The Ten Commandments - 60th Anniversary Soundtrack Collection

Cecil B. DeMille chose a fresh voice to score The Ten Commandments—Elmer Bernstein. Bernstein's score is pure epic and a thrilling experience whether in film or on its own. Bernstein's score itself has an interesting history on record. It was first issued in 1957 on DOT records as a 2-LP set in mono from the film's soundtrack recording. With home stereo recordings increasing in popularity, Bernstein rerecorded those same selections in stereo also for DOT records three years later in 1960, although with some alterations to enhance the stand-alone listening experience. On the film's 10th anniversary Bernstein rerecorded selections again for the United Artists label. Discs 4 through 6 of this 6-CD set contain these recordings, each in packaging that recreates their original LP packaging. And yet with all these recordings, the original stereo sessions from the original soundtrack had yet to be released. Until now.

Discs 1 through 3 contain every single orchestral cue, in their complete versions, plus all of the myriad fanfares, court pieces, dances, processions, Egyptian and Hebrew source music, shofar cues and various Novachord and Theremin overlays, all assembled and sequenced as Bernstein intended. Most of the massive two-and-a-half hour score appears in stereo, meticulously compiled and restored by Chris Malone from all available Paramount vault source elements including the three-channel scoring session masters, mono safeties, a variety of 35mm elements, DAT audio transfers made by the studio for their internal digital storage purposes, music stems and the composer's personal 1/4" tape copies. In addition to the entire score as heard in the film, this presentation includes over a half hour of never-before-heard alternates and unused cues as well as another nine minutes of various scoring session outtakes and early, unused versions. Crowning this mountain-top experience is over twelve minutes of original piano demos made by the composer, including his voice and piano playing all the themes in his home studio for DeMille to audition prior to scoring. These are an incredibly rare pre-record treat that amazingly survived these 60 years.

This presentation of Elmer Bernstein's score to The Ten Commandments is an epic unto itself, providing the last word on one of his most significant and enduring works.