Music from gladiator movies ("morituri te salutamus"—"we who are about
to die salute you"—was how the gladiators saluted Caesar before the
festivities began)
PLAYLIST
| Selection |
Source |
Performer(s) |
Comments |
| Main Title |
Dr. Strangelove—Music from the Films of Stanley Kubrick |
City of Prague Philharmonic cond. by Paul Bateman |
From Spartacus (1960). The score is by Alex North
(1910-1991), and this recording uses his original manuscript, which includes some
brass and percussion effects deleted form the final print. A Julliard graduate and
student of Aaron Copland and Ernst Toch, North's credits include A
Streetcar Named Desire and Death of a Salesman
(both 1951), The Rainmaker (1956), Cleopatra
(1963), Dragonslayer (1981), Good Morning, Vietnam
(1987) and many others. He also wrote for the New York theatre and concert stage before beginning
his Hollywood career.
|
| Ave Caesar |
Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa |
Orchestra cond. by Miklos Rozsa |
From Rozsa's score for Quo Vadis
(1951), recorded in glorious living mono in Hollywood in 1953. |
| Quo Vadis Domine? |
Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa |
Orchestra cond. by Miklos Rozsa |
Ditto. Rozsa was born in Budapest in 1907 and educated in Leipzig,
Paris, and London. He was a violin player by age 5, wrote a ballet in
his 20s and later composed numerous symphonic and choral pieces. Rozsa
got his start in film composing working for director (and fellow Hungarian)
Alexander Korda |
| Prelude |
Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa |
Orchestra cond. by Miklos Rozsa |
From Ben-Hur (1959), one of the three scores
for which Rozsa won the Oscar. The others were Spellbound
(1945, noted for its use of the Theremin) and A Double Life
(1947). |
| Parade of the Charioteers |
Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa |
Orchestra cond. by Miklos Rozsa |
Rozsa's dozens of famous film scores include The
Thief of Baghdad (1940), Double
Indemnity (1944), Julius Caesar (1953),
The Green Berets (1968), The Private Life
of Sherlock Holmes (1970) and Dead Men Don't Wear
Plaid (1982) |
| There's Something About a War |
A Stephen Sondheim Evening (OC 1983) |
Cris Groenendaal, chorus |
Originally written for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to
the Forum (which is being produced by the Muny this summer),
where it was to be sung by the braggart general Miles Gloriosus. The song
never even made it into rehearsals, which is a pity. |
| The Glory of Rome |
Gladiator (OS 2000) |
The Lyndhurst Orchestra cond. by Gavin Greenaway |
Score by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard (formerly of the rock group Dead
Can Dance), who also sings the solo vocals |
| Strength and Honor |
Gladiator (OS 2000) |
The Lyndhurst Orchestra cond. by Gavin Greenaway |
A native of Germany, Zimmer got his start writing jingles and pop hits
such as "Video Killed the Radio Star". He received two Oscar nominations in
1999 (for Prince of Egypt and The Thin
Red Line). His other films include The Lion
King, As Good as It Gets, The
Last Emperor (with Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Byrne),
Thelma and Louise, Backdraft,
A League of Their Own, and many others. |
| Reunion |
Gladiator (OS 2000) |
The Lyndhurst Orchestra cond. by Gavin Greenaway |
His most recent score can be heard (along with lots of explosions
and other effects) in Mission Impossible: 2,
now at local theatres. According to his official bio, Zimmer is "a
pioneer in the use of digital synthesizers, advanced computer technology,
electronic keyboards and their successful integration with the traditional
orchestra in music for film and television". |
| Slaves to Rome |
Gladiator (OS 2000) |
The Lyndhurst Orchestra cond. by Gavin Greenaway |
|
| Swing Rave |
Titus (OS 1999) |
London Metropolitan Orchestra |
The wildly eclectic score for this wildly eclectic film version of
Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus is by Elliot Goldenthal, a student of Aaron
Copland and John Corigliano who earned both his Bachelor's and Masters Degree
in musical composition at the Manhattan School of Music. He has written
extensively for the theatre (often for shows directed by Julie Taymor, who
directed Titus) and concert stages as well as for
films. His previous scores include Heat, Michael Collins, and A
Time to Kill. |
| Pickled Heads |
Titus (OS 1999) |
Probably the Pickled Heads Band |
Oddest film music cut in my experience. One of many remarkable cuts on this album. |
| Vivere |
Titus (OS 1999) |
? CD doesn't have any information |
This is either a genuine recording from the '30s or thereabouts, or a very clever fake. |
