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Posted: |
Jan 3, 2006 - 12:31 AM
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By: |
Rexor
(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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I'm still freaking confused about this title. Could somebody please post for me the list of any and all recordings (even, in this instance, the hideous bootlegs -- Sheriff Joe, we're making an exception in this thread only, as this is for my CD research) of Quo Vadis? containing the actual M-G-M film recordings, OR any recording (if Rozsa re-recorded anything at the time of the film) released by M-G-M Records? Thanks.
Lukas
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Posted: |
Jan 3, 2006 - 2:07 PM
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By: |
Recordman
(Member)
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[startquote from Lukas]
Could somebody please post for me the list of any and all recordings (even, in this instance, the hideous bootlegs -- Sheriff Joe, we're making an exception in this thread only, as this is for my CD research) of Quo Vadis? containing (snip) the actual M-G-M film recordings, OR any recording (if Rozsa re-recorded anything at the time of the film) released by M-G-M Records? Thanks.
Lukas
Lukas:
Below are the various *vinyl* pressings of Quo Vadis or studiotracks therefrom taken from Osbornes's 1997 guide. As Rozsaphile mentioned, only the original 10" and EP MGM sets are originals.
Mike
QUO VADIS
Soundtrack (1951) • MGM (EP) K-134.....................................................................
Boxed, seven-disc set.
Soundtrack (1951) • MGM (EP) K-103......................................................................
Boxed, four-disc set.
Soundtrack (1951) • MGM (M) E-103........................................................................
10-inch LP. Above have background music from the film, but no dialogue.
Soundtrack (1951) • MGM (M) E-134........................................................................
Boxed set of two 10-inch discs.
Soundtrack (1951) • MGM (M) E-3524......................................................................
Soundtrack (1951) • MCA (SE) 39075........................................................................
Full title of above three: (Dramatic Highlights from) Quo Vadis. These have dialogue from the film.
Conductor: Miklos Rozsa. Cast: Walter Pidgeon (introduction), Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, Peter Ustinov, Patricia Laffan, Felix Aylmer, Peter Miles, Finlay Currie, Abraham Sofaer, Nora Swinburne. (With dialogue.)
Studiotrack (1953) • Capitol (EP) FAP-454...............................................................
Studiotrack (1953) • Capitol (EP) EBF-454..............................................................
Two discs.
Studiotrack (1951) • Capitol (M) L-454......................................................................
10-inch LP. Combines Quo Vadis Suite with Spellbound Concerto.
Studiotrack (1953) • Capitol (M) T-456......................................................................
Contains music from Quo Vadis, Spellbound and The Red House.
Conductor: Erich Kloss. Cast: Frankenland State Orchestra.
Studiotrack (1978) • London (S) SPC-21180...............................................................
Standard cover.
Studiotrack (1978) • London (S) SPC-21180.............................................................
Gatefold cover.
Composer: Miklos Rozsa. Conductor: Miklos Rozsa. Cast: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Studiotrack • Decca/Phase 4 (S) PFS 4430..............................................................
Also see FILM MUSIC OF MIKLOS ROZSA
FILM MUSIC OF MIKLOS ROZSA
Soundtrack (1966) • Citadel (M) CT-MR-1................................................................
Actual title: The Power/Sodom and Gomorrah. Outtakes films.
Studiotrack • Capitol (S) ST-2837..............................................................................
Actual title: Miklos Rozsa Conducts His Great Film Music.
Studiotrack • Cloud Nine (S) 7013...............................................................................
Music from Quo Vadis, King of Kings and Ben-Hur.
Composer: Miklos Rozsa. Conductor: Miklos Rozsa.
INSPIRED THEMES FROM THE INSPIRED FILMS
Studiotrack (1962) • Liberty Premiere Series (M) LMM-13019.......................
Studiotrack (1962) • Liberty Premiere Series (S) LSS-14019....................................
Die-cut cover. Includes music from Sampson and Delilah, El Cid, Man Called Peter, Francis of Assisi, Prodigal, King Of Kings, Ten Commandments, Song of Bernadette, Ben-Hur, David and Bathsheba, Quo Vadis and The Robe.
Cast: Felix Slatkin Orchestra.
MIKLOS ROZSA CONDUCTS HIS GREAT THEMES
Studiotrack • Capitol (S) ST-2837......................................................................
Music from Ben-Hur, El Cid, Quo Vadis and King of Kings.
Studiotrack • Angel (S) S-36063..............................................................................
Actual title: Miklos Rozsa Conducts His Great Film Music. Reissue of Capitol LP.
