Nella fantasia: part 3

Title: Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Ursus in the land of fire)

Year: 1963

Composer: Carlo Savina

Ursus, sometimes renamed as the son of Hercules, was another character who appeared in several Italian films in the 60s. A third film in the series forces him to face several enemies in order to save a princess. As the name suggests, the film has associations with fire and Carlo Savina’s score reflects these connections as well. He composed a score which differs a lot from his American contemporaries as it’s clearly inspired by the techniques of the 20^th century classical composers.

This is most apparent by the use of texture rather than melody. The only traditionally melodic aspect of the score is the rarely heard love theme but otherwise the score consists of challenging rambling orchestral sounds and moods which offer barely any time to breathe. However that doesn’t mean there are no recurring melodies, but they are motivic in nature and not easily recognizable if you don’t pay attention.

Titoli sequence establishes the bleak mood immediately with menacing brass fanfares and later with the use of cymbals and timpani resembling the sound of thunder. There’s also an introduction to the most abundant motif, a horn-call that begins with a tritone which also opens the following Seq. 2. That latter cue also ends with a victorious motif, one of the only moments when the score gets some playing in a major key. This motif is reprised in Seq. 3 with a more thunderous accompaniment before the horn-call signals a change into more mysterious moods created with brilliant harp arpeggios. Seq. 4 begins with another recurring motif, a devastating and dramatic melody which drains every possible grain of joy surrounding it. A more subtle string version of that very motif ends the following cue Seq. 5.

The score has also time for a few source-music like cues. The first one is Seq. 6 which has slightly Middle-Eastern harmonic base and an excellent, seductive bass clarinet solo creating a sort-of court dance. Seq. 12 on the other hand is a piece for a solo harp, an actual moment of sentimental beauty. The score’s nostalgic love theme is first heard at the end of Seq. 10 but abruptly interrupted by the brass fanfares. Another version of the melody starts Seq. 17 but that moment is short-lived too turning instead to a brutal slave-motif complete with clanging anvils. Another romantic melody is present in Seq. 24 based on the victory motif but later changing to the love theme performed by the full string section.

As the score progresses, the action tracks get even more furious. Seq. 7 and 9 are like a growling beast of the underworld. The massive layers of timpani-playing and thunderous cymbals dominate Seq. 11 before it cools back down to the mystery. The victory motif plays momentarily in Seq. 15 and 18 and tries to break through the banging of cymbals and dangerous horn motifs but fails. The slow-burning tension of Seq. 22 and 23 is once again created with massive percussion writing on top of which the horn-call motif gets a full rendition concluding to a chaotic crescendo. In Seq. 25 the brass writing is just ugly with its brutality before ominous moods for electric organ take over the track.

More subtle suspense is written for a ghostly saw playing on top of a base formed by buzzing electric organ chords, a trademark instrumental choice by Savina. These are present for instance in Seq. 9 and 27, latter of which features the aforementioned slave-motif on a low-key piano and ends with the devastating string motif and a short reprise of the love theme.  Seq. 14 and 16 turn a bass clarinet into a horror instrument which creates eerie, abstract moods along with high register organs and quiet timpani hits. Seq. 19 and 26 instead create these abstract unmelodic moments with just the percussion section, or combined to the organ in Seq. 21.

The score reaches its climax from Seq. 29 onward. The first sign of this is the full appearance of the victory motif which then turns to the suspenseful harps and later to menacing organs and slow-building dramatic chords for full orchestra. The following Seq. 30 reprises the ghostly saw playing along with timpani hits that shake the room, later returning to one of the biggest statements of the horn-call motif. A more hopeful, major key brass fanfare is heard in Seq. 31 whereas Seq. 32 is dominated by gloriously victorious orchestral chords. They continue to the sublime Finale cue which ends the score with a massive orchestral rise first to the love theme and then momentarily back to the menacing fanfares but at the last moment turning back to a bright major key closure.

