ENNIO MORRICONE (1928 - 2020)

Another thumbs up from me for MALENA.

I plan to marry that girl one day.
Srsly.

I'm not crazy or anything.

Thanks for the recommendations, will definitely pick it up, might also get the Hayley Westenra album which I'd never heard of!

Cool!




Try sending her some roses spray painted black. If that doesn't help, try to catch her pet and send it to her in a box, dead and carefully dissected. If that doesn't do the trick I don't know what will.

Peter

And then put the lotion in the f*cking basket?

...or tell her how much the brain chomping scene in Hannibal turns you on.

Here's a true story...

MENTALIST!

That's exactly what I wanted to hear, Peter! Thanks.

I remember watching this film years ago and falling in love with that theme. I thought at the time that since barely anyone had seen the film and that there really didn't seem to be much music in it at all, it was highly unlikely that a soundtrack would ever come out. And here it is, a 2 CD set! Pleased.

got my copy of the re-release of Exorcist II. Regan's Theme is classic Morricone very nice.
tom

Frantic has never been one of my favourite Morricones. I do like it, but there are many other scores I'd rather want to get the FSM treatment. Anyway, the end credits as heard in the movie has always been a holy grail for many morriconians.

Peter

Christopher, it sounds like you should stay far away from "Film Music Maestro", as it appears to be cheap synthesizer rearrangements. Urgh! It has some good selections, but the performances are very much inferior to the originals. With Morricone compilations it's always best to go for albums with music from the OSTs, as rerecordings almost never seem to work.

I don't know if the album "Cinema 70" has original tracks or rerecorded tracks. From my experience of various compilations I get the feeling this album has OST tracks, so it's probably alright. There aren't really any pieces similar to The Mission, but there are some fantastic tracks. I recommend these:

2.Metello (fantastic classical sounding piece)
6.La Carta Notte Delle Bambole Di Vetro (Beautiful and solemn waltz theme with piano, strings and Edda dell'Orso)
8.Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange? (Beautiful love theme with Edda like only Morricone can make them)
9.Il Maestro E Margherita (Another beautiful love theme with Edda like only Morricone can make them)
10.Allonsanfan (This isn't a gorgeous theme, so not sure if you're interested, but it's one of Ennio's coolest themes, and one of the most unique film music themes in history. Tarantino used it in Inglorious basterds)
14.Giordano Bruno (Gorgeous and tragic piece performed by strings and organ)
15.Spasmo (Judging by the track length I think this might be the single version of the track Bambole. If it is, it's a really delicious theme performed on clarinet, backed by harpsichords)
18.L'umanoide (Has some rather dated synth stuff, but it's a very nice piece)
20.Per La Antiche Scale (Gorgeous love theme on flute and piano)
21.Per Amore (Another nice love theme)
23.Stato Interessante (This is an all-time favourite. So unique. No one but Morricone can create music like this.)
24.Orient-Express (Synthy, but great theme with Edda magic)

You should probably compare your first downloads to the youtube links, to make sure it's the OST tracks on that compilation. The youtubes I linked to has music from the OSTs (except the video for track 20).

About the album Gun for Ringo/Return of Ringo/Death Rides a Horse, the best material is present on the Spaghetti western compilation, so don't worry about that one.

From the Spaghetti western album I recommend:
01.A Gun for Ringo (Fantastic theme)
05.The Slaughter (Dramatic showdown cue)
14.Bullets Don't Argue (Simplistic, but extremely catchy western theme)
15.Seven Women for the McGregor (Not sure you'll like this, but I love it. Very laid-back)
17.Mystic and Severe (Also used in Tarantino's Inglorious basterds. Not sure if you'll like it, but it's pretty cool)
21.Mouth to Mouth (Sweet love theme that I'm sure you will like)
26.The Funeral (Another great theme)

From The legendary italian westerns the following are all classic must-haves:
5.Overture
11.For A Fistful of Dollars
16.Sixty Seconds to What?
19.The Vice of Killing (Almost as good as the famous The ecstacy of gold)
22.Goodbye, Colonel!
23.For A Few Dollars More
28.Once Upon A Time In The West
30.Man With A Harmonica

It's western music though, so it's as far from The mission as it's possible to get. It's stuff that you must know and have though, before you can describe yourself as a true film score fan.

Oh, and do you like western songs? If so, A gringo like me, Angel face, The return of Ringo and Lonesome Billy are four of the cathiest songs ever written.

Oh, and to your last question, Butterfly is a great album. Very sensual music. Examples: 1, 2. Me and my gf played this CD alot the week we first met, so it has alot of sentimental value for me and her.

Peter

Thanks Peter! You must have taken a long time to put that post together. I really appreciate it. I'll give some of these a try right away.

Chris

I listened through all those YouTube clips, Peter. My favorites are Metello (very cool!) and Giordano Bruno. I think L'uminoide, if it were all orchestral could be really wonderful. As it is it's not that bad even with all the dated synth. I'll look into some of the others soon.