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The source of George's B-H session -(on 21/9/76)- insider knowledge could have been PMS 18; page 8, in which the sessions were described in some detail. I had made a lot of notes on that so memorable day at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, with the write-up in mind.
The track titled "Anno Domini" was recorded in just one take, and was a 1 and a half minute arrangement incorporating the "Return to Judea" theme. There was some talk at the session (with MR and Palmer) of not including the piece on the LP, I seem to remember, but it was still a disappointment when the disc was later released without it. (AH)
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I sincerely hope that Lukas's making this one-time exception to his no-discussions-of-bootlegs policy with this thread is intrigued enough to be thinking of putting together a CD of the MGM 10" Quo Vadis tracks, plus what can be pulled off the Dramatic Highlights album, the film's D-M-E soundtrack, and the odds and ends that've been floating around for the last few years (the Death of Nero, a couple of tha marches).
I strongly recommend that you urge him to do exactly that.
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Thanks for the info. This is pretty much the order I was going to try out, expect that I included the Miracle-Finale track twice. I was also tempted to put the O Jesu Lord track before the Aftermath track.
-R
PS: If Rozsa's Jungle Book cd, with bad sound, could sell out so could a "new" Quo Vadis cd.
Oh dear ... I've just noted that I made a cock-up: 'Miracle' belongs BEFORE 'Petronius' Banquet'. Sorry. I've amended this. Best thing really is to leave 'Miracle' connected to Finale as in all the recordings.
Also, I think the 'Arabesque' from the concert suite if included should be AFTER 'Sicilia Antica', because as an afterthought, Rozsa clearly intended it to be a piece describing not only a booze-up orgy, but finishing in a drunken 'hangover' at the coda.
There ARE old tapes out there of lost bits... I've not heard them, but I'm told there exist the ORIGINAL Nero's suicide stuff and the Nero's Games music. People I know do have these in very bad sound. How much, I don't know.
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John, do you know if the 1978 RPO elements were ever released on CD? Likewise the 1978 RPO Ben-Hur? One wonders if there aren't additional tracks from these sessions in the London/Decca vaults somewhere. I would be pleased just have CDs of what came out on the LPs, of course.
Bob S:
If you ever read this, send me an e-mail; my address is on my profile, and we can discuss the matter.
John
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Bumping this thread as I read this in an article mentioning the upcoming dvd/blu ray release.
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Warner has announced a November DVD release of the 1951 classic 'Quo Vadis,' and confirmed a Blu-ray version is on the way for next Spring.
Starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr, and featuring a cast of thousands, the lavish religious spectacle has gone through a meticulous photochemical restoration as well as a soundtrack upgrade restoring the original music by famed composer Miklos Rozsa.
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What does that soundtrack upgrade mean?
New stereo/multichannel mix? New recording?
Could a soundtrack-release be on the horizon?
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Title: Quo Vadis (IMDb)
Starring: Robert Taylor
Released: 11th November 2008
SRP: $20.97
Further Details:
Warner Home Video has announced a 2-disc special edition of Quo Vadis which stars Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn and Peter Ustinov. The Mervyn LeRoy directed film will be available to own from the 11th November, and should retail at $20.97. As well as undergoing a meticulous photochemical restoration, this new release also restores composer Miklos Rozsa’s magnificent overture as originally presented during the film’s premiere roadshow theatrical engagements. Extras will include an audio commentary by filmmaker/writer F.X. Feeney, and a documentary tracing the roots of the film from its start as a bestseller. A Blu-ray release will follow just in time for Easter 2009.
Above announcement is now all over the Internet. Mind-boggling, if only for the revelation that QUO VADIS had a roadshow overture. Is this for real?
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Mind-boggling, if only for the revelation that QUO VADIS had a roadshow overture. Is this for real?
It's for real, but not necessarily a knee-trembler of revelation.
'Quo Vadis?' had an Overture, Entr'Acte and Epilogue, like all the epics. But the Overture was really already included in the old MGM 10" of Musical Highlights (now on certain 'unmentionables') under the title 'Lygia' (Marcus' theme briefly introducing Lygia's) and the Epilogue was reperformed on the London Decca album, now on Dutton/Vocalion. So only the Entr'Acte is novel, and I don't know that this has been restored, though one supposes it will be included. All three pieces are based on Lygia's theme.
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The "Tickertape - Tsunami -Bud Movies" labels are all "boots" from each other and copied from the MGM 10" LP E-103. With the exception of one cue "Hail Nero, Thriumphal March" which is from an unknown source.
This recording of "Hail Nero, Triumphal March" is the most complete of all the recordings of the OST. It includes the complete march, concluding longer after it's toned down in the actual film.
"I'm most curious" about the "unknown source" where this came from.
Intriguingly, I was just discussing this very thread last night with Taylor White; funny it should reappear today.
Incidentally, the original intermission took place after Marcus disposes of the other chariots and heads on alone toward a rededened sky. Part II begins with him still riding, which we are to presume he has been doing while we, good audience members, have been going to the bathroom, grabbing a quick smoke in the lobby, or even in the theatre, which was quite allowable in those days...
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Posted: |
Jul 27, 2008 - 12:40 PM
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By: |
John Ford
(Member)
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This is basically a continuation of the current "Miklos Rozsa (to get)" thread. I didn't want Quo Vadis to hijack that thread, so I started a new one to be specifically about Quo Vadis... As a previous poster noted Quo Vadis has been represented well on album and cd, just not in complete form.
