BEN – HUR.

Question, how do you review a film score that is already a classic, already evergreen and already loved by many? Well that’s a difficult question, unless of course you happen to have a copy of the new re-recording of BEN HUR by Tadlow music. BEN HUR the music has played a big part in my life, it was along with EL CID. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and ZULU among the first ten or twenty soundtrack LPs that I had in my collection, it was also a film that I loved and a book that I read over and over as a child. In later years too, the music played a big part as I used it in a school nativity which was staged at the local Church, where my youngest son played the angel Gabriel and did his lines to a soundtrack of the MOTHERS LOVE music. This superbly wonderful music has endured the years and has maintained its standing as a firm film music great with fans of movie scores and lovers of music alike. This is a score that dreams are made of, filled with melody, themes, glorious pomp and highly emotive musical nuances. The new recording from TADLOW is itself a triumph and a stirring piece of musical history. So, should I try and review it or should I simply just listen to it, well I suppose I will do both. At the fans of music from the movies gathering on September 9th, 2017, James Fitzpatrick of Tadlow, was kind enough to show the gathered audience a film of the recording, the cue which he played to us was ENTR’ACTE the original version, which I think I can say blew everyone away.

 

 

The quality of the recording, the high standard of the performance and the impeccable reconstruction work all made this one of the highlights of the day. Listening to this track again on the recording through my hi fi system just confirmed that this is a thing of beauty and quality. Right from the proud opening brass flourishes it is a piece of music that one straight away associates with Dr Rozsa and with BEN HUR, this is the sound of the Biblical epic, the sound of Hollywood and the sound of the Golden age of film scores. Emotive and poignant, dramatic and rousing, epic and grand, fragile and intimate, it has all of these attributes, and more. To examine the tracks and analyse each of them would I feel be wrong, as my opinion of the score is very, very biased, maybe all I will say is you really need to get this release when it is available, if you do not add this to your collection, then you and that collection will be poorer for it. So, order it now. Have you done it yet, available for pre-order now from Tadlow, released on October 3rd.

 

 

The release contains 157 minutes of music some of which has not been heard before, performed by the excellent CITY OF PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC and CHORUS conducted by Maestro, Nic Raine. This 2-compact disc set, comes with a full colour 16, page booklet. With highly informative notes by Frank K DeWald. New Score & Orchestration Reconstructed by Rozsa Expert Leigh Phillips.
What! Have you not ordered it yet??????

 

 

http://www.tadlowmusic.com/2017/08/ben-hur-miklos-rozsa/

 

1. OVERTURE (6:17)
2. ANNO DOMINI / STAR OF BETHLEHEM / ADORATION OF THE MAGI (5:09)
3. FANFARE & PRELUDE / MARCIA ROMANA / SPIRIT & SWORD (5:04)
4. SALUTE FOR MESSALA / FRIENDSHIP / FRIENDSHIP CONTINUED (5:00)
5. THE HOUSE OF HUR (2:24)
6. CONFLICT (1:54)
7. ESTHER / THE UNKNOWN FUTURE* (4:24)
8. LOVE THEME / RING FOR FREEDOM (5:27)
9. SALUTE FOR GRATUS / GRATUS’ ENTRY TO JERUSALEM (4:25)
10. ARREST* (1:28)
11. REMINISCENCES (2:05)
12. CONDEMNED* / ESCAPE* / VENGEANCE (3:41)
13. THE PRISON – PART 1 / BEHIND GRILLS** / THE PRISON – PART 2 / SILENT FAREWELL** (2:23)
14. THE DESERT / EXHAUSTION / THE PRINCE OF PEACE / ROMAN GALLEY (7:36)
15. SALUTE FOR ARRIUS / QUINTUS ARRIUS / THE ROMAN FLEET (2:28)
16. THE GALLEY (THE ROWING OF THE GALLEY SLAVES) / REST (4:30)
17. BATTLE PREPARATIONS / THE PIRATE FLEET / ATTACK! / RAMMING SPEED / BATTLE / RESCUE / ROMAN SAILS / THE ROWERS (11:05)
18. VICTORY PARADE / VICTORY FINALE (2:48)
TT: 78:16
CD 2:
1. FERTILITY DANCE (1:57)
2. ARRIUS’ PARTY (1:21)
3. NOSTALGIA / FAREWELL TO ROME (2:26)
4. JUDEA / A BARREN COAST* (3:51)
5. BALTHAZAR / BALTHAZAR’S WORLD (3:51)
6. HARUN AL ROZSAD* (2:19)
7. HOMECOMING / MEMORIES / HATRED (5:23)
8. THE DUNGEON** / LEPERS (3:22)
9. RETURN / PROMISE / SORROW / INTERMISSION (7:34)
10. ENTR’ACTE (Original Version) (3:34)
11. PANEM ET CIRCENSES (1:10)
12. CIRCUS FANFARES (0:43)
13. FANFARE FOR CIRCUS PARADE / CIRCUS PARADE (PARADE OF THE CHARIOTEERS) (3:33)
14. BEN-HUR CROWNED / BITTER TRIUMPH / AFTERMATH (2:55)
15. VALLEY OF LEPERS / THE SEARCH / THE UNCLEANS (5:42)
16. ROAD OF SORROW / THE MOUNT / THE SERMON / FRUSTRATION (5:28)
17. VALLEY OF THE DEAD / TIRZAH SAVED (4:12)
18. THE PROCESSION TO CALVARY / THE BEARING OF THE CROSS / RECOGNITON (7:56)
19. GOLGOTHA / CALVARY** / AFTERTHOUGHTS** / SHADOW OF STORM (2:35)
20. THE MIRACLE / FINALE (5:27)
21. LOVE THEME FROM BEN-HUR (3:00)
TT: 78:33
*Not in film
**Premiere recording

