Song of the Day #1921

Song of the Day: Ben-Hur (“Soundtrack Suite”) [YouTube link], composed by Miklos Rozsa, derives from one of the greatest symphonic scores ever written for one of the greatest epics in cinema history: the 1959 version of “Ben-Hur“, directed by William Wyler, and starring Charlton Heston in the title role. The first “intimate epic” won a record 11 Oscars, equaled—by “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King“—but never surpassed, including this well-deserved statuette for Best Original Score, Rozsa’s third and final Oscar. It is the only Oscar ever won for any score written in the ancient and medieval epic genre. This concludes our three-day mini-tribute to the Maestro Miklos. It’s become a tradition of sorts for me to highlight a cue from this film every year on this date. So… uh… Happy Birthday to Me!