Prometheus Records, Luc Van de Ven’s Belgian soundtrack label, is scheduled in October to release a new digital recording of Dimitri Tiomkin’s complete 140-minute score for The Fall of the Roman Empire on a double CD set. Produced for Prometheus by Tadlow Music, the recording re-unites the same team responsible for the critically acclaimed release of the complete score for The Alamo (see June 2010 news). Veteran Tadlow producer James Fitzpatrick announced this recording at the seventh annual Ubeda Film Music festival in Spain in late July. The 1964 epic film was produced by Samuel Bronston and directed by Anthony Mann. Tiomkin’s music score was nominated for an Academy Award®.

Scores and parts from the Dimitri Tiomkin Collection at the University of Southern California (USC) were consulted for the recording. Orchestrator Patrick Russ prepared the music score. Assisting Russ in the reconstruction were orchestrators Paul Henning, Warren Sherk, and Alex Wurmbrand.

James Fitzpatrick, Nic Raine, Olivia Tiomkin Douglas, and Jan Holzner

The new recording features the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and comprises the largest orchestra ever assembled in Prague for this type of recording. The massive orchestra and chorus—130 musicians participated—were conducted by Nic Raine. Olivia Tiomkin Douglas was able to attend all of the recording sessions and lent her support and enthusiasm to this vast undertaking.

Special thanks to James Fitzpatrick for providing images of the recording sessions.