Customer Reviews

Bernard Herrmann & Alfred Newman: The Egyptian

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Very unusually Darryl Zanuck assigned this film score to two of 20th Century Fox's stable of composers, one very established, Alfred Newman, and one a newcomer who was gaining a reputation as a superb writer, Bernard Herrmann. This was for expediency's sake because Newman was also involved at the same time in writing the score for another movie in production, 'There's No Business Like Show Business.' And, in fact, Herrmann wrote most of the score, although some of the cues had melodies written by Newman but expanded and orchestrated by Herrmann; each of those cues had the notation 'music developed by Bernard Herrman from themes composed by Alfred Newman.' (It is of note that Newman did not do any of his own orchestration, leaving that to Edward Powell; Herrmann did all his orchestrations.) Herrmann and Newman each conducted some of the original sound track recording. What is amazing is that there is no fault line between the music written by Newman, a composer of the old Austrian high-romantic camp, and Herrmann, whose style ultimately developed along much more advanced lines (witness his score for 'Psycho').

The movie itself was one of those blood-and-sandal epics so beloved by Hollywood in the 1950s. And it was one of the very first Cinemascope extravaganzas. It was not much of a movie, starring a cipher of an actor, Edmond Purdom. And the story isn't much, either. The music, accordingly, partakes rather too much of the faux-oriental style so familiar from such movies. Still, there are some really memorable passages, particularly those that are of the more intimate scenes. The love scene--the cue is titled 'Her Name was Merit' -- features a really lovely alto flute and oboe d'amore theme with harp and string accompaniment. There are also some scenes of religious splendor -- e.g. Hymn to Aton -- that are also quite striking for all they owe to the temple scene of 'Aïda.'

The score was cut down somewhat for this CD. Originally there were about 100 minutes of music. Film music arranger John Morgan gets credit for making what turns out to be an effective 70 minutes of music that can stand on its own, absent the film. It is played more or less without pause, moving from one cue to the other seamlessly. Veteran film music conductor William Stromberg gets a fairly decent performance out of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and Choir. This performance was originally issued in 1998 on the full-price Marco Polo label.

This score is a superior example of its type and it is given a creditable performance here.

TT=71:30

Scott Morrison

I already own the original-issue MCA/Decca studio recording CD as well as the Film Score Monthly soundtrack CD for this rousing good score, so for the completist in me, I bought the NAXOS/Marco Polo digital re-recording.

It's a worthy effort, but the performance lacks the "enthusiasm" of the originals. I just didn't "feel it," even with the always-excellent recording standards of the Stromberg/Morgan team. This is most evident during the spiritual passages and particularly during the two Hymn to Aton sequences, where neither the glory nor the tragedy comes across.

No slam at the Soviet chorus (they've proved themselves well enough in other projects), but their accents on the English text really became distracting on this disc.

Also, the balance between the orchestra and the chorus is variable at best and at times the brass lines drown out the parts where the chorus is supposed to be prominant.

On the plus side, the liner notes for this CD were excellent and very informative. At 71 minutes, the addition of so much extra music not found on the original studio recording was welcome; and to have it presented in a "cleaner" digital version than on the FSM soundtrack CD was nice (though I hasten to add that the FSM disc is still THE recording to get).

Overall, a useful addition for completists or those who can't afford the higher-priced studio or soundtrack recordings, but just be aware that some of the "heart" is missing from this one.

This is a truly excellent composition of the original film score and one I purchased some time back. Two of the greatest composers of film music were behind the Egyptian musical score and when Alfred Newman has his name to something then I am sold anyway. Of course equal credit must go to Bernard Herrmann.

This 20th Century Fox film - the Egyptian - is a classic and the soundtrack surely complimented the story. Right from the beginning, the music takes you away to ancient Egypt with its themes. One of the most beautiful tracks on this is track 11 - Nefer-Nefer-Nefer and the main theme spills in to this time and again. A lot of mood-music here and if you have got the blues, don't play those 'sad' themes...

