Orchestra. The music was credited
to Richard Rodgers-then at the height of his fame-as composer, and
Robert Russell Bennett as arranger and conductor. In fact, Rodgers
composed twelve piano themes; Bennett developed these endlessly for
orchestra and, in addition, composed many hours of the score outright.
Part One chronicles Victory's gestation and production at NBC, its
reception, the series' afterlife in syndication and home video, and the
score's "Gold Record" sales success on RCA records. Part Two examines
each episode in turn, focusing on how the Bennett-scored music pairs
with screen action. Every transformation of the much-used Rodgers themes
is cited, along with the episodes' musical inter-relationships. The
hundreds of musical examples generously sample the score's 111/2 hours
of music.
NBC's Victory has been neglected by Richard Rodgers's biographers and by
film historians. As the series celebrates its 70th anniversary, the
Rodgers-Bennett score here finally receives recognition for its artistry
and power.
