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Posted: |
Dec 1, 2021 - 6:30 PM
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By: |
Amer Zahid
(Member)
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INTRADA ANNOUNCES:
MASADA (4CD) [Expanded and Remastered]
Music Composed and Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith and Morton Stevens
Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 468
https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12349/.f?sc=13&category=-113
Remastered 4-CD release of magnificent Jerry Goldsmith score!
ABC presents mammoth 1981 television mini-series dramatizing Roman siege of Jewish fortress known as Masada in AD 73. Lavish production features Peter O’Toole, Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera, David Warner, Anthony Quayle. Boris Sagal directs, Joel Oliansky scripts from Ernest Gann novel. Jerry Goldsmith scores first half of film, Morton Stevens tackles second half using Goldsmith thematic material augmented by his own original music. Intrada premiered entire score by both composers in 2011 as 2-CD set, presented from session elements vaulted by NBC Universal including stereo masters for Goldsmith score, split-mono masters for Stevens score. (Split-mono format means while limited stereo spread can be made, all strings are relegated to one channel, brass on another, etc. for mono mixdown and storage purposes. Ideal stereo listening was never intended.) Now, studio has unearthed and provided brand new transfers of Stevens score from actual 2” multi-track stereo masters, allowing completely new true stereo mix of Stevens’ complete score plus previously unreleased alternate material.
New 4-CD remastering of entire Jerry Goldsmith score includes several previously unreleased alternates as well as new presentation of original re-recorded album of Goldsmith highlights issued on record and cassette in 1981 by MCA label. Goldsmith anchors everything with syncopated melodic line in minor-mode emphasizing rhythmic motion, gives theme forward motion courtesy frequent energy in percussion, low brass embellishing string figures. Richly moving love theme another highlight. Standing out as well are riveting action sequences, most of which were missing from 38-minute MCA album. Spotlight goes to several sizzling cues early in first part. Another spotlight goes to magnificent, lengthy “Move On”, (“The Road To Masada” on MCA re-recording), layering dynamic brass fanfare material for Roman army into masterful meld of pulsating march and aggressive action sequence.
Original soundtrack performance is arguably much crisper, more exciting than re-recorded take but listeners get both versions in any case! All bumpers, credit sequences included as well (known as “format music” in television jargon.) Morton Stevens score touches on major Goldsmith themes but really shines in spectacular, tour-de-force original action music for fourth and final segment of the film, featuring climactic siege of Masada. Stark, striking music for closing mass suicide scene another emotional highlight. All-new artwork included in this dramatic 4-CD package! Jerry Goldsmith conducts his score, Morton Stevens conducts his score. Intrada Special Collection 4-CD release available while quantities and interest remain!
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As 2021 comes to a close, Intrada revisits a Jerry Goldsmith classic – his epic miniseries score from 1981 to Masada, co-composed with Morton Stevens. For this release, Intrada has made two large improvements. The first is the inclusion of the original MCA album which was not included in the first edition. Goldsmith re-recorded 38 minutes in London for the superb LP at the time the miniseries aired, although he curiously omitted his fierce action cues as well as many other sequences. The second improvement is found in Morton Stevens' score for the third and fourth parts. While not previously released strictly in mono, the Stevens material was sourced from a split-mono configuration where different sections of the orchestra were isolated on their own channels. While this allowed for a stereo presence and separation, having clusters of the orchestra segregated was not ideal. For this release, Universal was able to unearth the 24-track elements, allowing for the first true stereo presentation of the score, where listeners will notice a myriad of details not accessible in the previous mix. Discs 1 and 2 feature the complete score, disc 3 contains a plethora of extras not previously released, and disc 4 is the MCA album.
Composer Jerry Goldsmith rarely sought out specific assignments; usually directors or producers came to him. But Masada (1981) was an exception – this was a score he was passionate about writing. Universal was willing to invest heavily in the score, including sending Goldsmith to Israel on a 10-day trip to research ancient music for the project. Goldsmith initially signed on to score the entire four-night, eight-hour miniseries, but production fell behind schedule and other projects called, necessitating bringing in Morton Stevens, at Goldsmith's suggestion, to conclude the scoring of parts three and four.
Goldsmith wrote three major themes, two for the Jews and one for the Romans. The primary Jewish theme, which would become known as the Masada theme, is a hora-style anthem for the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people, its dance-like rhythms reminiscent of happier times and the hope of more to come. A second theme reflects the darker side of the Jews of that First Century, the sadness and seemingly endless struggle against domination and enslavement by other peoples. For the Romans, Goldsmith wrote a march that was designed to suggest the might of Imperial Rome, with military precision and prominent parts for brass and percussion. Relentless, even pompous in its simple, decisive, might-makes-right character, it recurs in many forms throughout the miniseries.
The story of the siege of Masada in 72 A.D.– in which a hardy band of Jewish Zealots held off 5,000 Roman troops for months in a mountaintop fortress – is one of the most remarkable in the annals of world military history. Peter Strauss was cast as Eleazar ben Yair, the charismatic, intense commander of the Zealots. Peter O’Toole was cast as Cornelius Flavius Silva, the complex, brilliant Roman general in charge of the Tenth Legion.
