WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 8

Title: Edipeon – il sapore della pelle

Year: 1970

Composer: Stelvio Cipriani

I was saddened by the passing of one of the greats of Italian film music, Maestro Stelvio Cipriani. He was an incredibly prolific composer who wrote dozens of film scores a year during his prime with stupendous quality. Luckily the labels still release unreleased music by him and I doubt this will cease anytime soon. I decided to revisit one release from 2015 by Digitmovies. The obscure film is about a teenager dealing with Oedipus complex and other unhealthy desires finally winding up to murder and suicide. Cipriani’s score rises above all this with classically beautiful, restrained music that includes some of his most beautiful passages.

The opening Seq. 1 is a true beauty a melody, beginning with delicate harp playing that makes way to the recorder and later to the voice of Edda dell’Orso. The chord progressions are clearly Baroque in nature and after a modulation the piece turns into an actual medieval dance piece with the high soprano voice singing in the distance. Unfortunately Cipriani rarely returns to this idea later in the score. In Seq.2 it’s heard as a more menacing organ chorale which turns into a near horror territory before introducing the film’s real main theme that gets more coverage later in the score. The Baroque recorder is combined to unsettling flute and electric guitar effects along with vocal ‘whoo-hoos’ in the bizarre yet engaging Seq. 5. Finale is a short reprise of the opening theme and a fine end to the album.

A variation of the main theme, probably most familiar Cipriani melody heard on this album compared to his other works, is heard in Seq. 3 as a laid-back bossa cue with Edda’s scat vocals. This cue was previously released as public domain library music and I’ve surprisingly heard this cue playing in some YouTube videos quite recently. The main theme is hinted again in Seq. 11 disguised as a beat cue but the real first full performance is in the following Seq. 12. Here it’s sung by Edda with scat vocal stylings familiar to works of Ennio Morricone. Many full versions of the theme follow in cues Seq.15, 17, 18, 22, 23 and 24. The problem is that the theme gets rather repetitive eventually and slightly loses its magic in the process. Notable versions however include Seq. 17 with a classical-guitar waltz version with the vocals and Baroque flute, and Seq. 18 with a suspenseful climax to tremolo strings.

Another melodic winner is the score’s third thematic idea first heard in Seq. 4, clearly borrowing a note or two from Chaplin’s Smile. Nevertheless it is a spectacular theme that resonates childlike innocence that is highlighted by its usually small-scale orchestrations. Seq. 8 is a simple flute, guitar and percussion trio whereas Seq. 9 begins with an emotional string quartet that then gets going after a percussion set joins the fun. The plainest but probably prettiest version is the passionate solo piano performance, Seq. 10 probably played by the composer himself which gets me almost teary-eyed. The final version of Seq. 25 is an emotional send-off with a mournful organ prelude that leads to a bare harp and solo violin duet.

As for usual there are also moments that aren’t linked to the main thematic material. These include two beatnik party cues Seq. 7 & 16 with groovy keyboard solos and Seq. 13: a fast, walking bass heavy chase scene with out-of-tune guitar twanging and more of those groovy keyboards. A melancholic organ waltz Seq. 20 underscores the film’s more tragicomic aspects with slight touches to Italian folk music. A previously unheard melody, a romantic bolero for oboe and strings is heard in Seq. 21 which turns about to be one of the score’s most unique little moments.

The score has elements like the small-scale Baroque orchestration and progressions that are rather unique to this very score. Still the main theme is rooted in the same pool where Cipriani usually drew his thematic ideas which gives that familiar comfort. The latter half of the album drags a little after so many similar versions of the same theme with only slight variations. Overall it’s however a fine, beautiful composition that every fan of the composer should check out.