 

THE LION WOMAN.

 

Again, we must thank Movie Score Media for bringing to us the music of a composer that ordinarily we might have overlooked, either because the movie was not released in our respective countries or maybe the film had a low budget and was overshadowed by bigger more well financed projects. In this case it is the talented composer Uno Helmersson, who has written a particularly enchanting and melodic soundtrack for THE LION WOMAN, the music is rich in melodious passages and overflowing with an abundance of poignant and emotive tone poems that please the listener and linger long within the subconscious. Saying this, it is not all sweetness light and romantic or melancholy sounding pieces, the score also contains many darker pieces, with the composer turning to a fusion of synthetic and symphonic textures and musical colours, these at times can be menacing or sinister sounding, the composer using them to build the tension and lay down an atmosphere that is foreboding and uncertain. However, most of the work is light and airy sounding, with piano solos or piano and woods in unison that are supported by layered strings that seem to caress and underline the main musical themes. The release from Movie Score Media, coincides with the movie’s release in Germany, which was on September 14th, written and directed by Scandinavian film maker, Vibeke Idsoe, the films storyline was based upon the novel by Norwegian author Erik Fosnes Hansen, and tells the story of a young girl Eva Arctander who suffers from a very rare genetic disorder which generates hair growth over large parts of her body. Her Mother dies in child birth and her Father attempts to hide Eva from everyone, because he feels ashamed of his daughter’s appearance. Despite all the odds being stacked against her, Eva, has a passion for life but because of her experiences with people’s bigotry and disrespect she decides to join a theatre group which includes members that also suffer from rare diseases, the movie is her story and follows her from the age of seven and concentrates on her 14th and 22nd years. It is a touching and somewhat frustrating tale, but also a film that you cannot stop watching, a compelling storyline, with some wonderful performances by the leading actors. The musical score plays an important and integral part and is key to the emotional content of the movie.

 

 

The central theme is a combination of solo piano and strings which create a solid opening foundation, on which the composer begins to build his theme, expanding it with woodwind and additional strings to create an elegant and haunting piece which grows and builds in momentum purveying a romantic yet urgent mood. The score is a delight and one I know will once listened to will be returned to and recommended by many. The style employed I would say was akin to the sound achieved by composers such as Phillipe Rombi, Alexander Desplat, Georges Delerue and has hints of Morricone and maybe touches of a Barry-esque quality, especially present within the writing for woodwind and strings. The sorrowful but attractive Cello solos within the score are particularly alluring, and the composers gift for melody is stunning. It is sad, dark, emotive and dramatic, a combination that we as film music collectors cannot complain about. I found that it was a totally pleasing listening experience, which I recommend highly.