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CD 1 MASADA – PART I
01. Masada – Part I Main Title (5:19)
02. Burning City (1:55)
03. Not Finished (0:39)
04. Nothing To Worry About (1:08)
05. Roman Fanfare/Not For Years/Taxes (Revised #2) (2:59)
06. The Granary (2:05)
07. No Horses (1:29)
08. Too Dark (Revised #2) (0:51)
09. The Mime (Roman Source) (3:00)
10. Welcome Home (1:50)
11. Roman March (2:55)
12. Your Land (4:43)
13. Masada – End Part I (Our Answer) (1:07)
14. Masada Theme (End Credits) (1:23)
Total Part I Time: 31:26
MASADA – PART II
15. The Return (3:10)
16. Move On (7:17)
17. The Moabites (2:30 18. Lineup (2:51)
19. Roman Horns #1/Roman Horns #2/Formalities Over (0:58)
20. The Camp (1:11)
21. Not Necessary (1:50)
22. Bumper No. 3/No God (1:55)
23. The Sun (1:33)
24. Roman Horns #3/Another Victory (0:39)
25. Night Patrol (1:47)
26. The Slaves (4:40)
27. Bumper No. 2/A Matter Of Logic (2:58)
28. The Mask (1:24)
29. Her Desire (0:50)
30. Everybody In The Pool (2:48)
31. A Man Before (2:16)
32. No Chance (0:15)
33. Bumper No. 1/Back To Work/Masada – End Part II (Vespasian’s Monkey) (1:43)
34. Masada Theme (End Credits) (1:23)
35. MCA Logo (0:07)
Total Part II Time: 44:04
CD 1 Total Time: 75:33
CD 2 MASADA – PART III
01. Masada End – Intro (International Version) (0:37)
02. Belly Dance (3:55)
03. Nothing To Give (0:51)
04. Running Water (3:31)
05. Voice From Above (2:06)
06. Falco’s Tour (1:39)
07. Mid-Day Ration Of Death (Revised #2) (1:58)
08. Building The Ramp (1:12)
09. Pain In The Neck (1:30)
10. Falco’s Orders (0:37)
11. Ready For War (0:54)
12. Masada – End Part III (2:28)
13. Masada Theme (End Credits) (1:23)
Part III Time: 23:07
MASADA – PART IV
14. Precarious Meeting (Revised) (4:15)
15. Meeting Unsuccessful (1:56)
16. Zealots Prepare (1:45)
17. Sheva Gives Again (1:41)
18. The Tower (0:54)
19. Discovery/Inner Wall/Ram’s Head (10:29)
20. Burn It/Fire (5:29)
21. Sheva’s Decision (5:06)
22. West Wind (0:29)
23. Zealot Meeting (0:32)
24. Make-Up For Death (1:50)
25. Eleazar Speaks (4:40)
26. Plenty Of Time/Reckless (1:24)
27. Silva’s Soliloquy (6:36)
28. Masada – End Part IV (1:40)
29. Masada Theme (End Credits) (1:23)
30. MCA Logo (0:06)
Part IV Time: 50:44
CD 2 Total Time: 73:56
CD 3 MASADA – PART I (Extras) – Jerry Goldsmith
01. Masada – Part I Main Title (Alternate Mix) (5:19)
02. Taxes (Original) (1:16)
03. Taxes (Revised #1) (1:16)
04. Too Dark (Original) (0:50)
05. Too Dark (Revised #1) (0:48)
06. The Mime (Roman Source -– Alternate Intro) (3:03)
07. Roman March (Long Version) (5:51)
Jerry Goldsmith Extras Time: 18:34)
MASADA – PART III & PART IV (Extras) – Morton Stevens
08. Drums (0:39)
09. Mid-Day Ration Of Death (Original) (1:54)
10. Mid-Day Ration Of Death (Revised #1) (1:59)
11. Pain In The Neck (Alternate) (1:29)
12. Drums No. 2 (1:39)
13. Precarious Meeting (Original) (3:20)
14. Silva’s Soliloquy (International Version) (5:07)
Morton Stevens Extras Time: 16:26
CD 3 Total Time: 34:58
CD 4 MASADA – Original 1981 Soundtrack Album
01. Main Title (5:08)
02. The Old City (3:31)
03. The Planting (3:01)
04. The Road To Masada (6:59)
05. Night Raid (3:35)
06. Our Land (4:46)
07. The Encampment (2:35)
08. No Water (2:35)
09. The Slaves (5:19)
Total CD 4 Time: 37:33
Parts I & II Composed and Conducted by JERRY GOLDSMITH
Parts III & IV Composed and Conducted by MORTON STEVENS
Themes by JERRY GOLDSMITH
Total Time: 222
Total Tracks: 88
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It seems Intrada has become the official label for Jerry Goldsmith scores! Too bad they missed the chance to do LEGEND.
By the way, Douglass Fake, release Johnny Marks’ long-awaited and expanded RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER please!
That didn’t stop Doug Fake from lending Music Box a hand with the previously unreleased cues (I should be receiving my copy on Monday).
Also, I would love for one of the labels to tackle the Rankin-Bass library if the tapes survive, not just Rudolph.
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So SWEET!!!!!
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It seems Intrada has become the official label for Jerry Goldsmith scores! Too bad they missed the chance to do LEGEND.
Why? Music Box did an excellent job with theirs. I mean, I love Intrada, but it's not the only label in town. :-)
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Wow. Good release!
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I tend not to re-buy film scores (anymore), and the previous MASADA edition seemed to me quite well done. But I love the score to MASADA, so once again, this is a case where I might just go for it. :-)
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I didn't buy the Intrada 2 disc edition (I already had a 2 disc boot bought from SAE years before) and I've always loved the MCA album, on LP and CD.
A perfect highlights programme for me and the one I got to know first/most.
I'll check out the track list next week and it might well be part of my first order of 2022.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 3 Discs!!
MASADA 4 Dicsc!!
Oy Vey!!
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I have the previous 2 CD Masada release and it may well be, for me, it's enough. I enjoy it, but do I need a new 4 CD package? I'll decide next week.
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