Miklós Rózsa (1907-1995)
The Composer of the Month for November is Miklós Rózsa!
Mr. Rózsa was a Hungarian composer who is most known perhaps for composing the music for such Hollywood films as the epic Ben-Hur, Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, the classic noir Double Indemnity, and Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.
Rózsa was one of the first "serious" composers, along with Erich Korngold, to cross over into the world of film music. For example, Rózsa's score for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes originated as a highly virtuosic violin concerto that he wrote for famed violinist Jascha Heifetz. Though it is not performed very often today, his violin concerto is one of my personal favorite pieces of music!
Another notable piece by Rózsa is his Toccata Capricciosa for solo cello - a very technically challenging and exhilarating piece that has recently seen something of a revival in cello recital programming.
Mr. Rózsa was a Hungarian composer who is most known perhaps for composing the music for such Hollywood films as the epic Ben-Hur, Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, the classic noir Double Indemnity, and Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.
Rózsa was one of the first "serious" composers, along with Erich Korngold, to cross over into the world of film music. For example, Rózsa's score for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes originated as a highly virtuosic violin concerto that he wrote for famed violinist Jascha Heifetz. Though it is not performed very often today, his violin concerto is one of my personal favorite pieces of music!
Another notable piece by Rózsa is his Toccata Capricciosa for solo cello - a very technically challenging and exhilarating piece that has recently seen something of a revival in cello recital programming.
