Customer Reviews

Music From The Soundtrack Of Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The biggest reason I used to watch "The Ten Commandments" on TV every year was because I loved the music. And I still do. The film itself is rather dated, and really more "Protestant" than Jewish in its script and acting styles -- a discussion which belongs more in the video section, so I won't get into it here. Let it suffice to say that I was very, very glad to find this CD, which lets me listen to the music without having to sit through the whole darned movie every time.

As other reviewers have pointed out, this CD is not the actual movie soundtrack. It's "music from" the soundtrack, i.e., a later performance conducted by its composer, Elmer Bernstein, to answer the demand for a stereo performance back when stereo LPs were just becoming popular (after the movie was released). Some listeners might fault it for that. However, the CD does contain all my favorite themes and those supremely emotional moments that I love from the movie. And of course, the tracks are arranged in the same order as the movie. The result is a fine CD that is really a symphony in itself, which can be listened to from beginning to end as a performance that tells the Exodus story beautifully.

It comes with the original liner notes from the LP release, with color stills from the film and some interview material from Bernstein, who said of this score: "Of all the arts, I strongly feel that music is closest to religion. It's hard to explain what happens at the magical moment when suddenly there is music in my heart and mind and I can go to the piano and express it in sound. That is why I feel that music above all other arts can come closest to expressing religious experience and conveying it to others." Amen.

I have a suggestion for anyone out there who wants the "Original Score" from the Ten commanments to be created, and by that I mean a complete anthology of all the original music that is actually on the film, from beginning to end (no re-recorded stuff) should write to Paramount Pictures as I have recently done.
The 1989 CD release of this music is fine but it is not the original, nor is it complete by any means. (I don't believe that MCA records took the time to remaster it either).

If we want Paramount to release the complete original soundtrack of The Ten Commandments, now is the time to write to them and act, since the 50th Anniversary of this film is fast approaching and the composer of this magnificent music,"Elmer Bernstein" has very recently passed away. - THE TIME IS RIPE - please write to Paramount and flood them with requests.

Thanks
JT "scoreit"

P.S. It might not hurt to mention in your letters that the public wants the original score in its entirety "remastered" for the best quality possible

After reading a previous review of Rabbi Gershom, I must confess there is not much more I can say regarding the beauties of this recording, and it is not necessary to mention again that this one is a stereo re-recording of highlights, or more properly suites, of the original score. I share Rabbi Gershom's views without restriction. But I can add that while this recording includes 60 minutes of very good-sound music, the German label TSUNAMI has issued an additional CD with 62 munutes of "more music" from the motion picture, corresponding to parts from the original sountrack recording. Only a few cues are repeated; TSUNAMI's release is mostly of unreleased music. The sound quality is obviously not so good as in the case of the above CD, but it provides "a little bit more" music. Obviously the release of the whole original soundtrack in the movie's chronological order would be much better, but for a while you can have more than two hours of the grat music from this film.

I first bought the "Ten Commandents" soundtrack about 30 years ago when it was a 2 LP Dot release. It is one of my all time favorite soundtracks.

It is one of the great epic scores, although Bernstein does not seem as comfortable in this genre as Miklos Rozsa. In fact, I do not recall if Bernstein ever scored another epic.

Nonetheless, from the stirring opening to the exodus march from Egypt (which has been unkindly compared to the Marine's Hymn) to the end of the film, it is eminently listenable music, superbly executed. Bernstein is not only one of Hollywood's great composers, but one of its great conductors as well. My personal favorite is the Red Sea track.

I highly recommend this release.

Reminiscent of (and perhaps inspiration for) Basil Poledouris' "Conan The Barbarian," this score for the classic film "The Ten Commandments" is a good listening experience. Some of the harmionies on strings are very moving especially, like "The Exodus." This music has that powerful, profound ancient Biblical atmosphere to it. Composer Elmer Bernstein did a good job of capturing that.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

A point to note about this recording : it is not the original soundtrack recording. The original is on the Tsunami label. From start to end, this score enhances the moving scenes especially in The Exodus and The Red Sea. My recommendation is: Buy the video and get both Tsunami and MCA versions. It is an unforgettable spiritual and entertainment experience. Thanks to Bernstein and De Mille and the fine acting cast especially Heston and Yul Brynner.

"The Ten Commandments," a film which has inspired awe in millions of viewers since its original release, is my all-time favorite. It is a beautiful example of the achievement of the many whose work on the picture made it the triumph it is. This certainly holds true for the stirring soundtrack by Elmer Bernstein. It captures the range of emotion evoked by the film with subtle themes and great orchestral pieces that are unforgettable.

As an avid film goer, I liked the way this music help capture the feel and the essence of the great film "The Ten Commandments" which I happen to believe is one of the greatest films of all time! This CD highlights the great moments of this great film. I really enjoyed it!

I have been collecting Classical films music for more than ten years. I have two versions of the Ten Commandments on CD, including this one that I bought years ago at a reasonable price not at such an exorbitant price. Apparently, a few years ago, Paramount issued a two-disc version which looks like the full version of the music, but there is no real trace of it. I have found it because there are track listings of that in [...], but where is the CD???

I thought this to be a very good cd.The Music is very powerful and nearly brought me to tears. The only Thing is that the Track "The Red Sea" when compared to the movie the music when the red sea is actually parting is a bit shorter.But,oh well