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  1. Southall wrote
    Getting into Morricone is a joyful thing which brings so much pleasure. But beware of how expensive it can get - once you're addicted and start buying lots of things, non-essentials like food and water will quickly play second-fiddle.

    I'm always a bit wary when I am considering a new Morricone CD. There's a lot of his stuff that is so "experimental" (for want of a better word) that it becomes unlistenable. But when there's music of his that hits the mark it's like being hit by a bus...it's beautiful.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeJul 21st 2008
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Southall wrote
    Getting into Morricone is a joyful thing which brings so much pleasure. But beware of how expensive it can get - once you're addicted and start buying lots of things, non-essentials like food and water will quickly play second-fiddle.

    I'm always a bit wary when I am considering a new Morricone CD. There's a lot of his stuff that is so "experimental" (for want of a better word) that it becomes unlistenable. But when there's music of his that hits the mark it's like being hit by a bus...it's beautiful.


    Agree, it can be a minefield, some of Morricone's work is totally unlistenable.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeJul 21st 2008
    It's dangerous to "buy before you try" with Morricone. Finding sound clips can be impossible, but if they're available, you really need to check out the reviews. Excitedly opening up a CD and finding out it's an interminable suspense score is not good fun! But I guess it's an essential part of the Morricone learning curve!
    • CommentAuthorPanthera
    • CommentTimeJul 22nd 2008
    Your reviews have been really helpful. Fortunately, my local library had a couple of his CDs for me to check out and a relative of mine also let me borrow some Ennio Morricone music. I don't plan on buying music without hearing samples or something first. That would be too risky.
  2. I always visit http://moviegrooves.com/ . They have a lot Morricone sound clips.

    Sometimes Morricone's music can also be found on YouTube.
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      CommentAuthorplindboe
    • CommentTimeJul 22nd 2008 edited
    christopher wrote
    I also have Mission to Mars, which I mostly despise (call me closed-minded) other than the last couple of tracks.


    sad I worship that score.


    christopher wroteI love gorgeous melodic music and I know he's written a lot of that. Some of his that are on my list of things to get are The Mission, La Sconosciuta, La Califfa, the Untouchables, and Marco Polo. I don't really know if any of these are still widely available, but I assume that the first still is. Any suggestions for me as a Morricone rookie?


    I suggest you wait with "La sconosciuta". It has a gorgeous main theme and a couple other very nice tracks, but other than that it's very bleak and not really that great a listen (despite a certain reviewer's enthusiasm tongue ). The four other scores you mention are all must-haves.

    Peter smile
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeJul 22nd 2008
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      CommentAuthorplindboe
    • CommentTimeJul 22nd 2008
    wink
    • CommentAuthorjloer
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    Ok, we all agree Morricone is untouchable. But if you had to pick a "new" Morricone, someone out of the younger generation, who would you pick to score your film?
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      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    Nice pun. smile
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    jloer wrote
    Ok, we all agree Morricone is untouchable. But if you had to pick a "new" Morricone, someone out of the younger generation, who would you pick to score your film?


    Ah, Morricone's unique. There will never be another. Plenty of fine younger composers with their own approaches, though. Like Desplat.
  3. I agree. It's hard to imagine the ways that future stars could shake up film music in much the way Morricone has.

    Desplat certainly is where I'm placing my bets. However his music, unlike Morricone's early career, is never really 'fun'. He's more like a blend of Herrmann, Delerue with bits of Jarre & Williams.
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
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      CommentAuthorDemonStar
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    I need to start getting scores by Morricone. I've heard a lot about his scores but not really listened to any. I know it's tough to state, but can you guys recommend what scores will be nice to start with? wink
  4. I think if you could only get a few, go for:

    - a compilation with original recordings of his spaghetti western scores for Leone (Fistful of Dollars, Few Dollars More, Once Upon in the West, Good Bad Ugly, Fistful of Dynamite) - if you could only get one, get THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

    - NOSTROMO, if you can find it. I've always preferred it to THE MISSION, though it lacks the choral splendor of the latter's best tracks

    - the compilation YO YO MA PLAYS MORRICONE, with fine arrangements of many of the great themes

    - MISSION TO MARS, which some will find to be a controversial selection for a must-get list

    - FATELESS, a recent score which featured vocals by Lisa Gerrard

    - LOLITA, a haunting score rich with a sense of endangered innocence
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
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      CommentAuthorDemonStar
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    Thanks, franz! beer biggrin
    • CommentAuthorjloer
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    i agree. no one is as fun as Morricone. i love his early scores with Leone where he didn't have access to a full orchestra. i think too many composers try to fill everything in with noise, but Morricone would highlight one or two textures at a time. In other scores you can't "hear" the forest for the trees. Morricone would just hit you upside the head like a rockstar!

    i haven't heard Desplat. i'll check him out. any recommendations on where to start?
  5. Lust, Caution definitely.

