backstage
MIKLÓS RÓZSA – beyond Ben Hur
Gregor Bühl
In this episode, we explores the life and work of composer Miklós Rózsa, focusing on his "double life" navigating both film scoring and concert hall composition. Rózsa, initially resistant to film work, achieved significant success in Hollywood, winning three Academy Awards for scores like Ben-Hur, Spellbound, and A Double Life. The podcast hosts discuss Rózsa's autobiography, highlighting his complex feelings about his film career versus his aspirations as a "serious" composer. They contrast him with composers like Shostakovich, who seemed less concerned with such distinctions. The episode emphasizes Rózsa's strategic use of film scoring to fund his concert works, allowing him unique contractual freedoms, such as dedicating summers to composing concert pieces in Italy. The hosts play excerpts from several of Rózsa's concert works, including the impulsive Overture to a Symphony Concert, the Hungarian Serenade, and the Sinfonia Concertante, noting stylistic overlaps with his film scores. They also touch upon his connections with prominent conductors like Bernstein and Bruno Walter, and soloists like Heifetz and Starker, further illustrating his success and influence in the classical music world. Throughout the conversation, the hosts grapple with the inherent biases against film composers and champion Rózsa's contributions to both genres. with: Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) · Johannes Kernmayer (Capriccio) Video Operator: Martin Klebahn / 4tune Studios