A collectors item for lovers of film music. You would be hard pressed to find an original sountrack by Herrmann & Newman - if at all - and this is a faithful digital rendition & recording. A MUST HAVE!

It's quite wonderful to have this landmark score in beautiful sound. I love the original souuntrack & the old Decca 1954 release (get them if you're lucky enough to find them) - But this gem is in a league of its own because the sound is SO excellent. Herrmann & Newman - (strange bedfellows) were thrown together - it worked in a strange way. And this is a real "buy" - The price is right! - Get it now before this wonderful reconstruction is withdrawn.
"How beautiful art thow!"

I remember seeing this movie as a young girl and falling in love with it. I don't know if it was the story that attracted me or the music that haunted me. Eventually able to find the book, the movie, and a cassette of the soundtrack. I listened to the music so much I wore out the tape. When I found this CD I was thrilled. It is a sound you can listen to for a long time and often and still find hidden attractions. One of my best purchases of all time and a jewel of my music collection.

I was extra glad to find this classic for sale through Amazon.

I have loved the movie since I was a little tyke, and after well over a thousand (Yes, 1000!) viewings have caused me to wear out copies of it firstly on Beta, and two subsequent copies on VHS (all self-taped from TV).

The CD of the Soundtrack by Herrmann and Newman is superb, and is every bit as fresh and melodic as it was in 1954 when it accompanied / complimented the film.

The 11 tracks by Alfred Newman are highlighted to indicate their different origins when compared to the bulk of the work by Bernard Herrmann, but the whole CD just blends into a seamless work, almost in the style of a tone poem. The tracks are all there, and it is a delight to listen to them in their full orchestral versions, rather than the snippets that you can hear (tantalising though they are) on the film soundtrack, cluttered up with dialogue and sound FX.

I would recommend this CD to anyone who has fond memories of the film, or admires the work of Herrmann and/or Newman.

(Would also like to see a CD made of Herrmann's music to "Journey to the Centre of the Earth"..........

Anubis Lives!

What we have here is a film-score rarity from several perspectives. First, it's a composition co-created by two of the titans of classic-film music, Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman. However, there does seem to be much in the way of (or any) cue-by-cue collaboration; the result, unsurprisingly, is not particularly seamless. Mr. Herrmann is credited with independently writing (and conducting) the bulk of the cues--about two thirds of the score. Second, I would not call the score for 1954 film THE EGYPTIAN (TE) "a classic" (the same applies to the film). Not wishing to engender yet another debate over what constitutes "a classic" score or film, to my ears the score for TE is predominately colorless and undistinguished. To be blunt, the music is deadly dull. In this regard, the score mirrors the film which is also a dud! (On this, I can speak from some atmospheric experience, having spent time in Egypt.) And third, the marginal quality of the cues is a major surprise and disappointment given the immensity of the creative talent. Even legendary composers can have bad hair days! On a brighter note, Messrs. John Morgan and William Stromberg, who are unsurpassed masters of film score restoration, reconstruction, arrangement, and presentation, have once again worked their magic with this CD. Their combined execution is stunning, but I sure wish they had tackled a different project. The CD booklet is principally authored by Jack Smith. His analysis of each track is singularly lacking in musicality. He mostly just summarizes what's happening on screen. Mr. Smith also writes that "(w)hen THE EGYPTIAN premiered, critics were polite ... ticket sales were nowhere near the expected box-office tally ... (and the film) then settled into oblivion." Fortunately, the booklet contains a short essay by Mr. Morgan ("Arranger's Notes") and some brief comments by Mr. Stromberg ("Conductor's Note") which are far more informative reads. There is also a rare photograph of Messrs. Morgan and Stromberg slaving over a hot piano. By itself, almost worth the price of admission! The CD is a re-release at "popular prices" of the original which is on the Marco Polo label.

William Flanigan, Ph.D.