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“Rozsa’s score for the epic 1959 remake of
“BEN-HUR” is a score that is an epic unto itself. The music is
legendary, and until 1996 had never had a full release on compact
disc.”
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An Epic Classic
Review by Steve
Townsley
Miklos Rozsa
(1907-1995) fashioned
a career--and
subsequent legend--in
film music, by often
providing the
grandiose score to
several productions of
epic scope, and while
it seems unfair to
label him “the John
Williams of his time”,
that may give some
younger readers an
idea of the strength
and impression of his
musical signature. His
career as a film
composer spanned 70
years, a landmark that
few composers have
matched. “BEN-HUR” was
written in the late
middle of his career,
already following
previous popular
“sword-and-sandal”
epics of the 1950’s,
including “JULIUS
CAESAR” and “QUO VADIS”.
Already showing that
the Biblical epic was
a strong genre for
film, Rozsa would
return again to the
genre for 1961’s “KING
OF KINGS”, and 1962’s
“SODOM AND GOMORRAH.”
Rozsa’s score for the
epic 1959 remake of
“BEN-HUR” is a score
that is an epic unto
itself. The music is
legendary, and until
1996 had never had a
full release on
compact disc. Rhino
rectified this with an
incredible double
disc, featuring a
massive 88 track set
that covers more than
2 hours of Rozsa’s
score, including
extended cuts,
outtakes, and a
fantastic booklet of
liner notes,
introduced by
Charleton Heston, that
detail the production
and story of the
score.
Disc One of the Rhino
set launches into a
six-and-half minute
overture, and proceeds
to cover much high and
low ground, included
several snippets of
source music, like the
11-second “Shofar
Call”—nothing more
than a signaling horn,
though its inclusion
here may give you some
idea of the
thoroughness of this
collection. More
musically noteworthy,
perhaps, is the
32-second “Salute for
Gratus – Extended
Version(!)
These curiosities
however, do not
detract from the
general power of the
listening experience,
for they serve as
garnishes to a much
larger banquet of
sound. Track 14, “Love
Theme”, may start
simple and low, but it
soon warms to a
blanket of loves
strings and soft winds
sweeping gently along.
The first disc works
up to an action filled
climax, following with
several battle and
preparation cues, and
culminating in a
two-part Victory
Parade. And that’s
just disc one.
Disc two is of an
ultimately more
pensive nature, even
though it features the
iconic Chariot Race
cues so immediately
associated with the
story of “BEN-HUR”,
aims to resolve in a
more spiritual climax.
Perhaps this is due to
the Intermission and
Entre’acte cues
falling at tracks 16
and 17, breaking the
mood of the music just
slightly. However,
with the incredible
amount of music to be
featured, there is no
easier way to separate
the music, and this is
eminently forgivable.
There have been
several releases of
portions of this score
on many releases
before and since this
release, and all
certainly have their
value. In fact, most
film music lovers who
are simply curious
about Rozsa’s music
would be encouraged to
seek out a “smaller
meal” to digest. For
die-hard film music
devotees and
completists, there is
no better
representation of
Rozsa’s music than the
Rhino set. This score,
and this collection
itself is a
10-out-of-10 in terms
of quality and musical
coverage. Most scores
never warrant, let
alone garner this kind
of lavish edition, and
it is a real jewel for
collectors. The review
you have read here
will likely not do the
service of replicating
the experience of
hearing this
magnificent
compilation, but I
hope it will compel
you to seek it out for
yourself, if
larger-than-life film
music is what you
seek.
Rating:
10/10
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|
Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
| Disc 1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Overture |
6:32 |
**** |
|
2 |
Anno Domini |
1:32 |
*** |
|
3 |
Star of
Bethlehem
(ext.
ver.) |
1:33 |
**** |
|
4 |
Adoration
of
th
Magi
(ext.
