Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit

Spitfire’s first dry scoring stage ensemble, inspired by the eclectic genius of Bernard Herrmann. Renowned for his groundbreaking scores including Citizen Kane, Psycho, Vertigo and Taxi Driver, his legacy continues to inspire the work of composers today.

We’ve worked exclusively with Bernard Herrmann’s estate to curate and assemble a unique set of studio orchestra ensembles, informed directly by the composer’s legendary orchestration aesthetic. Recorded at Studio One, AIR Studios by renowned engineer Simon Rhodes (Avatar, Spectre, Harry Potter, There Will Be Blood), we’ve captured players performing as Herrmann would have chosen – boisterous, lively and upfront, with patches featuring selected groups, unusual instrumental combinations, chords, effects and much more. Fire up this versatile toolkit for lively and distinctive scoring.

Lively & distinctive scoring
This isn’t an ‘old style’ library. After working closely with the Herrmann estate to examine his most famous scores and understand what makes his work so special, we set about curating a unique series of recording sessions in order to develop a modern library that captures the levels of vitality that you’d expect from a Herrmann score, which works across various genres and projects.

Recorded at AIR Studios, Studio One, this toolkit packs an almighty punch; it offers a studio orchestra, combinations such as trumpet and xylophone, trombones and timpani, low strings and horns, harp and vibraphone, plus an Ondes Martenot, synths, percussion, timpani and much more.