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Moses the Lawgiver by Morricone

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Author	Topic: Moses the Lawgiver by Morricone

JJH Oscar® Winner	Taking a chance somtimes really pays off. Though Morricone is an undisputed master, some of his scores do just plain reek. So I had trepidations about getting this TV score LP (which I later found existed on CD -- but for a $3 LP one can't go far wrong). Anyway, I am most impressed with the score. Somber opening choral track. "Battle and Red Sea" is an action/ suspense track teetering on the brink of atonality (actually the last half is completely atonal -- devastatingly cool track). It's chock of those weird, yet, original Morricone orchestrations, great choral/ vocal work. Anyone know anything about this show? Was it a TV movie? a mini-series? Burt Lancaster, Irene Papas are the only names I recognize. Anyway, if you happen upon this CD/ LP it is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are a Morricone fan. Np -- Moses, the Lawgiver, "Lamentation One[/b]
posted 06-19-2000 08:53 PM PT (US)

SPOR Oscar® Winner	I've owed the 2CD Moses for about 8yrs now and it still takes my breath away every time I listen to it. It's certainly not an easy listen, and those looking for a Bernstein like score by way of the Ten Commandments would be best advised to steer clear unless, of course, your up to the challenge.
posted 06-19-2000 09:16 PM PT (US)

Eric Paddon Oscar® Winner	It was originally a six hour miniseries, produced by Vincenzo Labella and co-written by Anthony Burgess, who later teamed again on "Jesus Of Nazareth" and "A.D." A theatrical version runs only two hours and was available on video in the 80s (Fortunately I have the whole thing from a late 80s local TV replay). Lancaster's son played the young Moses. And you mean to tell me that Anthony Quayle isn't a familiar name?
posted 06-19-2000 09:22 PM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	Is this the score featuring the musical identity of grasshoppers or locusts with lots of violin plucking? If this is the one, I always thought that stroke of scoring genius sums up the Maestro to a tee. If there ever was one track that screamed "MORRRRRRICONEEEEE!" it would be that one! I hope I am remembering things correctly... PeterK NP - "Baraka" by Michael Stearns
posted 06-19-2000 09:23 PM PT (US)

JJH Oscar® Winner	You are correct PeterK. Insects in "The Ten plagues" It is an interesting orchestration. It's a 2CD set? How long does that run? I'd be VERY interested in acquiring that. What is the sound like? NP -- Moses the Lawgiver still, 'Moses Theme' [This message has been edited by JJH (edited 19 June 2000).]
posted 06-19-2000 09:27 PM PT (US)

SPOR Oscar® Winner	CD 1= 54:06 CD 2= 46:19 Sound quality is excellent. Liner notes, badly translated from the Italian like so many of these imported RCA releases, provides a brief explanation of the production and multiple cudos to Morricone's score. I quote: "When started searching the stereo record master tapes of "Moses The Lawgiver" kept in the BMG archives, soon i discovered that, considering a single LP only had been issued in the past, there were too many tapes available: it looked like something was not tallying. After a few investigations I discovered that in 1975 a double LP set had been planned for release, but someone had judged that 100 minutes of music could prevent customers from buying the record: as a consequence only a selection of the "easyer" tracks had been issued. Today we are deeply proud to issue for the first time the complete score - with the exception of a 6:30 minute track judged unsuitable by Morricone himself - on a 2 CD set: the original tracks sequence has been restored and the titles have been taken directly from the original tape boxes". Sergio Bassetti NP: Legend - Darkness Falls (Goldsmith) [This message has been edited by SPOR (edited 19 June 2000).]
posted 06-19-2000 09:40 PM PT (US)

Nicolai P. Zwar Oscar® Winner	I am afraid I only own the old RCA LP of "Moses"... I saw the 2CD set in a store once but did not pick it up... what a shame, since I really love that score.
posted 06-20-2000 05:29 AM PT (US)

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