Rating: ****1/2

Tracklist:

1. Edipeon - seq.1 Titoli (02:43) *****

2. Edipeon - seq.2 (01:31) ****

3. Edipeon - seq.3 (03:12) ****

4. Edipeon - seq.4 (01:28) *****

5. Edipeon - seq.5 (01:39) *****

6. Edipeon - seq.6 (01:29) ****

7. Edipeon - seq.7 (02:37) ***

8. Edipeon - seq.8 (01:48) *****

9. Edipeon - seq.9 (01:15) *****

10. Edipeon - seq.10 (01:24) *****

11. Edipeon - seq.11 (01:48) ****

12. Edipeon - seq.12 (02:05) *****

13. Edipeon - seq.13 (02:12) *****

14. Edipeon - seq.14 (02:29) ****

15. Edipeon - seq.15 (02:17) *****

16. Edipeon - seq.16 (01:31) *****

17. Edipeon - seq.17 (02:30) *****

18. Edipeon - seq.18 (01:49) *****

19. Edipeon - seq.19 (02:23) ****

20. Edipeon - seq.20 (01:49) ****

21. Edipeon - seq.21 (02:37) *****

22. Edipeon - seq.22 (01:24) ****

23. Edipeon - seq.23 (01:04) ****

24. Edipeon - seq.24 (01:42) ****

25. Edipeon - seq.25 (01:58) *****

26. Edipeon - seq.26 Finale (01:32) *****

WTF (part 7) and Giallo fever (part 11)

Title: L’ingenua (The naive)

Year: 1975

Composer: Carlo Savina

Sexy comedies with some softcore nudity were their own genre in Italy in the 70s, including L’ingenua from 1975. There is a plot about conmen trying to sell a villa but the real reason for the film were the views, both the beautiful scenery but mostly the nudity of one Ilona Staller, aka Cicciolina, a famous Italian sex-object. Strangely a film like this also got an original score which was made by none-other than Carlo Savina, already a prolific film composer at the time. And the result is actually a pleasant surprise, not just some background porn music.

Because the score is so short, around just 25 minutes, Savina made a clever choice to build it around one unifying theme heard in Seq. 1. It opens however with a sighing female voice, which is a corny touch and sadly disappears for the rest of the score. The theme is then heard in waltz meter on the Mediterranean accordion and whistling which gives it the comedic edge before modulating into a wondrous little crescendo. Lovely stuff indeed. It is followed by straight-up comedy honky-tonk which after a pause turns into a fine version of the main theme never straying far from the comedy. A more laid-back poolside source version is heard in Seq. 3 but Seq. 4 returns to the comedy with music suitable for a funny chase sequence and later more anonymous background music. Seq. 6 and 11 include folk-music like accordion waltz which isn’t terribly original but does it job. Bluesy radio source with walking bass is featured in Seq. 7 preceding a cheeky main theme statement of Seq. 8 which has slight hints of doubt with the underlying orchestrations.

A beautiful saxophone solo opens Seq. 10 before the comedy motif of Seq. 2 returns somewhat ruining the otherwise fine atmosphere. The most ‘suspenseful’ moment of the score is heard in Seq. 12’s beginning but then it dissolves into a mixture of both the main theme and an actually interesting variation of the comedy motif with odd tinkling sound-effects and organ bleeps. The last cue returns to the lovely wonder of the opening with sweet orchestrations and floating accordion solo.

The score for the film is a very light one and doesn’t feature any real drama. If you’re looking for an easy-listening to play in the background, this certainly does the job but never reaches the heights Savina is capable off. But on the whole we have to be glad that this project even exists and we are able to hear it after over 4 decades.

Rating: ***

Title: L’osceno desiderio (Obscene desire)

Year: 1978

Composer: Carlo Savina

As an odd choice, the second feature on this album is actually from a giallo/horror film about an American tourist who gets impregnated while on a holiday. Inspired clearly by The omen and Rosemary’s baby, the child is actually the antichrist. Savina’s score is actually similar to one featured in those films, since it includes both beautiful passages that lull you into a fall sense of security and then releases frightening scenarios in the tension-filled cues.