Composer: Miklos Rozsa. Conductor: Miklos Rozsa.
MUSIC FROM HOLLYWOOD
Studiotrack (1953) • RCA Victor (M) LPM-1007........................................................
Music from The Snows of Kilimanjaro, High Noon, Ivanhoe, David and Bathsheba, The Fourposter, Moulin Rouge, The Happy Time, A Place in the Sun, Shane and Quo Vadis.
Composer: Various. Conductor: Al Goodman. Cast: Al Goodman Orchestra.
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS AND OTHER MUSIC FROM GREAT MOVIES
Soundtrack/Studiotrack • MGM (M) 2E-10...............................................................
Soundtrack/Studiotrack • MGM (S) 2SE-10.............................................................
Two discs. Full title: Original Sound Tracks and Recordings of Original Music from Great Movies. Has music from Ben Hur, King of Kings, Quo Vadis, Cleopatra, Farewell to Arms, Mutiny on the Bounty, Butterfield 8, The V.I.P.s, The Robe, El Cid, Madam Bovary, Lili, How the West Was Won, Cimarron, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.
Conductor: Alfred Newman, David Rose, Robert Armbruster, Carlo Savina, Miklos Rozsa, Cyril Ornadel, Hans Sommer.
SOUND STAGE – HI-FI MUSIC FROM HOLLYWOOD
Studiotrack • Columbia (M) CL-612...........................................................................
Music from Gone with the Wind, Indiscretion of an American Wife, Quo Vadis, Ruby Gentry, A Streetcar Named Desire, Portrait of Jennie, For Whom the Bell Tolls and others.
Conductor: Paul Weston. Cast: Paul Weston Orchestra.
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Posted: |
Jan 3, 2006 - 2:30 PM
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By: |
musickco
(Member)
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""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?...""
The two Silva albums feature differing performances of the Quo Vadis Prelude, although the other Quo Vadis tracks remain the same.
The "love theme" deploys the film's two love themes (Taylor and Kerr / Genn and Berti), one framing the other, and is taken from Rozsa's officially published concert suite.
The original soundtrack cues of source music - baccanalia, marches etc - were devised to sound like they being played by the instruments shown on screen - but the later concert versions are scored for full symphonic ensemble. So in the film the marches will sound more archaiac and harsher as they are scored for just brass, woodwind and percussion - the later concert versions include strings and fuller orchestration in general.
Here are the notes I wrote for the recording of the Quo Vadis selections I produced for Silva Screen:
Victorious Roman Commander Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor), in love with the Christian girl Lygia (Deborah Kerr), has his loyalties torn when the insane Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov) has Rome set ablaze by the Praetorian Guard - blaming the conflagration on the Christians, who are vengefully hunted down and dragged to the Colosseum to be tortured and put to death in a spectacle of terror.
The scoring of QUO VADIS marked a significant moment in Miklos Rozsa's career, in that period films now came to be recognized as his metier - and the production itself, a considerable box-office success, was to set the seal on the next decade or so of movie-making, with historical spectacle becoming a staple Hollywood commodity. Rozsa was lo inaugurate an approach to scoring period films hitherto unpracticed in Hollywood - whereby rather than just responding directly to the drama on the screen, he would thoroughly research the musicology of the given era, utilize contemporary thematic material where he could - and for source music, attempt to replicate the sounds certain ancient instruments would feasibly have made.
