American Cinema Classics

‘I am a man of double resume’ – Miklós Rózsa, Hungarian composer, was to talk about himself in this way. This outstanding creator of classical music scores is primarily known as the author of over 100 film music compositions. In the beginning Rózsa came in close contact with cinema in 1934 while he was observing his friend Arthur Honegger at work composing the score to the motion picture ‘Les Misérables’. Being fascinated by the 10th muse, he quickly began working on music to films, and his move to Hollywood in 1939 accelerated his career.

Rózsa is a master of balancing between genres. He has written film music to historical dramas, thrillers and psychological dramas. He is known, most of all, as the author of majestic pieces created for super-productions, in which the fanfares and marches are monumental and celebratory. His compositions do not lack subtlety nor delicate musical motifs. He has cooperated with the most outstanding directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder. He has been nominated for an Oscar 16 times, winning as many as three awards.

Rózsa illustrated the biggest Hollywood productions from the 1950s: ‘Ivanhoe’, ‘Knights of the Round Table’, ‘Beau Brummell’ and of course ‘Ben Hur’. The last, a legendary motion picture directed by William Wyler was treated by the composer as the crowning of his epic artistic work,and he worked on that meticulously, creating a unique, monumental and at the same time deeply lyrical score.