Popular Post SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 22, 2018 Welcome to the Official Miklos Rozsa Thread! Here, we can appreciate the beauty and craft of one of the 20th Century's great composers. Perhaps the the music theory experts among us can increase our understanding of the intricacies of Rozsa's concert and film works. To start things off, here is a recording of Elmer Bernstein conducting Rozsa's suite from "Plymouth Adventure." The piece starts off with a rather rousing rendition of a period hymn, before transitioning into a romantic sequence, based on first a heartfelt, passionate melody (one of Rozsa's best, I think), and then followed by a lovely, lighter passage. This segues into an upbeat dance-like episode, which is followed by some very energetic and salty adventure-type music that builds up to a restatement of the hymn melody in fanfare form. The chorus comes back in for the climax, and the very conclusion, I think, is rather Williams-esque. Anyway, here it is: publicist, Jurassic Shark, Pieter Boelen and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Here's a more impressionist bit - what else could it be? - from Vincente Minnelli's exquisite 'Lust for Life': SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Pretty darn great composer! I wished somebody would do a full rerecording of The Plymouth Adventure. But until then, El Cid is glorious too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,715 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 One of my favourite film composers, period. Such a distinctive voice whose music stands on its own two feet separated from the film. I love the whole breadth of his works from the epics to his more intimate works and concert hall output. A fantastic smaller scale Rózsa from the film Providence: SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,504 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Every legitimate film music fan has an appreciation for ol' Miklos. He's not my favourite Golden Age composer, but he's obviously up there. I'm particularly fond of the religious scores -- and the religious pastiche/psalm elements of those scores rather than the brass and action stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 19 minutes ago, Thor said: Every legitimate film music fan has an appreciation for ol' Miklos. He's not my favourite Golden Age composer, but he's obviously up there. I'm particularly fond of the religious scores -- and the religious pastiche/psalm elements of those scores rather than the brass and action stuff. Looking forward to Tadlow's re-recording of King of Kings, or, even better, a re-release of the original recording! Teaser of what's coming in 2019: SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Great composer. Ben Hur is probably my favourite Golden Age score. It's just good music, period. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post publicist 4,643 Posted February 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 22, 2018 He also wrote a splendid Violin Concerto: Incanus, SteveMc and Jurassic Shark 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,715 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 6 minutes ago, publicist said: He also wrote a splendid Violin Concerto So splendid in fact that Billy Wilder wanted him to adapt parts of it for his score for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,016 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 And what a wonderful score that is, by the way. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,715 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Indeed it is. The Tadlow re-recording is a superb one. I am glad they reprinted a limited batch of it recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (sigh) Rozsa's score for STAR TREK: II, is one of the greatest scores never written. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,016 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 19 minutes ago, Richard said: (sigh) Rozsa's score for STAR TREK: II, is one of the greatest scores never written. Fortunately, they were able to get Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Britten to cover that one. Karol Naïve Old Fart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I'm serious, @Jurassic Shark. Meyer offered ST:II, to Rozsa, who turned it down, flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,016 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 They couldn't afford it or something, is that right? Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 2 minutes ago, Richard said: I'm serious, @Jurassic Shark. Meyer offered ST:II, to Rozsa, who turned it down, flat. Wow, didn't know that. I've changed my reaction to your post accordingly. Was JW ever offered to score a Star Trek film? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 22, 2018 5 minutes ago, crocodile said: They couldn't afford it or something, is that right? From what I've read, Rozsa said that he didn't do "space opera", and they couldn't afford Goldsmith. 3 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: Was JW ever offered to score a Star Trek film? Yes. They offered him GENERATIONS, and he said "you need a better composer, than me", to which Rick Berman replied "I know, but they've all seen the rough cut". SteveMc, Jurassic Shark and TheUlyssesian 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I'm sure JW would have excelled at writing the first ever love theme of Star Wars Trek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,349 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Richard said: I'm serious, @Jurassic Shark. Meyer offered ST:II, to Rozsa, who turned it down, flat. I thought it was SW... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Fun fact: Did you know that Leonard Bernstein's debut concert with the New York Philharmonic (as a substitute for Bruno Walter) included a performance of Miklos Rozsa's "Theme, Variations and Finale, Op.13": https://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/71509682-511b-4ba3-8df5-e6f37af19d3d SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 2 hours ago, Fal said: I thought it was SW... Considering that Rozsa wrote the score for Meyer's Time After Time, it would make sense that he would offer Rozsa ST II. I do believe some of SW was temp tracked to Rozsa, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 14 minutes ago, Steve McQueen said: Considering that Rozsa wrote the score for Meyer's Time After Time, it would make sense that he would offer Rozsa ST II. I do believe some of SW was temp tracked to Rozsa, though. Correct, and yes (along with Holst, Stravinsky and Walton, among others). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Rozsa's Young Bess bears a certain resemblance to The Throne Room. Would definitely seem to be at least an inspiration. It is a very lovely piece, indeed. Should be performed, and often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,016 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 5 minutes ago, Steve McQueen said: Rozsa's Young Bess bears a certain resemblance to The Throne Room. Would definitely seem to be at least an inspiration. It is a very lovely piece, indeed. Should be performed, and often. This one features one of the best uses of Dies Irae plainchant ever. A very subtle one too. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 That's dang good stuff, but the inspiration for THE THRONE ROOM, is probably, CROWN IMPERIAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,349 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 This FSM thread mentions the SW thing: http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=8538&forumID=1&archive=1 Also a member here (Morn?) had a signature with a quote from Rozsa about that very matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Richard said: That's dang good stuff, but the inspiration for THE THRONE ROOM, is probably, CROWN IMPERIAL. I always thought that, musically, the final sequence from SW was semi-inspired by the Battle in the Air from Battle of Britain, so the soft Throne Room music comes from the Orb and Sceptre march which Walton recycled in that score: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Yeah, you're right, Loert, I was thinking of ORB AND SCEPTRE. CROWN IMPERIAL is more "SUPERMAN". Could Lucas have heard MARCH TO THE MUSEUM? THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is a great work, from a painfully, and bitterly butchered film. It's now out on Blu, but it's only about 125 minutes. I'm still thinking of getting it, if only for Stephens and Blakely. I'd give good money to see the full version of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 13 hours ago, publicist said: Here's a more impressionist bit - what else could it be? - from Vincente Minnelli's exquisite 'Lust for Life': Quite a work. Beauty, passion, instability. Perfect for the film, and perfect on its own. I am in particular awe of the strings here. I can't really think of a film composer whose string work is as good as Rozsa's. Williams comes very close, but I seem to feel that Rozsa's strings are fuller, that they have more weight and majesty to them. Any thoughts on why this is? publicist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Only one...beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Omen II 1,235 Posted February 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 22, 2018 I was lucky enough to be at this concert and the hall shook when the organ played. It was quite magnificent! Miklos Rozsa wrote so well for the whole orchestra. Loert, SteveMc and Naïve Old Fart 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Majestic! There's no other word for it. The only composer who comes even close to this style, is Goldsmith. What year was this, Omen, and what else was played? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Steve McQueen said: I am in particular awe of the strings here. I can't really think of a film composer whose string work is as good as Rozsa's. Waxman probably, who also had a very erudite, academical way of writing for strings. I am certain that it has a lot to do with an affinity for the string section and its 'singing' quality. I often find the orchestration device of accompanying brass (you know, trumpets or horns blaring away alongside) - also in Williams' case - often too Hollywood-vulgar and am quite happy when they just use strings and woodwinds. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 22 minutes ago, Omen II said: I was lucky enough to be at this concert and the hall shook when the organ played. It was quite magnificent! Miklos Rozsa wrote so well for the whole orchestra. Wow. Perfect example of how music can transport you to another dimension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 The perfect embodiment of the old MGM sheen, ca. rainy sunday afternoon on some random tv channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omen II 1,235 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 36 minutes ago, Richard said: What year was this, Omen, and what else was played? It was a BBC Proms concert entitled Hollywood Rhapsody in 2013. Details of the programme are here and they also played the Ride to Dubno from Franz Waxman's Taras Bulba as an encore. I've been to a lot of concerts, but this one was definitely one of the best I have ever attended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Whoa! Scott Bradley! "Thomas?!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Rozsa's fiery and beautiful Piano Concerto. A favorite of mine, has echoes of Bartok, but definitely in Rozsa's own voice. This recording has a great deal of static, but it is Rozsa conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 What a finale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,349 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I really like "To The Battlefields" from his "Knights of the Round Table" score Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,599 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Rode my money Knights of The Round Table has Rozsa's best action music, including that cue. Also two gorgeous love themes, but that goes without saying. Yavar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,349 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I really love that dramatic version of the "On The Road" theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Totally missed this thread. Some great music here. I know his violin concerto was mentioned, but his concert work had some really great repertoire. Love his concerto for strings: He just knew how to write for strings, and had such a vibrant and colourful sense of harmonic maneuvering. It's hard to imagine that film music once regularly had such accomplished composers at its helm. publicist and SteveMc 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 Beautiful and transporting from the very first chord. A sound world like no other. Without a doubt a true master with the strings. The question to be asked is why Rozsa's concert works are not widely celebrated or performed by the great orchestras. A pity, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Rozsa's String Quartet No. 1 (1950). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 On 28.2.2018 at 6:18 PM, Steve McQueen said: Beautiful and transporting from the very first chord. A sound world like no other. Without a doubt a true master with the strings. The question to be asked is why Rozsa's concert works are not widely celebrated or performed by the great orchestras. A pity, really. Because regular concertgoers are very conservative and repertoire beyond 1920 already seems too exotic (Rózsa is not alone in his fate). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 EDIT: nvm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 And? I am talking about repertoire selection, not the actual content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Ah, I see I've misread the post. Yeah, I would agree. Repertoire beyond the early-mid 1900s have a harder time surviving regular concert season programming, unless you're a superstar like John Adams, and even then, its slim pickings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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