Composed and Conducted by ELMER BERNSTEIN

The 1956 Paramount biblical epic The Ten Commandments is one of those rare films to become an annual event in homes around the world.  It is one of the few films left that network television (at least in the United States) continues to air annually, in spring around the Passover holiday. Its crisp, colorful retelling of the Jewish story of Exodus remains compelling to this day, portraying the escape from slavery in Egypt, the relentless obstinance of and doomed pursuit by Pharaoh, and Moses’ eventual receipt of the Ten Commandments.

Cecil B. DeMille chose a fresh voice to score his spectacle — 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 Elmer 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 ¼″ 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.

Lavishly illustrated 60-page booklet designed by Joe Sikoryak includes full color reproductions of various album cover designs, authoritative notes by Frank K. DeWald about the production and scoring sessions including dates on the various releases, musician rosters, cue assemblies, pre-production artwork and more. Expert audio restoration work done by Chris Malone. Yes, fans of those glorious epic-era “roadshow” movies with their majestic and opulent scores and just plain ordinary music lovers of all types – rejoice! Elmer Bernstein conducts all 6 CDs. “So let it be written… so let it be done!”

TRACKLIST

CECIL B. DeMILLE’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE) COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED By Elmer Bernstein
CD 1 – Part 1
01. Introduction (1:37)
02. Prelude – Part 1/Prelude – Part 2 (5:44)
03. Slaughter Of The Newborn/In The Bulrushes/Bithia’s Bathing Float (3:46)
04. Moses (Long Version) (0:41)
05. Nefretiri/Fanfares/Return Of The Conqueror/Drums And Percussion/Fanfare (1:40)
06. Ethiopians/Drums (0:45)
07. Fanfare/Moses And Nefretiri/New City Underway (4:00)
08. The Advancing Keystone/Mercy And A Tomb Of Rock (3:26)
09. Temple Grain (Final Film Version) (1:13)
10. Hounds And Jackals (2:42)
11. Moses The Builder – Part 1/Fanfare/Moses The Builder – Part 2 (1:52)
12. Obelisk (0:20)
13. The Glory Of Goshen (2:33)
14. Harp For Nefretiri (1:05)
15. Memnet’s Murder (2:15)
16. The Brick Pits (2:12)
17. Death In The Brick Pits (4:01)
18. Intro To Royal Barge/The Royal Barge (3:18)
19. The Die Is Cast – Part 1/The Die Is Cast – Part 2 (5:23)
20. Court Dance (2:47)
21. Take Him Away (2:16)
22. Drums/The Dungeon (2:30)
23. Dathan’s Garden (1:14)
24. Lilia’s Harp/Dathan Bribes Lilia (1:23)
25. Egyptian Border/Moses Crosses Desert (5:33)
CD1 Total Time: 64:49

CD 2 – Part 2
01. Song For Jethro’s Daughters (0:35)
02. Defending The Well (0:52)
03. Mountain Of God (3:30)
04. Jethro’s Daughters’ Dance (1:33)
05. Moses Chooses Sephora (3:23)
06. Sethi’s Death Chant/Royal Falcon (3:02)
07. Burning Bush (1:39)
08. Organ (I Am That I Am) (2:26)
09. Word Of God (End Act 1) (2:17)
10. Overture – Act 2 (Part A)/Overture – Act 2 (Part B) (2:16)
11. The Power Of God – Part 1/The Power Of God – Part 2 (4:08)
12. Well Of Strangers/Royal Barge (Revised) (2:23)
13. Joshua And Lilia/The Shrine Of The River Gods (1:49)
14. The Red River (1:28)
15. God Of Slaves (1:51)
16. Lilia’s Song/Lilia’s Song (Harp Chord) (0:27)
17. Pestilence (1:00)
18. Shadow Of Death (1:16)
19. The Dying Boy (3:02)
20. Lord Of The Underworld (2:21)
21. Shofars/Exodus – Part 1/Dathan’s House/Nubian Drums/Exodus – Part 2 (7:31)
22. Fanfare (Alternate No. 1) (0:15)
23. Fanfare (Alternate No. 2) (0:16)
24. Fanfare (0:10)
25. Exodus – Part 3 (3:10)
26. Death Gongs (0:28)
27. A Hardened Heart/Fanfare/Chariot Assembly/Ready For Battle Fanfares (2:39)
28. Mission Of Vengeance (0:59)
29. Shofars & Fanfares (0:37)
30. Pillar Of Fire/The Red Sea – Parts 1, 2 & 3 (7:40)
31. The Red Sea – Part 4 (0:59)
CD2 Total Time: 66:45

