Alfred Newman, Bernard Herrmann – The Egyptian (A 20th Century Fox Production In Cinemascope)

Alfred Newman & Bernard Herrmann – The Egyptian (A 20th Century Fox Production In Cinemascope)

The Egyptian is the original 1954 soundtrack album from the spectacular 20th Century-Fox historical epic, bringing together two of Hollywood's most celebrated film composers, Alfred Newman and Bernard Herrmann. Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding and Peter Ustinov, the film was one of the studio's major CinemaScope productions of the 1950s, adapted from Mika Waltari's acclaimed 1945 novel.

The score is particularly significant because of the unusual collaboration between Newman and Herrmann. With a demanding production schedule, the composing duties were divided between the two composers, resulting in a fascinating meeting of two very different Hollywood orchestral styles. Newman, 20th Century-Fox's long-serving music director and one of the most influential composers of the Golden Age, brings his gift for sweeping melodic themes, while Herrmann's contribution is more dramatic, atmospheric and texturally distinctive.

The music follows the film's grand historical narrative, moving from the atmospheric “Prelude – The Ruins – The Red Sea And Childhood – The Nile And The Temple” through “Her Name Was Merit,” “The Pharaoh Akhnaton” and the memorable “Nefer, Nefer, Nefer.” Herrmann's writing is especially striking in Nefer-Nefer-Nefer, one of the most substantial and celebrated sections of his contribution to the score.

The second side develops the epic and tragic character of the story with “The Valley Of The Kings,” “At The Tomb Of Amenhotep,” “The Martyrdom Of Merit,” “The Death Of Akhnaton,” “Horemheb, The New Pharaoh” and “Exile And Death.” Together, these pieces demonstrate why The Egyptian remains an important title for collectors of Golden Age Hollywood film music, Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, orchestral soundtrack albums and classic 1950s cinema.

For film-score collectors, this original soundtrack also has particular historical interest. Later CD editions and complete-score restorations have substantially expanded the available music, but this 1954 album represents the period soundtrack release associated with the film itself. Later restorations have confirmed just how extensive the original Newman and Herrmann score was, with surviving material including substantially more music than the original album presented.

Side A

1. Prelude - The Ruins - The Red Sea And Childhood - The Nile And The Temple
2. Her Name Was Merit
3. The Pharaoh Akhnaton
4. Nefer, Nefer, Nefer
5. The Lotus Pool

Side B

1. The Valley Of The Kings
2. At The Tomb Of Amenhotep (The Great Pharaoh)
3. The Martyrdom Of Merit
4. The Death Of Akhnaton
5. Horemheb, The New Pharaoh
6. Exile And Death