Savina’s score surely is a challenging but highly rewarding experience once you get familiar with the different motifs and realize how cleverly they are utilized within the score. Some listeners accustomed to the American film scores from the same era might find the experimental musical techniques alien. For me they offer a new viewpoint on how to score a film like this and hence create a unique listening experience.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Titoli - Seq. 1) (02:10) ****

2. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 2) (01:47) *****

3. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 3) (01:37) *****

4. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 4) (01:15) ***

5. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 5) (01:15) ****

6. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 6) (01:30) *****

7. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 7) (01:36) *****

8. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 8) (01:30) ****

9. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 9) (01:32) ****

10. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 10) (02:05) *****

11. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 11) (02:00) ****

12. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 12) (01:00) *****

13. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 13) (01:29) ***

14. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 14) (02:49) *****

15. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 15) (01:30) *****

16. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 16) (01:11) ****

17. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 17) (01:16) *****

18. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 18) (01:32) *****

19. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 19) (02:24) **

20. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 20) (01:48) ***

21. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 21) (01:20) ***

22. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 22) (01:44) *****

23. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 23) (02:29) ****

24. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 24) (01:55) *****

25. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 25) (01:39) ****

26. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 26) (01:14) ***

27. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 27) (02:34) *****

28. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 28) (02:38) ****

29. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 29) (03:38) *****

30. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 30) (03:05) ****

31. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 31) (00:52) *****

32. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Seq. 32) (01:15) *****

33. Ursus nella terra di fuoco (Finale - Seq. 33) (01:30) *****

Nella fantasia: part 2

Title: The wonders of Aladdin

Year: 1961

Composer: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino

The wonders of Aladdin is an Italian-American-French co-production directed by Mario Bava who later has received a cult-status as a filmmaker. The score for the picture was written by an Italian film music legend Angelo Francesco Lavagnino who clearly took inspiration from the 1001 nights but kept many of his trademark sounds as well. The problem I’ve had with some of Lavagnino’s scores is that he had the tendency to overscore. I realize that it was how films used to be scored at the time he was at his most prolific and he certainly wasn’t the only composer doing so. But every single emotion had to be Felt with a capital F, every romance had to be Romeo & Juliet etc. What makes a good film score for me is also to know what to leave unscored and to have a sense of subtlety. Despite everything I said, I completely fell in love with this colourful score even though it contains some of the things I complained about. There’s such a sense of fun throughout the whole score that it leaves you smiling long after the album is finished.

The album starts with Main title which establishes the desert scenery immediately with its predictable yet fun chord progressions. However the piece starts to develop into a fast Middle-Eastern dance which probably is the most convincing thematic thread for the title character and is reprised a few times later on. The pace just keeps fastening with every added instrumental line before the mysterious yet dramatic strings make their return. The ominous, exuberant brass fanfare that opens The procession probably represents Aladdin’s foe, The Grand Vizier but luckily turns into a more mellow piece of music with softer percussion and wonderful ethnic instrumental touches. The marketplace is a piece of more traditional bazaar music that once again creates mental images about the locale as any good film score should.

The first longer action setpiece is Aladdin on the run which features action motifs that also sneak into many other cues with several disguises. The atmosphere balances between comical piano, woodwind and xylophone –led passages which are interrupted by sudden bursts of mysterious strings and an array of different pounding percussion instruments. The Genie is represented with mysterious solo flute and harp textures whereas The deadly mechanical doll receives similar magical instrumentation that turns sour at the end. Djalma’s dance is similar to the opening bazaar music -like dance pieces once again with the fastening rhythm.

The adventure aspect of the story continues in On the way to Basora which is a majestic, forward-moving piece that offers brief glimpses of melodic brilliance. Princess Zaina receives her own theme which is heard a few times on the album. This long-lined melody isn’t instantly hummable because it surprisingly includes some impressionistically fluffy harmonies and doesn’t follow the regular Hollywood route. Nevertheless it’s a magnificent composition and an extremely attractive piece of music, one of the score’s highlights for sure. The other long setpiece Attack on the caravan starts with the similar majestic harmonies that were featured in the previous cues associated with the caravan. However soon a steady percussion rhythm appears with low-key rhythmic piano passages and dramatic brass fanfares turning the atmosphere towards more serious issues for our heroes. Aladdin’s theme receives also a dramatic variation on top of the underlying chaos.

After this moment of action we return to more mysterious moods in Mirage which reprises the magical organ harmonies and comical piano passages. The Amazons have their own theme for accordion which is joined with The Genie’s harmonious textures in the following few cues. The serious drama is back in The Grand Vizier which continues to another sneaky action sequence Prison break and recapture. The comical moods of track 4 are heard once again but this time there’s a palpable sense of impending failure especially at the end when the ominous Vizier fanfares of track 11 make their return. Aladdin’s theme gets a full reprise in The dancing doll which is a delight to hear for a fleeting moment. A cliché xylophone solo is heard for The skeleton before faster string ostinatos depict The prisoners escape.