    Also The Upside of Anger for a start. Painted Veil is quite great, but I guess it needs some listens to appreciate in full (so does Desplat in general, but when you get to it, it's really rewarding).

    If you like strong, dissonant action music, go with Hostage.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    Desplat is nothing like Morricone so don't expect that, but he is a composer who understands the importance of clarity in music and doesn't just throw everything together into a big gloop like most film composers today. I would start with Birth as the finest Desplat score, but others I'm sure will differ (as Pawel just demonstrated!)
    • CommentAuthorjloer
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    thanks guys. i'll check those out.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeJul 31st 2008
    Nobody comes close to the sound of Moriconne, his musical characteristics are pretty unique. Luis Bacalov likes sounds alike in places (Sea of dreams, e.g.) but not as good.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    • CommentAuthorjloer
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
    ok, kinda off subject but does anyone know what the budget was for ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST? i can't find it anywhere!
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      CommentAuthorplindboe
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
    franz_conrad wrote
    - NOSTROMO, if you can find it. I've always preferred it to THE MISSION, though it lacks the choral splendor of the latter's best tracks


    I feel the same, "Nostromo" is even more listenable than the famous "The mission". Such great themes, and the different variations are much more entertaining than Morricone normally does them.

    Peter smile
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      CommentAuthorBhelPuri
    • CommentTimeAug 8th 2008
    Panthera wrote
    Your reviews have been really helpful. Fortunately, my local library had a couple of his CDs for me to check out and a relative of mine also let me borrow some Ennio Morricone music. I don't plan on buying music without hearing samples or something first. That would be too risky.


    This is rather late in the thread and I see that all biggest Morricone nuts have already chimed in. I'll only add that there are sites where you can listen to Morricone scores (full tracks) to help you decide. I try to send in stuff from time to time to SST, so if you find a score there that you're interested in, then do check it out.
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      CommentAuthorplindboe
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    jloer wrote
    Ok, we all agree Morricone is untouchable. But if you had to pick a "new" Morricone, someone out of the younger generation, who would you pick to score your film?


    Andrea Morricone of course. He quite literally is the new Morricone. He seems to have inherited much of his father's talent, the extraordinary debut score "Liberty heights" testifies to that. His more recent "L'inchiesta" is another masterpiece.

    He doesn't appear to be as hard working as his father, with only 2-3 scores per year, and he's not as innovative and provocative either. But he has a great gift for melody and his father has taught him well, and have passed on many of his unique techniques to his son.

    Peter smile
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    Those are the only two Andrea scores I've heard, Peter. I agree with your assessment of them both. I keep an eye out at Intrada but I don't think I've seen anything else by him become available - do you know of anything?

    (I also can't help but notice that new scores from Ennio have been extremely thin on the ground of late - again, unless I've just missed them, which is always a danger! - can't even remember the last one I bought, it seems so long ago.)
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    He is the new Morricone? rolleyes I only heard Veronika Decides to Die and was pretty horrible at places, some good points in there too though.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008 edited
    Southall wrote
    Those are the only two Andrea scores I've heard, Peter. I agree with your assessment of them both. I keep an eye out at Intrada but I don't think I've seen anything else by him become available - do you know of anything?

    (I also can't help but notice that new scores from Ennio have been extremely thin on the ground of late - again, unless I've just missed them, which is always a danger! - can't even remember the last one I bought, it seems so long ago.)


    Hey James, I know it's a long shot but do you remember a composer named John Barry?
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
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      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    I vaguely remember something about him from my youth. Wasn't he the one who wrote James Bond scores when David Arnold wasn't available?
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      CommentAuthorBhelPuri
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    Christodoulides wrote
    He is the new Morricone? rolleyes I only heard Veronika Decides to Die and was pretty horrible at places, some good points in there too though.


    Are you sure you're not mistaking the Ei Wada composed pieces to be Andrea's?

    Veronika decides... is a good score... at least Andrea's stuff.

    I'd rate Andrea's works that I have heard in the following order-
    L'Inchiesta
    Veronika Decides To Die
    Liberty Heights
    La Luna Fredda
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
    Don't know, will re-listen;
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.