Miklós rózsa imslp

An Interview with Miklós Rózsa

by Derek Elley•5 June 2022

Well, as you know, for years I have refused to write music for the new Hollywood trinity: sex, violence, and horror. Resnais's PROVIDENCE had none of this. It is a highly original work, as is everything he does because he is a true artist and a truly creative film-maker. He has a style of his own, and as Buffon has said, "Le style est l'homme même." It was as much pleasure to work with him as it was with Minnelli, Wilder or Wyler; he knew what he wanted, and as he is very music- conscious and knew both my film and symphonic music, this made our collaboration easy and relaxed. His father-in-law, Andre Malraux, called his memoirs Anti-memoires, and I would call this score of mine Anti-BEN-HUR. There is nothing spectacular or flamboyant in it; on the contrary, all the music is introvert, pensive, gloomy, and often lugubrious. Even the waltz played at the imaginary reception is crépusculeuse - a waltz of twilight, almost a danse macabre.