The QUO VADIS Prelude immediately, and astutely, pits emerging Christianity against pagan Rome, with the maestoso chant "Quo Vadis Domine" (modeled on archaic Gregorian musical texts) set in counterpoint to cornets typifying the vainglorious pomp of Nero's nefarious empire ~ and the piece concludes with an illusion to the inevitable tread of Roman legions on the march. The following three selections - Arabesque, Romanza and Ave Caesar -are all taken from Rozsa's QUO VADIS concert suite, with the material freely adapted by the composer from his original score. On the film soundtrack - with the Ave Caesar march, and again with the bacchanalia which comprise the Arabesque - Miklos Rozsa strove for archaism, using only orchestrations which would seem to complement the primitive instruments seen on screen, but the present performances are orchestrated for full symphony orchestra. The Arabesque usefully, and brilliantly, unifies two differing bacchanalia - the first providing a prelude and epilogue for the second - variously drawing their colour, tenor and rhythmic intensity from Greek, Arabic and early Sicilian sources. In the film these two florid dances provide diverse entertainments at a lavish banquet hosted by Nero in honour of his conquering legions. The Romanza presents a duo of exquisite themes; the first, which frames the second, is for Lygia, the winsome Christian who captures the heart of the arrogant Marcus Vinicius - her music, pertinently related to the "Quo Vadis Domine" motif, although purposeful, possesses an air of radiant and unassailable purity -whilst the second melody (introduced by cascading strings and solo horn), for the patrician Petronius (Leo Genn) and his paramour Eunice (Marina Berti), doomed by an enraged Nero to commit suicide together, is more lilting, less constrained and more openly romantic. The triumphal march Ave Caesar commences with a disconcertingly black-hearted fanfare (the composer reminding us the salutation is actually in deference to the insane matricidal Nero) before the scoring, derived from early Greek sources, takes on the exuberance of true feste romana with the music bounding zestfully along the Appian Way before the joyous spirit of the occasion is leavened by the return of the obsequious dark fanfare •
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For the RPO lp recording, I understand Rozsa had to leave out a section based on "Nero's Bacchanal," for reasons of space. Originally, this section in the film was planned to be longer, with a long dance, all of which Rozsa scored. Since the 1977 lp is probably the most complete, it would be interesting to see if that discarded cue was ever recorded.
Also, Myron Bronfeld once gave me a cassette tape with a few additional soundtrack snippets, including Nero's murder of Poppea and that whole section between Marcus and Lygia, when he walks out on her over her religion, as I recall. The quality of the recordings was not very good.
I'd kill for a recording of the original tracks. Oh well....
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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.
Rozsa did record the Anno Domini opening from BEN-HUR during the 1977 [not 1978] sessions with the National Philharmonic Orchestra [not the RPO]. The producers felt that the Prelude Fanfare would make a spectacular start to the LP. It did, but with the unfortunate result that A.D. was left off. Both the London Decca BEN-HUR and QUO VADIS recordings were released on CD in the mid 1980s, each in multiple editions (same recordings and catalogue numbers, but different packaging). Sadly both are out-of-print.
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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 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?
The 'Love Theme' track on the 'Conducts his epic film scores' CD is a chopped down version of the 'Romanza': the central trio material based on Petronius' theme is missing.
'Quo Vadis, Domine' is a very fine, downright exciting piece based on (a) the main theme (from the plainsong 'Libera Me Domine'), and (b)the hymn sung by the Christians in the arena, which is actually the 'Hymn to Nemesis' a 2nd. Century BC Greek song. The piece takes its inspiration from the 'Miracle' and the Finale, but is a freer orchestral development. The best stereo digital recording is the Bernstein/Colosseum release but it's a slower performance. Beware that the BEST performance, on the DRG CD is only an edited version WITHOUT the finale 'Hymn to Nemesis' theme. The Frankenland Angel release has the full thing, but in mono.
You may well be right that the chronological sequence isn't the best aesthetically, since it's such a fragmentary score, but the released material in that order would be as follows:
(Please note that the 'Marriage of Marcus and Lygia' was lifted wholesale by Rozsa from his earlier 'Madame Bovary' which piece you can find (until Lukas releases that one!) on the Tsunami 'Mme. Bovary' and on the Rhino 'Miklos Rozsa at MGM' 2CD, under the title 'Emma's Death'.)
Overture:'Lygia'
Prelude
Romanza
Fertility Hymn of the Vestals
Hail Nero (or Ave Caesar if you prefer)
Bacchanale
Assyrian Dance (or maybe Arabesque from the Suite)
Siciliana Antica
Jesu Lord
Marcus and Lygia
Invocation to Venus
Chariot Chase
Burning of Rome
Miracle
Petronius' Banquet, Meditation and Death
Marriage of Marcus and Lygia
Aftermath: Death of Peter, Death of Poppaea and Nero's Suicide
Hail Galba
Quo Vadis Domine (if it goes anywhere it's here)
Finale
Epilogue
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For anyone who's interested you can hear various music files of the original source material for Rozsa's Greco-Roman epics at this resource link:
http://lilt.ilstu.edu/drjclassics2/Files/greekmusic.shtm
You'll find SEVERAL short samples of EACH of the themes used for Eunice (First Ode of Pindar), Nero (Skolion of Seikilos), the Christians in the arena (Hymn to Nemesis) and Rome (Hymn to Helios, also used in Ben-Hur as Gratus' march).
You'll have to look around though: there are several recordings of each sampled by different musicians.
It's a thought to shiver the senses that these ancient Greek tunesters could NEVER have guessed that 2,000 years later, huge orchestras would play this material to millions of people in places called cinemas.
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