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Home , Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Frida (soundtrack), John Williams (actor), Maurice Jarre

Feb. 8-9, 2020, page 1

programby Dr. Richard E. Rodda notes

The and ancient history have pro- for your Christmas holidays, and when vided the sources for screen epics ever you come back we’ll record the score and since The Life of Christ was presented (in see what you think.” Herrmann’s idea twenty minutes) by two French direc- was to match the tense, shocking images tors in 1906. The following year, Sidney and the monochrome look of the film Olcott made a one-reel condensation of with music for strings alone, “to comple- Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel BEN HUR and ment the black-and-white photography MGM produced from the same book a of the film with a black-and-white score” silent spectacular in 1926. Director Wil- (and to fit Hitchcock’s tight budget liam Wyler’s remake of Ben Hur in 1959, restrictions). With Herrmann’s score with music by -born MIKLÓS heightening the movie’s drama and pro- RÓZSA (1907-1995), became one of the viding with continuity, not only screen’s greatest successes, winning an created a sensation, but quickly became unprecedented eleven , an icon of Hollywood film-making. a record unmatched until -born equaled it in 1997. Rózsa’s Oscar-win- (b. 1952) has led a remarkable career as ning score was integral to telling the tale , singer, songwriter, producer, of the Jewish Judah Ben Hur, who actor and political activist. He first survives unjustified slavery in a Roman composed for the screen with the 1983 galley and returns to wreak vengeance Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and has upon his enemy and witness the crucifix- since contributed music to more than ion of Christ. eighty films, for which he has received Though it became the most famous an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy and two of Golden Globes. (1911-1975), and one of Alfred Hitch- (1987), the first feature au- cock’s greatest commercial successes, thorized to film in ’s Forbidden PSYCHO (1960) almost never reached City, is ’s sweeping the movie screen. Hitchcock made the epic about Pu Yi, whose life is depicted film, based on a grisly novel by Robert from his ascent of the throne as a child Bloch, as an experiment in what he through the Communist Party’s takeover wryly termed “black comedy” on a tight of China. The Last Emperorwon nine budget and in stark black-and-white. Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Paramount Studios and Hitchcock both Director and Best Original Score. disliked the first cut of the film and English director created thought that it should be edited to one some of the screen’s greatest epics in hour and “got rid of” as a television LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), Doctor show. When Hitchcock screened that Zhivago (1965), Ryan’s Daughter (1970) initial version for Herrmann in Decem- and A Passage to India (1984), and he ber 1959, however, the composer had an found the perfect composer to match idea, and he told the director to “go away their scale and spectacle in MAURICE Feb. 8-9, 2020, page 2

