MovieChat Forums > The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) Discussion > Use of Newman's Score

Use of Newman's Score

posted 17 years ago by bastasch8647
3 replies | jump to latest

Alfred Newman wrote his own Hallelujah music for the raising of Lazarus scene and the resurrection scenes. Stevens insisted on using Handel's Hallelujah instead, and that is the version I've seen all the times I've viewed the film. In the deluxe soundtrack 2-CD edition, Newman's original Hallelujah music is presented both for the Lazarus scene and Jesus' resurrection scenes.

My question: I have read on this board and elsewhere that there are versions of the film that have _Newman's_ original Hallelujah music restored into the Lazarus and Jesus-resurrection scenes as Newman originally intended them to be heard. Thanks in advance to anyone who can confirm or deny this!

[–] alxnrth 16 years ago

Ken Darby's book Hollywood Holyland chronicles the problems Newman had with George Stevens. In Miklos Rozsa's autobiography Double Life, he tells of William Wyler wanting Adeste Fideles used for the nativity scene in Ben-Hur!! too bad that brilliant directors have such bad ideas. I guess that accounts for David Lean continued to employ Maurice Jarre even for Passage to India.

Dale

[–] ozzy_marco-1 16 years ago

I have to say that Maurice Jarre's music for 'Lawrence of Arabia' is perfect, as is his score for 'Doctor Zhivago'. I really can't think of better suited music for these two films. I do, however, agree that his score for 'A Passage To India' left me a little flat.

[–] alxnrth 16 years ago

I think those two probably his least objectional scores, but I don't like his overuse of the seventh in Zhivago. . .considered by some, the ugliest interval. I agree. However bizarre, I think his use of the child's crank musicbox for the John Mills mentally challenged character in Ryan's Daughter was interesting & find the rest of that score pretty mundane. I can't watch Grand Prix because of his score & ache at the thought that Jerry Goldsmith was scheduled to score that film before being assigned Sand Pebbles after an ill Alex North had to bow out.

Dale