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Carl Davis' "Ben-Hur"

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Author	Topic: Carl Davis' "Ben-Hur"

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	Who has heard this? I got the CD from the library today, and it's awesome! Davis wrote this score for the 1925 silent film version of Ben-Hur, so this is one of the scores that are actually one step "above" normal film scores, musically: They don't have to care for dialog or sound effects, so there's no real underscore. Much of the scores sounds like a full-blooded Golden Age score, full orchestra augmented with an organ. Actually, there are parts which I would have attributed to Richard Strauss, had I heard them without knowing what they are. The Chariot Race is a 14-minute piece of glorious fanfares and action music, and was also used in the documentary on the 1959 Ben-Hur DVD. So, if anyone liked the non-Rozsa music in that docu, by all means get the Carl Davis score! There are a few screening of silent films with live music in the Vienna Konzerthaus every years (I'll be seeing Nosferatu with a new score for organ & electronics this Sunday). Perhaps I'm lucky and they show Ben-Hur someday... NP: Ben-Hur (Carl Davis) [Message edited by Marian Schedenig on 11-09-2001]
posted 11-09-2001 08:17 PM PT (US)

joan hue Standard Userer	I don't know if I will ever get to hear this Davis score, Marian. Our library doesn't carry much. However, I first noticed Davis when I watched a British movie made in the 80's call Champions, the story of a horse jockey. The theme is absolutely GRAND and gorgeous. Check it out if you ever have a chance. That's an order from MOM! NP The Beyondness of Things
posted 11-09-2001 11:05 PM PT (US)

BMikeJ Standard Userer	Two things should be mentioned here. First, Carl Davis' score for Ben Hur is still available from Silva Screen. Second, Carl Davis' score for Champions has just been released on CD by a new label called Movietrack.
posted 11-09-2001 11:21 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	Well then, Mommy Joan: Now we both know which CD to get next. NP: Ben-Hur (Carl Davis)
posted 11-10-2001 06:39 AM PT (US)

Dinko Standard Userer	Some monkey posted this a few months back: http://www.iespana.es/wistiti/benhur.rm
posted 11-10-2001 07:16 AM PT (US)

Keith Non-Standard Userer	You can find this CD at Musicplex http://www.musicplex.com/c_store_product_detail.cfm?upc=72372332882 Track Listing 01. Opening Titles 02. The Nativity 03. Esther And The Young Prince 04. Roman March And Disaster 05. Galley Slave 06. Pirate Battle 07. Iras The Egyptian 08. The Chariot Race 09. Ben-Hur's Return 10. Via Dolorosa 11. Earthquake And New Dawn I just ordered a copy myself. [Message edited by Keith on 11-11-2001]
posted 11-10-2001 01:57 PM PT (US)

TimT Standard Userer	Hey isn't Carl Davis the guy wrote the song "Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting"? "...those kicks where fast as lighting! da-da-da-da da"
posted 11-10-2001 02:15 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Dinko: Some monkey posted this a few months back True, I totally forgot about that! Then just perhaps it isn't featured in the Ben-Hur (1959) documentary after all. I just thought this probably is the Davis score when I first watched the docu, and since now that I have the CD it sounded familiar, I assumed that's where I heard it. Now I see that I have of course heard it in the sample you posted. I'm still pretty sure though that the music in the documentary was the Davis score as well. NP: The People vs. Larry Flynt (Thomas Newman)
posted 11-10-2001 06:22 PM PT (US)

majestyx Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by TimT: Hey isn't Carl Davis the guy wrote the song "Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting"? "...those kicks where fast as lighting! da-da-da-da da" No, that would be Carl DOUGLAS.
posted 11-11-2001 09:20 AM PT (US)

TimT Standard Userer	Oh Yeah!
posted 11-11-2001 11:35 AM PT (US)

Graham Watt Standard Userer	Carl Davis looks English with his thick glasses, and he does English sounding music, but he's American (not that anyone said otherwise). Very prolific on British TV. Did I Monster, no-budget Christopher Lee take on Doc Jek. That was actually an interesting film, at least in its filming. It was done in 3-D, and (supposedly) the actors had to sway around to stay in focus.
posted 11-11-2001 03:36 PM PT (US)

