The full story is over at Dangerous Minds (The terrifying rejected ‘Exorcist’ soundtrack the director literally threw out a window | Dangerous Minds), but to cut to the chase, here’s the full rejected score–which I find really quite listenable:
(Aside: Now that I hear it again, this puts me in the mind of John Adams’ beautiful elegy for the victims of 9/11, On the Transmigration of Souls–enough so that I sorta wonder if he ever listened this score. At any rate, even if this score doesn’t appeal, Adams’ piece really is one to listen to, again and again and again.)
Also included in that above-linked Dangerous Minds article is the original “banned” trailer for THE EXORCIST, which used this rejected score.
FUN FACT: Dave can’t watch THE EXORCIST. I’ve read the book, seen one or two of the sequels, but I can’t get more than ~30 minutes or so into the original film (in theaters or on video) before having a panic attack[*] and having to quit. Likewise, I can’t watch that trailer, despite it being just 1:41. I couldn’t even finish the first minute.
[*] Not being hyperbolic here; actual DSM-diagnosable panic attacks.