The OOP issues of the score (and the DVDs) are always on eBay somewhere in some form. Omitting duplicate performances, the best are:
'Quo Vadis?: Miklos Rozsa conducting the RPO and Chorus'-LONDON 820 200-2
'Quo Vadis?, Ivanhoe, Madame Bovary and Plymouth Adventure'- Tsunami First Floor TCI 0623, (also on Tickertape)
'Ben-Hur: The Essential Miklos Rozsa'-Silva Screen - HDCD LC 07371
'The Epic Film Music of Miklos Rozsa'- Silva Screen FILMCD 170 (same performance as above but with faster Prelude take)
'Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa' - Angel D 112465
'Miklos Rozsa Conducts his Great Film Scores' -DRG 19060
'Miklos Rozsa Classic Film Music: World Premiere Recordings' - Colosseum CST 24.8027
'Miklos Rozsa-Three Choral Suites' - Telarc SACD 60631
'Flashlight' - Beriato Music
Only on Vinyl,
'Quo Vadis Dramatic Highlights'- MCA
'Great Movie Themes Composed by Miklos Rozsa- MGM/Mfp
'Quo Vadis Suite, Spellbound Concerto and Red House Suite' - Capital (same performance as the 'Angel' but with 'Arabesque' movement.)
'Music from Hollywood' - Al Goodman
Recently I been trying to put together a Quo Vadis compliation cd of my own. I have the Tickertape version, the London records version, the Silva suite (excluding the Domine track) and the Kunzel recording. One day I'll get the Angel compliation, if only for the Red House suite... I've been stumped by what order to put the tracks in. The chronological order probably isn't the best one listening-wise and it's hampered by the scores treatment in the film and the lack of a complete music version of Quo Vadis?.
Anyway, I too have a couple of questions and suggestions about the music. First, the suggestions. I'm pretty sure that the Silva versions are just recylced from one cd to next so you probably only need to get one of them. I'm unsure about the "Rozsa conducts his Epic Film scores" cd. It has a track titled Love Theme. Does anybody know what this track corresponds to? Is it just the Romanza suite cue or The Marcus and Lygia cue or something else?...
I also haven't heard the Domine cue from Rozsa's suite which he made from the OST music. Does anyone happen to know what this cue corresponds to? Does it have a choral statement similiar to the choral outburst in the film during the lion pit (staduim)/cruxification scene? Anyhow, the Silva suites are good but it's best to hear the full soundtrack. Silva's take on the Prelude is great due to the sound and full choir, but the tempo is slighy slower and it gives it a different feel- like it's ending and not starting. The "original(?)" cue is faster, more rushed, especially the trumpet parts and it forehints of an ominous headfirst battle between the Christians and Romans. The Prelude is such a great cue that it's best to hear all versions but if I had to recommend against one version, it would be the Kunzel-Telarc version.
Overall, the Kunzel version doesn't offer much outside of the longer Marcus and Lygia track. It proclaims to be an excellent recording of the Ave Caesar March, but I find myself prefering the OST version "Hail Nero, Truimphal March (which does have a slight slip-up or mixing problem)," and the Ave Caesar March from the RPO recording. All of the later versions aren't as crisp, or loud, or as fast as they should be. I should note that the Quo Vadis tracks are the best ones on the whole Kunzel/Telarc cd. The Ben-Hur and King of Kings tracks are severely lacking...
As far as the more complete soundtracks versions, it's tough to choose one. I have the Tickertape version, which I suspect is the original '50 recording by Rozsa and the RPO. The great thing about this one is that it contains more Dance Music- the Roman Bacchanal and Silician Antica- and some of the choral songs, Jesu Lord and the beatiful Invocation to Venus song, which has a gorgeous secondary love theme. Sadly, Nero's song (yeah the character's voice wasn't the greatest) which plays while Nero and others watch Rome burn is absent from this and every other Quo Vadis cd. And yes, no fiddle is present during Nero's song for historically authenticity. 
The downside of the '50 RPO recording is that the tracks are shorter... But the downside of the '77 RPO recording is the absense of the forementioned tracks. The upside is the inclusion of the Burning to Rome track, the Hail Galba/Ave Caesar tracks, the extended Chariot Race track, and the Aftermath track, which contains a choral statement which appears to be the genesis of the King of King Overture. So, it's best to have both RPO versions from '50 and '77.
It's (The Artemis version) a bootleg, comprised of the 70s London RPO performance, along with the three pieces from the Orchestral Suite from the Angel release. It also includes apparently Walter Pidgeon's opening narration, either from the DVD or from the MCA LP (which was originally an MGM record, and uses out-take cues under the film dialogue).
Has anyone heard this version? It would be nice to know if it has any outake cues from the lp.
-Rexor
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There was also an in-house promo single of 'Fanfares from Quo Vadis?' that may never have been issued for public sale. I've never met anyone who actually HAS it.
PS- Of course the London Decca release is again available, has been remastered very well and is on, 'Miklos Rozsa: Quo Vadis and Ben-Hur' on Dutton Vocalion CDLK 4332, a very economically priced 2CD.
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There was also an in-house promo single of 'Fanfares from Quo Vadis?' that may never have been issued for public sale. I've never met anyone who actually HAS it.
Well, aaah do! It was issued for promotional purposes on a 10-inch 78rpm by Major Records, manufactured by Thomas J. Valentino Inc., New York 19, New York. Side 5194-A (E3-QB-2624) contains five cuts of trumpet fanfares from IVANHOE. Side 5194-B (E3-KB-1725) contains six cuts of trumpet fanfares from QUO VADIS, which are varying lengths of the Nero fanfare and Opening Credits fanfare.
Warner Bros. certainly knows how to get the most out of its new QUO VADIS investment. Had the regular DVD and Blu-ray both been released on Nov. 11, I would have bought only the Blu-ray. But do you really think us QUO VADIS fanatics can wait till Easter 2009 to buy this new restored version? No way! So, I'll be buying the regular DVD release on Nov. 11, and paying again for Blu-ray in '09.
No hard feelings WB, you are loved!
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