JARRE (1924-2009). Lawrence, which ble score by (b. 1932) brought Jarre an Oscar, is based on the won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe exploits of the British author, archaeolo- Award. Of the sequence titled Adven- gist, diplomat and military officer Thom- ture on Earth that he extracted from his as Edward Lawrence (1888-1935), who score for concert performance, Williams helped lead the Arab Revolt against the wrote, “The music was designed to ac- Ottoman Empire during the First World company the bicycle chase near the end War. Jarre’s score evokes the film’s sweep- of the film.” ing panoramas and action sequences, as Director ’s sumptuous well as its cultural settings. 1938 production of THE ADVENTURES CARLOS GARDEL (1890-1935) OF ROBIN HOOD, Warner Bros.’s first helped bring the Argentine tango to the full Technicolor feature, with a score by world. The title of hisPor una Cabeza (1935), with lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera (1897-1957), stands as the classic Hol- about a compulsive gambler comparing lywood telling of the legend about the his addiction to the race-track and his nobleman who turns virtuous outlaw to irresistible attraction to woman, refers rob from the rich, give to the poor, and to winning a race “by a head.” Por una defend from internal usurpers Cabeza is not only a standard in the in- and external enemies. The Adventures ternational dance repertory but has also of Robin Hood was nominated for four been heard in tango scenes in such Hol- Academy Awards, including Best Pic- lywood features as Schindler’s List, True ture, and won for Korngold’s score. Lies, Titanic, , All the King’s Men, J.R.R. Tolkien’s THE LORD OF THE and SCENT OF A WOMAN (1992), RINGS is regarded by many as the finest which won an Academy of all modern literary fantasies, and the Award for his portrayal of a cantanker- series of three films based on it that Peter ous blind veteran adjusting again to Jackson brought to the screen — The civilian life. Celebrated film composer Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two John Williams made a concert arrange- Towers (2002) and The Return of the King ment of Por una Cabeza for Cinema (2003) — as cinematic masterpieces; the Serenade, the 1997 CD he made with trilogy won a total of seventeen Oscars, violinist . including one for Best Picture and three Director ’s E.T. (THE for composer (b. EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL) (1982) is the 1946). enchanting story of ten-year-old El- TheCrouching Tiger is based liot (played by Henry Thomas), who on the Oscar-winning score of TAN befriends a gentle, lovable alien stranded DUN (b. 1957) for the 2000 Best Pic- on earth when his space ship hurriedly ture CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN leaves without him. These two unlikely DRAGON, Taiwanese director ’s friends learn to communicate intimately, magnificent evocation of a timeless and and they form a close and very special breathtakingly beautiful feudal China relationship, which ends poignantly in which warriors have almost mystical when E.T.’s ship returns to take him powers and love helps to guide a quest home. E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial)was (b. 1928) nominated for nine Academy Awards, provided the scores for Italian director- including Best Picture, and the memora- screenwriter ’s pioneering Feb. 8-9, 2020, page 3 “Spaghetti Westerns” (1964) and (1965), and they collaborated again for THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (1966). The hit series made a star of and established Leone internationally as a director known for his juxtaposition of long and close- shots, and his use of stylized violence. They were joined on screen inThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by and in a story about a trio of bounty hunters searching for buried Confederate gold during the Civil War. In AVATAR (2009), with music by (1953-2015), director, producer and screenwriter James Cam- eron created a lush, science-fiction moon called Pandora in the Alpha Centuri star system inhabited by the indigenous Na’vi, humanoids whose existence is threatened by mining for a precious mineral in their homeland. Cameron be- gan developing the idea in 1994, but de- layed production for several years for the digital technology to develop sufficiently to realize his vision, and Avatar was a box-office phenomenon, earning nine Academy Award nominations (including Best Film, Best Director and Best Music) and winning for Cinematography, Visual Effects and Art Direction. CARMINA BURANA (1936, “Songs of Beuren”) by CARL ORFF (1895-1982) is based on lusty Medieval poems that attack the defects of the Church, satirize contemporary manners and morals, criticize the omnipotence of money, and praise the sensual joys of food, drink and physical love. The work is framed by the cautionary chorus Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (“Fortune, Empress of the World”) — “The wheel of fortune turns; dishon- ored I fall from grace and another is raised on high.” ©2019 Dr. Richard E. Rodda Allentown

FEBRUARY 8-9, 2020 8:00 P.M., SYMPHONY HALL

PROGRAM

DIANE M. WITTRY music director/conductor Allentown Symphony Chorus — ¿¿¿ WHERE DOES THIS GO??? / , Director

“Parade of the Charioteers” from Ben-Hur Theme from Psycho BERNARD HERRMANN The Last Emperor RYUICHI SAKAMOTO Erhu Soloist: Cathy Yang Overture from Lawrence of Arabia “Por una Cabeza” from Scent of a Woman CARLOS GARDEL arr. John Williams Soloist: Eliezer Gutman “Adventures on Earth” from E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial) JOHN WILLIAMS

intermission

Overture from The Adventures of Robin Hood ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD Symphonic Suite from HOWARD SHORE Crouching Tiger Concerto Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Through the Bamboo Forest : Encounters Eternal Vow To the South Farewell Erhu Soloist: Cathy Yang The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ENNIO MORRICONE Suite from Avatar JAMES HORNER “O, Fortuna” from Carmina Burana CARL ORFF