CD 3 – Part 3
01. Mount Sinai (0:35)
02. Spoils Of Egypt/Idolators (Bacchanali)/Forming Of Golden Idol (0:49)
03. The Finger Of God/Golden Idol/Idol Sacrifice/Idolators (Bacchanali)/Bacchanal/Shofar (8:46)
04. The Lord’s Side/End Title (3:46)
05. Exit Music – Part 1/Exit Music – Part 2 (5:16)
Time: 19:19
Total Score Time: 2:30:53

CD 3 The Extras – Alternates And Unused Cues
06. Moses (Alternate) (0:23)
07. Moses And Nefretiri (Alternate)/New City Underway (Alternate) (3:55)
08. Temple Grain (Alternate) (1:12)
09. Memnet’s Murder (Alternate) (3:22)
10. Memnet’s Murder (Revised) (2:16)
11. The Royal Barge (Alternate) (3:23)
12. Court Dance (Alternate) (2:22)
13. Baccha’s Garden No. 1 (2:16)
14. Baccha’s Garden No. 2 (2:15)
15. Baccha’s Garden No. 3 (2:01)
16. Song For Jethro’s Daughters (Alternate) (0:31)
17. Defending The Well (Alternate – Long) (2:17)
18. Jethro’s Daughters’ Dance (Alternate) (1:57)
19. Exodus – Part 3 (Short Version) (1:37)
20. Shofars & Fanfares (Alternates) (0:56)
21. Exit Music – Part 2 (Alternate) (1:45)
Alternates and Unused Cues Time: 32:54

Additional Cues
22. The Red Sea – Part 3/Song Of Joseph (Film Edit) (2:00)
23. The Red Sea – Part 4 (Early Version) (1:34)
24. Exodus (Early Version) (3:12)
25. The Lord’s Side (Brass) (0:15)
26. The Royal Barge (Short Source Alternate) (0:16)
27. Tiple (Wild) (0:31)
28. Drums No. 1 (Wild) (0:26)
29. Drums No. 2 (Wild) (0:30)
30. The Finger Of God – Part 1 (Early Version) (0:37)
31. Trailer No. 1 (0:57)
32. Trailer No. 2 (0:30)
Additional Cues Time: 11:01

Elmer Bernstein ’s Original Piano Theme Demos
33. Theme Of Egypt/Nefretiri’s Theme/Bithia’s Theme/Hebrew Theme/
Theme Of Moses/Possible Short Identifying Themes For Moses/
Sephora-Bedouin Theme/Song Of Joseph – Exodus Anthem/
Joshua-Lilia Love Theme/Joshua-Lilia Love Theme In A Major Key/
Theme Of God/Theme Of Evil (12:36)
Extras Total: 54:40
CD3 Total Time: 76:01

CECIL B. DeMILLE’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(Original 1957 Dot Soundtrack Album (Mono) COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED By Elmer Bernstein
01. Prelude (5:43)
02. In The Bulrushes (3:23)
03. The Bitter Life (2:09)
04. Love And Ambition (3:53)
05. The Hard Bondage (2:12)
06. Egyptian Dance (2:47)
07. The Crucible Of God (3:15)
08. And Moses Watered Jethro’s Flock (2:17)
09. Bedouin Dance (1:57)
10. I Am That I Am (3:52)
11. Overture (2:13)
12. Thus Says The Lord (3:45)
13. The Plagues (2:11)
14. The Exodus (6:40)
15. The Pillar Of Fire (2:45)
16. The Red Sea (2:35)
17. The Ten Commandments (5:22)
18. Go, Proclaim Liberty! (3:20)
CD Total Time: 60:44

CECIL B. DeMILLE’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(Original 1960 Dot Soundtrack Album (STEREO) COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED By Elmer Bernstein
01. Prelude (5:07)
02. In The Bulrushes (4:01)
03. The Bitter Life (2:05)
04. Love And Ambition (4:03)
05. The Hard Bondage (2:03)
06. Egyptian Dance (2:52)
07. The Crucible Of God (3:07)
08. And Moses Watered Jethro’s Flock (2:13)
09. Bedouin Dance (1:56)
10. I Am That I Am (3:13)
11. Overture (2:06)
12. Thus Says The Lord (3:39)
13. The Plagues (2:51)
14. The Exodus (6:00)
15. The Pillar Of Fire (2:45)
16. The Red Sea (2:30)
17. The Ten Commandments (5:40)
18. Go, Proclaim Liberty! (3:20)
CD Total Time: 59:56

CECIL B. DeMILLE’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Original 1966 United Artists Re-Recorded Album (Stereo) COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED By Elmer Bernstein
01. Overture Act I (4:15)
02. Nefretiri (2:36)
03. Court Dance (3:03)
04. Sephora (2:10)
05. The Burning Bush (3:44)
06. Overture Act II (2:06)
07. The Exodus (3:04)
08. Dance Of Jethro’s Daughters (2:02)
09. The Red Sea (2:36)
10. Finale (3:29)
CD Total Time: 29:14