List of contents If ever there is a legend in film music, Miklos Rozsa would instantly be amongst the names that come to mind. Accomplished as both a classical concert composer and film composer, Rozsa was one of the early pioneers who brought legitimacy and respect to the fledgling field of film music. Unlike some of his scholarly contemporaries, Rozsa never relegated film music to a lower caste than concert compositions. He had an intuitive understanding and dedicated vision for the role of music in film that earned him assignments in over 40 scores and a film music teaching position at the University of Southern California. Probably best known for his Academy Award winning score for Ben-Hur, he had an extensive filmography in historical and biblical epics. This anthology of 13 film scores by Rozsa comprises music he had written for MGM Studios, 12 of which are historical and period pictures (the only exception is The World, The Flesh and The Devil). From the soft violin waltzes of Madame Bovary to the sweeping grandness of Green Fire to the ancient dignity of King of Kings, the collection demonstrates Rozsa's imitable strengths and eloquent range. The score suites showcase Rozsa's signature historical interpretations, heroic battles, and lyrical romance, even while presenting his stylistic and individual voice for each film. Some resound with a more innocent and virtuous idealism, such as Tribute to a Bad Man, while others have a more melancholy, tragic chord as in Diane. Some are heavily fortified with commanding action/battle cues such as Knights of the Round Table, while others are delicately poetic, as in King's Thief. Always, it is written with consummate artistry and poise. This music is the icon of the Golden Age. They just don't make them like this anymore. Rhino's 2 CD compilation is an elegant, thoughtful collection of Rozsa's years at MGM. Most of the music, outside of Madame Bovary, Ivanhoe, Lust for Life, and King of Kings, are previously unreleased and available for the first time. Moreover, all of the tracks (except King of Kings) contain previously unissued music. The sound is excellent, as most of it was digitally remastered from original session masters. Madame Bovary and Ivanhoe are presented mostly in mono because of the original material. All except one selection (Beau Brummell) are at least 10 minutes in length, giving the listener a generous sampling of each score. The album comes with a detailed 45 page booklet that offers insightful and intelligent discussion of Rozsa's inspirations and styles. For those who are not yet familiar with Rozsa, this release is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to be introduced to one of the greatest of all time. Rozsa fans, of course, do not need any encouragement to buy this volume. With so much music available for the first time, is a remarkable accomplishment of film music preservation. Although it is obviously missing Rozsa's two most famous scores, Ben-Hur and Quo Vadis, the set offers a glimpse of the gestalt of Rozsa's body of work. A must-have for all score lovers, it stands as a superb testament to his timeless contribution to film music. Disc 1 (Total Time - 78:15) 1. Madam Bovary (17:29) 2. Ivanhoe (20:09) 3. Knights Of The Round Table (11:59) 4. Beau Brummell (5:06) 5. Valley Of The Kings (13:25) 6. Moonfleet (10:01) Disc 2 (Total Time - 78:21) 1. Green Fire (9:10) 2. The King's Thief (10:10) 3. Tribute To A Bad Man (10:37) 4. Diane (10:00) 5. Lust For Life (13:58) 6. The World, The Flesh And The Devil (11:19) 7. King Of Kings (13:00) Return to head of review Reviewer Helen San We are grateful to Helen San (www.cinemusic.net) for giving us permission to include this review which is currently appearing on her Film Music site.	Reviewer Helen San Reviews from previous months Reviews carry sales links but you can also purchase from:
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