October 18, 2017

  • A Ben-Hur for the Ages

     Rozsa: Ben-Hur

    City of Prague Philharmonic Orch. & Chorus/Nic Raine
    Tadlow Music 026
    Disc One-Total Time:  78:07
    Disc Two-Total Time:  78:13
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

     

    There is perhaps no greater classic epic film score than that for Ben-Hur (1959).  Miklos Rozsa’s music for William Wyler’s film was among a select few that would become standard orchestral fare into the 1960s in mainline orchestra pops programs.  Through the years, the “Parade of the Charioteers” and “Victory Parade” marches would pop up on film music compilations along with the gorgeous love theme from the score.  Even a choral suite was culled together.  The score was also one of those given some deluxe treatment back when Rhino was remastering classic film scores, and even Film Score Monthly released a massive set digitally remastered and including about as much music as a fan might wish from unused outtakes to retakes, and variants of differing sequences.

    All this was certainly taken into consideration as James Fitzpatrick began this project for Tadlow Music.  The new release is conducted by Nic Raine and features the City of Prague Orchestra and Chorus in a presentation that should become a standard classic of reconstruction.  Choices as to what should be included had to take into account the variety of editorial cuts made to the film once the score was completed.  Working from the MGM Studio condensed score, Fitzpatrick and his team were able to restore some of these trimmed measures and edits that tend to be made for timing in the final cut.  These were restored by Leigh Philips for this release thus allowing an even further appreciation for Rozsa’s structural foundations.  There are places where music was not used in the final film cut, but it has been restored here and helpfully identified on the track list.  The tracks follow the same general lay out used by Rhino and FSM for the original soundtrack presentation across the two discs.

    The opening “Overture” is but the first of many “wow” moments in this release.  The balance and sound quality matches more closely that one would hear in a studio recording from the period, rather than a concert hall sound.  This provides a slightly drier acoustic and allows for some of the delightful detail.  Early on one can appreciate this with the great woodwind detail as we move into the “Adoration of the Magi”.  It is simply stunning to hear how this balance between the strings and the sheer variety of wind lines move through the texture here.  The brass get their workouts as well with those great opening chords that run as a common motif through the score and can be heard in the great “Fanfare and Prelude”.  One is hard pressed to realize that this is not the original tracks as tempi and even small rubato moments are handled so superbly by Raine.  This is throughout a careful musical reconstruction, but not one that is without emotional depth. From the opening bars, the captivating music draws the listener in for the great musical journey we are about to undertake.  Each section of the orchestra is at the top of its game with solos from each section adding to the sheer magnitude of the music making and overall achievement.  Listen to the delicate oboe and English horn lines in tracks like “The House of Hur”, for example, with their sinuous twists and turns.  The love theme’s appearance also gives them another opportunity to shine, along with some warm low register flute lines that do not disappear in the texture here.  It is quite fascinating how subtle shifts for this theme throughout the score on different instruments help keep it vibrant.  This will be a “bonus” final track in a version not heard in the film.  The strings also have Rozsa’s style down with delicate slides where needed and shimmering upper register playing that holds its intonation well.  With some truly touching solo violin and cello playing in “Nostalgia.”  And less we forget the percussion, there are plenty of places for them to shine as well, but no more so than in “The Galley” with its powerful forward drive that increases in intensity; or later with colorful music for “Fertility Dance”, “Arrius’ Party,” and “Harun Al Rozsad”—which was cut from the film.  “Arrest” is an earlier one of the sequences of music that was not used in the film.  It is an interesting visceral cue of heavy rhythms coupled with some of Rozsa’s standard dramatic scoring.  Other such moments are part of longer musical segments, among them them the work for the chariot sequence with its fanfares and great final march.  The variants on the motifs of this score are rather fascinating making this and other “new” tracks like it adds to the sheer pleasure of appreciating Rozsa’s approach to the themes and structure of the music.  One of many is the original version of the “Entr’acte” which bubbles with dancelike energy at its start and then move into that gorgeous love theme.  In the second half of the score, the touching music for the “Valley of Lepers” shifts us closer to the more religious aspects of the score as we move to Golgotha and Calvary.  It is nothing short of miraculous to hear the shifts in tone here with the modal harmony so firmly in our ear it just naturally flows into some of Rozsa’s most moving music all culminating in one of the great finale’s of film music with excellent balance for the large orchestral forces and choral “Alleluia”!

    Balance in this recording is about as good as one can imagine.  The sections that incorporate organ and full orchestra never have the keyboard overwhelming the sound picture but allow for an even presence that comes forward where needed.  On the other end of the spectrum, the piano lines can be discerned in the music adding to the necessary punch of accents, but also balanced well within the ensemble.  The sheer craft of Rozsa’s orchestration choices thus cuts through beautifully.  Most noticeable are the harmonic shifts and the way this is brought out with different instrumental colors.

    There are plenty of places to go through the history and track details from whole books dedicated to the analysis of the score, to the detailed notes for previous releases.  Frank DeWald’s essay takes the sort of approach one would expect in a classical music release.  A great overview of the gestation and development of the score is followed by highlights that mark important thematic threads and where they appear.  He pulls in research that helps connect well with the score while providing the information for listeners to further explore the music.  He hits many of the important highlights well making the essay a perfect companion.  The sound of the album is again stellar.  The orchestra is well-balanced throughout with a classic Hollywood film sound.  Equalization across the score is also realized well with detail in quieter moments cutting through as well as in the massive orchestral sections.  In all the years of watching the Prague Orchestra develop, one could hear flashes of connection to the music and a gradual confidence in the performances.  With this release, they certainly have outdone themselves and cement their place in film music history as one of the great recording ensembles for film music.