Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit by Spitfire Audio Review

Spitfire Audio has released in 2017Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit a Kontakt Library as an homage to Mr. Bernard Hermann. Bernard Herrmann was best known for his work in composing for motion pictures and scored movies from Alfred Hitchcock and many other classic films.  Mr. Bernard Herrmann died at the age of 64 on December 24, 1975.

Installation

Spitfire Audio developed a standard download and installed tool which makes the installation easy. Kontakt Player 5.5 or higher is required.

Sound

Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit is different from other orchestral libraries Spitfire Audio is offering. Spitfire went the extra mile to infuse the spirit of this legendary composer into the Bernard Hermann library. Highly inspired by scores from Citizen Kane, Taxi Driver, Vertigo, and other milestones of Bernard Hermann you get a library that can be used across different genres.

Spitfire recorded the library in the legendary Air Lyndhurst Studios, this time in a smaller studio. If you are close to other Spitfire libraries you now all about the exciting air in the Air Studio, this library was recorded not in the same space as other Spitfire libraries like the Albion series, Spitfire Chamber Strings and other. All to be more close to the original feeling of orchestras being recorded for those classical movies. Compared to other produced libraries in the Air Studio, the Kontakt library Bernard Herrmann is injected with less excited air.

Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit is all about combining instruments to create colors. There are no solo instruments really beside the synth and the Ondes Martenot. All Kontakt patches are grouped instruments besides the synths into glued and lush sometimes raw sounds that are homogeneous and transcendent sounding.

While the Spitfire Audio messaging is all about 60s orchestra tone, the library sounds moderns and fresh. And if you are honest, you do not look for a 60s sound anyhow when you are buying such a library. Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit has exceeded my expectations.

Beside several standard articulations, you have access to recorded chords for beautiful, luxurious musical arcs. Spitfire talks about in their videos how you can use this library to infuse some magic into scores with this toolkit.

The included synths are excellent sounding, based on classic synthesizers thoughtfully recorded. Those synths are great to blend into all kind of orchestral tracks.

The chords are as mentioned of great use, in addition, you get the usual effects and instruments grouped across the expected orchestra sections: High Strings, Low Strings, Low Strings and Horns, low strings and trombones, concert flutes, mixed flutes, flutes and clarinets, moderate winds, cor anglais, clarinet and trumpet, oboes, bassoons and horns, trumpet and xylophone, horns, trombones, trombones and timpani, harp and celeste, harp and vibraphone, Ondes Martenot, percussion, timpani, and synths. Quite a collection of blended sounds. Beside these groups instruments, you can use a patch which offers you a full studio-sized orchestra with strings, brass, and woods.

If I had to pick one grouped instruments as my favor, it would be the brass section which has an exceptional quality that you do not find in this kind of library usually. But there are also the synths which are sounding excellent, don’t forget the woods and strings.

Overall you get access to curated combinations with limited unique articulations. Great synths, all giving you plenty of options for your musical choices to create cinematic colors and score.

User interface & Usability

Spitfire Audio uses since years a homogenous interface that indeed has found a way to use a library straightforwardly with the opportunity to make adjustments when needed.

Rating:  Five out of five stars

Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit is astonishing and is all about creating exceptional orchestral colors. It is fun and inspiring to play with the different patches. You can easily include the vintage synths, musical ensembles, and combos into a fantastic score.

Spitfire has found the holy grail of making marketing fuzz when a new product is launched. I was surprised in the right way about the quality of this Kontakt library. Bernard Herrmann was unquestionably at his time the leading innovative film composers. Spitfire riding on Bernard Herrmann’s success offers excellent combinations of brass, flutes, harps, Ondes Martenot, strings, and synths. You are not Bernard Herrmann, with this library you get access to high sounding combined instruments from different sections infused with Hermann’s aesthetics.