The score’s climax begins with Aladdin’s dance, another full version of Aladdin’s theme which begins after a short woodwind introduction before the familiar fastening rhythm and accompanying xylophones appear along with the furious fiddle solo. Palace fight is a short action statement dominated by strings and martial brass writing which makes then way to the low-key piano rhythms. The atmosphere of the caravan attack makes a return in The Grand Vizier’s horsemen which cools down to the final duel which isn’t an epic Hollywood action ending but a series of tango-like rhythms from the saloon piano and comedic whistles. The score ends with The flying carpet which is a massive version of Princess Zaina’s theme that gives a warm sendoff in the best romantic tradition.

The album ends with some alternate versions including for instance a faster version of Princess Zaina’s theme which is just lovely, and a longer film version of the Finale with a glorious crescendo at the end. There are also a few different recordings to the US cut of the film that aren’t conducted by Carlo Savina like the rest of the score rather than Mario Ammonini. The differences aren’t really that noticeable but the orchestral performance, especially the brass instruments sound slightly different compared to the rest of the score.

The wonders of Aladdin has everything you could hope for since everything feels like a part of a larger whole. It’s the best score I’ve heard by Lavagnino and probably will change some of my preconceptions about his music and encourage me to delve more into his vast body of work. If you can still find the album somewhere I highly recommend picking it up because it’s apparently sold out already with only a small limited number of 400 copies floating around. Bravo both to Maestro Lavagnino and to Alhambra Records for releasing these rare gems on a regular basis!

Rating: *****

Tracklist:

1. Main title (02:17) *****

2. The procession (01:27) *****

3. The marketplace (01:18) ****

4. Aladdin on the run (05:41) *****

5. The Genie (01:13) ****

6. Djalma’s dance (01:13) ****

7. The caravan - The Grand Vizier of Basora (01:04) ****

8. The deadly mechanical doll (00:31) ****

9. The caravan sets off - On the way to Basora (02:04) *****

10. Princess Zaina (Longer version) (02:06) *****

11. Attack on the caravan (05:27) *****

12. Mirage (01:31) *****

13. The Amazons (01:47) ****

14. The Genie is summoned again (01:29) ****

15. The Genie and the Amazon (00:59) *****

16. The Grand Vizier - The Magician (01:14) ***

17. Prison break and recapture (03:33) *****

18. The Dancing doll (01:02) *****

19. Secret way to the palace (01:08) *****

20. The skeleton - The cows - The prisoners escape (01:16) *****

21. The babies are switched - Rescue of the King‘s newborn baby (01:07) ****

22. Princess Zaina enters (00:44) *****

23. Aladdin‘s dance (02:06) *****

24. Wedding gift from the beggars (00:47) ***

25. Palace fight (01:18) *****

26. The Grand Vizier’s horsemen (01:22) *****

27. Aladdin’s duel with the Grand Vizier (02:46) *****

28. The flying carpet – Finale (Film version) (01:08) *****

Bonus tracks

29. The marketplace (Longer version) (01:32) ****

30. Princess Zaina (Film version) (01:23) *****

31. Finale (Longer version) (01:21) *****

32. Attack on the caravan (US version) (05:31) *****

33. Mirage (US version) (01:00) *****

34. Prison break (US version) (02:06) *****

35. Fanfare #1 (00:14) ****

36. Fanfare #2 (00:05) ***

Nella fantasia: part 1

Title: Cuore di cane (Dog’s heart)

Year: 1976

Composer: Piero Piccioni

This series will probably be my shortest one because there really isn’t a large Italian fantasy film scene. However this film from 1976 was filed under that description and the premise seems quite fantastical: a doctor performs an imaginative surgery on a stray dog which transforms then into a misbehaving human. The film is based on a satire by Russian author Bulgakov who tried to depict how communism was to transform mankind. The score for the film was written by Maestro Piccioni who created a varied, Russian-flavoured, orchestral piece of music which wonderfully bends to all the twists and turns the story requires.

The opening track introduces the two identities the score has: the mischievous comedic music inspired by compositions of Russian composers such as Prokofiev, and the sentimental romantic material which is extremely dramatic in contrast. This juxtaposition is evident during the album’s whole duration and it gives a certain tension to the listening experience. The comedic opening soon turns to the first full performance of the main romantic theme for the whole orchestra. This long-lined theme has to be one of the greatest ones Piccioni ever created. It might be a little overplayed eventually but all the variations it gets are just astounding. Seq. 2 pairs the melody with mysterious atmospheres before turning to romantic major version followed by the comical theme. The sentimental mood returns at the end. Seq. 5 is a dreamlike reprise of the theme’s B section which by itself would be already an amazing melody but joined to the main verse it’s just phenomenal. There are several long performances of the theme in the album’s latter half, for instance in Seq. 16 where tasteful piano flourishes accompany the B section, Seq. 18 performed by a solo mandolin and a moog synthesizer and Seq. 22  which emphasizes the synthesizers even more but simplifies the harmonies. Luckily the final track on the album returns to the norm and gives an emotional sendoff and closes the arch beautifully yet unceremoniously as it should.