ver.) |
2:04 |
**** |
|
5 |
Shofar
Call |
0:11 |
* |
| 6 |
Prelude (Main Title) |
2:10 |
**** |
| 7 |
Marcia Romana (ext. ver.) |
1:56 |
*** |
| 8 |
Spirit and Sword |
0:51 |
** |
| 9 |
Friendship (ext. ver.) |
4:23 |
*** |
| 10 |
The House of Hur (ext. ver.) |
1:41 |
**** |
| 11 |
The Conflict |
1:42 |
*** |
| 12 |
Esther |
2:35 |
**** |
| 13 |
The Unknown Future (outtake) |
0:43 |
** |
| 14 |
Love Theme |
2:11 |
**** |
| 15 |
Ring for Freedom |
2:39 |
*** |
| 16 |
Salute for Gratus (ext. ver.) |
0:33 |
** |
| 17 |
Gratus' Entry to Jerusalem |
1:57 |
** |
| 18 |
The Arrest (outtake) |
1:18 |
** |
| 19 |
Reminiscences |
1:47 |
** |
| 20 |
Revenge (outtake) |
1:21 |
** |
| 21 |
Condemned (outtake) |
0:55 |
** |
| 22 |
Escape (outtake) |
2:06 |
*** |
| 23 |
Vengence |
0:45 |
** |
| 24 |
The Prison (partial outtake) |
0:39 |
* |
| 25 |
The Desert (ext. ver.) |
2:14 |
*** |
| 26 |
Exhaustion (ext. ver.) |
2:08 |
*** |
| 27 |
The Prince of Peace Pt. 1 (ext. ver.) |
3:07 |
**** |
| 28 |
The Prince of Peace Pt. 2 (ext. ver.) |
1:49 |
**** |
| 29 |
Roman Galley |
0:57 |
** |
| 30 |
Salute for Arius (ext. ver.) |
0:22 |
* |
| 31 |
Quintus Arrives (ext. ver.) |
0:40 |
* |
| 32 |
Roman Fleet (ext. ver.) |
1:05 |
*** |
| 33 |
The Galley (Rowing of the Galley Slaves), Pt. 1-4 |
3:14 |
**** |
| 34 |
Rest (ext. ver.) |
1:27 |
*** |
| 35 |
Battle Preparations, Pt. 1 & 2 |
1:59 |
** |
| 36 |
The Pirate Fleet |
1:06 |
*** |
| 37 |
Attack! (ext. ver.) |
1:27 |
*** |
| 38 |
Ramming Speed! |
0:18 |
** |
| 39 |
The Battle, Pt. 1-3 |
3:05 |
**** |
| 40 |
Rescue |
1:53 |
*** |
| 41 |
Roman Sails |
0:48 |
** |
| 42 |
The Rowers |
0:25 |
* |
| 43 |
Victory Parade, Parts 1 & 2 |
2:50 |
*** |
| |
Total Running Time (approx) |
74 minutes |
|
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|
|
|
|
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Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
| Disc 2 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Fertility Dance |
0:59 |
** |
|
2 |
Arrius' Party, Parts 1 & 2 |
1:30 |
*** |
|
3 |
Nostalgia (ext. ver.) |
0:35 |
** |
|
4 |
FArewell to Rome (ext. ver.) |
1:39 |
*** |
|
5 |
Judea, Pt. 1 (outtake) |
2:55 |
*** |
| 6 |
Judea, Pt. 2 |
0:24 |
** |
| 7 |
A Barren Coast (outtake) |
0:27 |
* |
| 8 |
Balthasar (ext. ver.) |
2:00 |
*** |
| 9 |
Balthasar's World (ext. ver.) |
1:56 |
*** |
| 10 |
Homecoming |
1:22 |
*** |
| 11 |
Memories (ext. ver.) |
2:48 |
*** |
| 12 |
Hatred |
1:35 |
*** |
| 13 |
Lepers (ext. ver.) |
1:00 |
*** |
| 14 |
Return (ext. ver.) |
2:51 |
*** |
| 15 |
Promise |
2:29 |
**** |
| 16 |
Sorrow and Intermission |
1:24 |
*** |
| 17 |
Enre' acte |
3:47 |
**** |
| 18 |
Panem et Circenses (Bread and Circuses) March |
0:52 |
*** |
| 19 |
Circus Fanfare |
0:42 |
*** |
| 20 |
Panem Et Circenses March 1st Reprise |
0:52 |
** |
| 21 |
Fanfare for Circus Parade |
0:14 |
*** |
| 22 |
Circus Parade (Parade of the Charioteers) |
2:13 |
**** |
| 23 |
Fanfare for Start of the Race |
0:11 |
*** |
| 24 |
Panem Et Circenses March 2nd Reprise |
0:56 |
** |
| 25 |
Victory March |
0:17 |
** |
| 26 |
Bitter Triumph |
0:46 |
*** |
| 27 |
Aftermath, No. 1 (ext. ver.) |
2:06 |
*** |
| 28 |
Valley of Lepers |
1:11 |
**** |
| 29 |
The Search |
2:19 |
*** |
| 30 |
The Uncleans |
2:28 |
*** |
| 31 |
Road of Sorrow |
2:48 |
**** |
| 32 |
The Mount |
0:39 |
*** |
| 33 |
The Sermon |
0:39 |
*** |
| 34 |
Frustration |
1:15 |
*** |
| 35 |
Valley of the Dead (ext. ver.) |
2:35 |
*** |
| 36 |
Tirzah Saved |
2:22 |
*** |
| 37 |
The Procession to Calvary (ext. ver.) |
2:54 |
*** |
| 38 |
The Bearing of the Cross (ext. ver.) |
2:46 |
*** |
| 39 |
Recognition |
1:27 |
*** |
| 40 |
Aftermath No. 2 |
2:22 |
*** |
| 41 |
Golgotha |
0:52 |
*** |
| 42 |
Shadow of a Storm (outtake) |
1:00 |
*** |
| 43 |
The Miracle |
1:46 |
**** |
| 44 |
Finale (ext. Choral track) |
3:07 |
**** |
| 45 |
Star of Bethlehem (atl. choral track) |
1:33 |
**** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
72 minutes |
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