Dinko Standard Userer	This is what Gramophone says about Davis in their Good Soundtrack CD Buy Guide Whatever the Real Name of the Booklet Is: Brooklyn born Carl Davis has spent most of his working life in England. His family was musical, so Davis began studying at seven and was able to follow music scores by the age of nine. He studied at Queen's College, NY and the New England College of Music, and learned composition from Paul Nordoff and Hugo Kauder. His music for a revue called "Diversions" was seen by Jerome Robbins, who helped get it staged in Greenwich Village in 1959. Moving to Europe, Davis studied with Per Norgard in Copenhagen and worked with the Royal Danish Ballet. He arrived in London in 1961, and decided to stay. Following the success of Diversions at the Edinburgh Festival in 1961, Davis was asked by Ned Sherrin to write music for the satirical series "That Was the Week That Was". He has composed copiously for both stage and screen, with extensive forays into television. He has been particularly associated with the revival of classic silent movies, especially the 'Thames Silents' commissioned by Jeremy Isaacs, writing several new full-length symphonic scores - the most recent being for The Phantom of the Opera. In 1991 he collaborated with Paul McCartney on the "Liverpool Oratorio", and frequently conducts concerts of music from films and show. He is married to actress Jean Boht. Note: � Grammophone Publications Limited Note 2: Retyped without prior permission from Gramophone. (Hey, at least I admit it, but if FishChip thinks this is inapropriate here, he can always edit the message and delete the text.) Note 3: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/publications.asp
posted 11-11-2001 04:57 PM PT (US)

TimT Standard Userer	Just want to say that Davis' Ben-Hur is the best CD I bought last year. Its big and loud and has a pretty great theme for Ben Hur. Its over 70 min and I like every bit of it! After I heard this one I began to look for other Davis scores. Phantom of the Opera, and The Rainbow, are also pretty interestring scores. And French Lieutenants Women is also pretty good. I'm currently trying to track down his score to Napoleon, has anybody heard that score? Care to comment on it?
posted 04-01-2003 07:21 PM PT (US)

Dinko Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by TimT: I'm currently trying to track down his score to Napoleon, has anybody heard that score? Care to comment on it? I've only heard one track, and read lots of comments about how the score is Beethoven rearranged. The track I heard reflects that. It just sounds like Davis adapted Beethoven's works to fit the screen. It's good, but is strangely like a Horner score.
posted 04-01-2003 07:26 PM PT (US)

SPQR Standard Userer	Yes, 'The Chariot Race' from Ben Hur is one of those tracks I like to play at a very unsociable level. Major timpani workout. I'll echo the Strauss influence. [Message edited by SPQR on 04-01-2003]
posted 04-01-2003 08:02 PM PT (US)

Bob Bowd Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by joan hue: I don't know if I will ever get to hear this Davis score, Marian. Our library doesn't carry much. However, I first noticed Davis when I watched a British movie made in the 80's call Champions, the story of a horse jockey. The theme is absolutely GRAND and gorgeous. Check it out if you ever have a chance. That's an order from MOM! NP The Beyondness of Things Hi Joan! Carl Davis is great! While working, this week, I listened to an RPO disc [#2877] simply called CARL DAVIS - with Davis conducting the Royal Philharmonic in a collection of suites and themes from his scores. The CHAMPIONS theme is included, along with music from: WORLD AT WAR, PRIDE AND THE PREJUDICE, FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN, HOLLYWOOD, NAPOLEON, SCANDAL, ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED, and FLESH AND THE DEVIL. Davis sometimes shows up in Toronto to do concerts. Also worked with Paul McCartney on his 2-disc LIVERPOOL ORATORIO. If you ever find a copy of Davis's FIRE AND ICE, it's superb! Includes the use of the ondes martenot; if you don't like electronics, don't let this distract you. It's a large orchestral work with the martenot acting as a voice in the orchestra. Gorgeous melodies and some barbaric, poly-rhythmic writing, too! BB
posted 04-11-2003 06:27 PM PT (US)

Bob Bowd Standard Userer	Hi Joan! Carl Davis is great! While working, this week, I listened to an RPO disc [#2877] simply called CARL DAVIS - with Davis conducting the Royal Philharmonic in a collection of suites and themes from his scores. The CHAMPIONS theme is included, along with music from: WORLD AT WAR, PRIDE AND THE PREJUDICE, FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN, HOLLYWOOD, NAPOLEON, SCANDAL, ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED, and FLESH AND THE DEVIL. Davis sometimes shows up in Toronto to do concerts. Also worked with Paul McCartney on his 2-disc LIVERPOOL ORATORIO. If you ever find a copy of Davis's FIRE AND ICE, it's superb! Includes the use of the ondes martenot; if you don't like electronics, don't let this distract you. It's a large orchestral work with the martenot acting as a voice in the orchestra. Gorgeous melodies and some barbaric, poly-rhythmic writing, too! BB
posted 04-11-2003 06:30 PM PT (US)