However by far the best version of the romantic theme is Seq. 10 previously released under the title Lied all'improvviso. It’s a classically romantic lied complete with a soprano vocalist singing in Russian. The passionate performance is accompanied by moving yet understated string and piano performances. This cue has to be one of my all-time favourite Piccioni compositions because the woeful and agonizing quality of the music is just so heartbreakingly beautiful that it makes your eyes water. The vocal version is reprised in Seq. 13 which drops the orchestra and has only the pure voice singing over the nocturnal solo piano which is almost as moving as its predecessor.

The comedic cues feature an array of woodwind and brass instruments often accompanied by martial drums and jazzy harmonies. They have a certain parade-like quality to them mixed with hints of fox-trot. Seq. 3, 9 and 15 are prime examples of this style. Another theme, namely a Russian polka is introduced in Seq. 4. This melody is cheesy as hell but insanely catchy and makes you want to start dancing tropak. The melody is performed with an authentic sounding band featuring a mandolin, an accordion and a saloon piano. That same piano returns in Seq. 6 this time playing a tune in waltz groove and reminding me slightly of a merry-go-round before changing into middle-eastern bazaar harmonies with pounding umpa-umpahs provided by the tubas. Catchy ragtime jazz melodies are featured heavily in Seq. 7 before the Russian polka is reprised with same harmonies but the main melody sounds like it had been reversed somehow. Great fun nonetheless. The comedic theme has also a saloon performance in Seq. 12 but the harmonies get more and more insane as the track goes on making it sound like the record was broken by the madness.

There are also some weird suspenseful cues that represent the scientific experiments and transformations. First one is Seq. 8 that consists of swirling and wandering high strings which have all kinds of barking noises made with electronics, bassoons or brass instruments played over them. More introverted electronic effects are at play in Seq. 11 which has also sound effects resembling the cold wind and radar-like signals. There’s also hair-raising metallic screeching and tinkling in Seq. 14. But by far the most challenging piece is the 6-minute Seq. 17 with its atonal brass clusters and ‘laboratory’ music for primitive echoing synthesizer elements which is unlike anything else on the album but unfortunately it becomes rather annoying after a while. I respect the creativity here but it’s pretty hard to consider even as music. The final montage of all moods heard previously: the comedy, the romance and the suspense, is presented in the 7-minute Seq. 20 which might feel somewhat disjointed but shows great mastery of implementing the different moods into a single piece of music.

There’s so much to love about this score and I highly recommend checking it out. The great amount of additional material on the Beat Records album might be a hindrance, as there might be just a bit too much making it hard to enjoy the score on a single listen. Hence I can’t give it a full 5 star rating. The detailed and complex orchestrations and harmonic language is among the composer’s very best and provide a great deal of positive chills.

Rating: ****1/2

Tracklist:

1. Cuore di cane (seq. 1) (03:28) *****

2. Cuore di cane (seq. 2) (04:00) *****

3. Cuore di cane (seq. 3) (02:53) ****

4. Cuore di cane (seq. 4) (03:35) *****

5. Cuore di cane (seq. 5) (01:59) *****

6. Cuore di cane (seq. 6) (03:08) ****

7. Cuore di cane (seq. 7) (04:43) *****

8. Cuore di cane (seq. 8) (02:06) *****

9. Cuore di cane (seq. 9) (02:45) ****

10. Cuore di cane (seq. 10) (04:44) *****

11. Cuore di cane (seq. 11) (03:14) ****

12. Cuore di cane (seq. 12) (02:23) *****

13. Cuore di cane (seq. 13) (03:16) *****

14. Cuore di cane (seq. 14) (01:38) ****

15. Cuore di cane (seq. 15) (02:26) ***

16. Cuore di cane (seq. 16) (03:03) *****

17. Cuore di cane (seq. 17) (06:32) ***

18. Cuore di cane (seq. 18) (02:08) ****

19. Cuore di cane (seq. 19) (02:02) ****

20. Cuore di cane (seq. 20) (07:09) ****

21. Cuore di cane (seq. 21) (01:23) ****

22. Cuore di cane (seq. 22) (02:16) ****

23. Cuore di cane (seq. 23) (03:03) *****