As an added bonus, there is the overture for chorus and orchestra that Bernstein wrote for Sturges' far lesser known 1965 comic western THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL, which starred Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick in a bawdy story of a whisky garrison and the temperance union's involvement in its transportation across Indian country. Again the orchestra brilliantly captures Bernstein's Americana sound, and is helped out by the Arizona State University Concert Choir.

This recording comes highly recommended for film score fans in general, and western movie afficionados in particular.


Definitive Recording of this Noble Score   March 5, 2004
gobirds2 (New England)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Of all the recordings I have listened to of the score to THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN I must say that this is my favorite. Maestro James Sedares' interpretation of Elmer Bernstein's original goes above and beyond my expectations. This recording touched me emotionally. Sedares through Bernstein's music seemed to have reached somewhere deep into my past making me relive the saga of the seven noble gunfighters who fulfill their destiny through a violent catharsis for redemption. The "Showdown and Finale" is full of energy, passion and optimism that the deeds of these noble seven will never be forgotten. This is an unforgettable recording.


Great Western sounds   May 17, 2009
zmi (Colorado, USA)
Utterly enjoyable music, well played and recorded. The "main theme" is, of course, unforgettable. The rest varies greatly: some passages are hauntingly beautiful, while others are less than gripping (as expected for a movie score; the music shouldn't steal every scene, after all). A few of the themes are surprisingly derivative of Aaron Copland.

Still, a very worthy purchase.


Surprisingly excellent   April 21, 2009
Gary J. Wright (San Francisco, CA United States)
Koch hasn't been a favorite label of mine for soundtrack re-creations. Their El Cid was a well-intentioned but very mediocre effort, for example. But I have to say this particular recording and performance of The Magnificent Seven is worth full marks in my estimation. A thoroughly enjoyable and exciting listen, I find myself listening to this more often than the original soundtrack. Many admirers of Bernstein will always prefer an original soundtrack recording to a recreation such as this, but for those who desire much higher quality sound than the soundtrack can provide, allied to a decisive and consistently rewarding performance, this is an excellent choice. Congratulations to the conductor, James Sedares for this fine work.
My high rating does NOT extend to the filler, which is a brief suite from Hallelujah Trail. This particular effort is best ignored and is a relatively feeble representation of what is to be found on the soundtrack.