TimT Standard Userer	If you look up at my first reply to this thread, you'd see that I had no idea who Carl Davis was. I saw ending of Ben Hur shortly after that on TV, and I thought the the music was fantastic. I loved the way the score ended the movie, and quickly went and found the CD. And heard the whole score. Here some recommended Davis scores. Ben Hur http://pluto.spaceports.com/~timt/pages/benhurdavis.htm Phantom of the Opera http://pluto.spaceports.com/~timt/pages/phantomoftheoperadavis.htm The Rainbow http://pluto.spaceports.com/~timt/pages/rainbow.htm The French Luitenants Woman http://pluto.spaceports.com/~timt/pages/frenchlieutentantswomen.htm Widow's Peak http://pluto.spaceports.com/~timt/pages/widowspeak.htm Another movie I saw that he rescored was Flesh and Blood, I know theres a small suite on one of his compliations, but a full score release would be awsome! Because the music is great!
posted 04-11-2003 07:02 PM PT (US)

joan hue Standard Userer	Thank you Bob for the information. And welcome to the Moviemusic music site.
posted 04-11-2003 08:17 PM PT (US)

Bob Bowd Standard Userer	The Platinum label has produced an excellent Carl Davis compilation with the composer conducting the Royal Philharmonic. Budget priced at abt. 8.00, Canadian. Given that our dollar has been so devalued, vis a vis the US greenback, due to Free Trade, and other reasons, that's about 4.00 (US). Suites and themes from: WORLD AT WAR, PRIDE AND THE PREJUDICE, FAR PAVILIONS, FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN, CHAMPIONS, ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED, VARIATIONS OF A POLISH BEGGAR'S THEME, HOLLYWOOD, NAPOLEON, SCANDAL, and FLESH AND THE DEVIL. Some content is unique to this disc, I think. Recommended. Another Carl Davis disc I am fond of is FIRE AND ICE. Large scale symphonic work that includes the Ondes Martenot, also frequently used by Elmer Bernstein and Richard Rodney Bennett. Very melodic with some rousing, barbaric, polyrhythmic moments. The latter rate a, "Wow!" BB
posted 04-12-2003 08:35 PM PT (US)

TimT Standard Userer	Is this the Fire and Ice you are talking about? http://www.monstersinmotion.com/soundtrack/fireandice.html
posted 04-12-2003 09:55 PM PT (US)

tjguitar Standard Userer	I picked this up for dirt cheap from Silva via Amazon UK marketplace, it's certainly no Rozsa, but still I find it to be quite an enjoyable score. It still has the great brass and fanfares necessary for such a film. The 14 minute Chariot Race is quite the cue. Of course, I had it already on Silva's 2 disc "Silents" CD - http://moviemusic.com/soundtrack/silents If Silva still has these after 19 years and are letting them go for peanuts, perhaps there's just no interest in the title, but I still think it's a fine CD. And it cost me all of 12 bucks (w/ shipping) from the UK. I'm quite pleased. [Message edited by tjguitar on 12-17-2008]
posted 12-17-2008 06:25 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	I got an email notification about tj's reply, reminded me that with uni finals and everything I haven't been here in months. I still like the Davis score a lot. For those who are interested, the current 4-disc DVD set of the '59 Ben-Hur includes the full 1925 version of the film with the Davis score. Really fascinating. They'll be performing Davis' score for A Woman of Affairs live to the film here in May. Anyone familiar with that?
posted 12-18-2008 11:33 AM PT (US)

tjguitar Standard Userer	Marian: Does the Silva release have the best stuff or is there significant material missing? One would think with a "silent film", that everything is worth listening to, but I don't know if I'd want to buy a quad-DVD set for one dvd worth of audio tracks. [Message edited by tjguitar on 12-18-2008]
posted 12-18-2008 12:05 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	It's a long movie, so the CD can't be complete. I've only seen the film once in its full length, and that was several years ago (I haven't watched the whole thing on the DVD yet), and it's been a while since I last listened to the score, so I couldn't really tell. But I don't remember missing anything in particular. Also, the CD recording seems to be a different/newer one than in the film and sounds a bit more powerful I think.
posted 12-18-2008 12:16 PM PT (US)

sdtom Standard Userer	I enjoy Davis
posted 12-20-2008 11:03 AM PT (US)

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