The film’s sad main theme opens Seq. 1 with a plain piano solo which later expands to woodwinds and solo viola. Savina’s scores generally are more built around motifs than long-lined themes. However this time the melody is really developed and tear-jerkingly beautiful, and perhaps one of the composer’s very finest. The orchestration for this score is quite sparse which makes all the instruments pop out thus making the listener feel each performer’s unique way of playing. The first few reprises are full of hope and filled with the bliss of a tragic romance. Both Seq. 3 and 4 include passages in major key and variate the melody into clever chord progressions that change the overall mood momentarily into a light autumn breeze. The last shades of almost childlike innocence are heard in Seq. 6 which once again continues to the tragic pattern that is incredibly beautiful with its sadness. From thereon the theme continues to get shades of darkness with every reprise. Seq. 8 combines it with clashing pianos, keyboards and even snippets of the devil’s viola, and the style gets even more broken and crooked in the following cue. After many horrific cues there is a surprising sequence, Seq. 17, which is a romantic new theme that has dramatic piano flourishes and even major key sections. That new melody is also heard in the finale cue which isn’t the romantic conclusion I was hoping for because there are still shades of darkness left, perhaps signaling that the evil wasn’t defeated.

The horror begins already in Seq. 2 with devilish viola solo, another classic way to resemble the devil through Western classical music. The base is reprised without the viola in Seq 7. The mood of these cues is later developed into an actual horror motif which is the score’s secondary theme. Seq. 10 has interesting keyboard effects that are actually quite fun in a twisted way. The first version of that secondary theme is also heard during its final moments. Seq. 11 has music that sounds like someone creeping around empty rooms at night. Seq. 12 begins with terrifying variations of the main theme which make way to another sparse creeping around cue that is actually quite frightening to listen to by yourself. Seq. 13 is the first cue built entirely around the secondary theme. It isn’t as effective as the previous horror music but functional for sure and it even includes some humming choral voices that create a ghostly atmosphere. There are also otherworldly electronic enhancements in the following cue which are actually quite unsettling. The closest the music comes to releasing the tension is at the end of Seq. 18 where the music speeds up and swells into its climax.

L’osceno desiderio has beautiful, exquisitely orchestrated music during its first half which then turns into sour, slow-burning tension during the second half that barely lets the listener have a moment to breathe. Unfortunately the beginning is so strong that the suspense music, which is built around repeating loops and short phrases, just falls flat at certain points. At times though it manages to get under my skin and makes me check over the shoulder for intruders. Nevertheless it’s clearly the better score of the album and just barely misses a perfect rating.

Rating: ****1/2

Tracklist:

1. L'ingenua (Seq. 1) (02:10) *****

2. L'ingenua (Seq. 2) (02:24) ****

3. L'ingenua (Seq. 3) (01:37) ****

4. L'ingenua (Seq. 4) (02:06) ***

5. L'ingenua (Seq. 5) (01:22) ***

6. L'ingenua (Seq. 6) (01:39) ***

7. L'ingenua (Seq. 7) (01:17) ***

8. L'ingenua (Seq. 8) (01:48) ****

9. L'ingenua (Seq. 9) (01:58) ***

10. L'ingenua (Seq. 10) (02:04) ***

11. L'ingenua (Seq. 11) (01:48) ***

12. L'ingenua (Seq. 12) (02:32) ****

13. L'ingenua (Seq. 13) (01:11) *****

14. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 1) (01:52) *****

15. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 2) (01:26) *****

16. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 3) (02:24) *****

17. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 4) (02:56) *****

18. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 5) (01:19) *****

19. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 6) (02:06) *****

20. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 7) (01:26) ***

21. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 8) (02:31) *****

22. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 9) (01:49) *****

23. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 10) (02:28) ****

24. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 11) (01:37) ****

25. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 12) (03:00) *****

26. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 13) (02:00) *****

27. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 14) (03:24) ***

28. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 15) (02:26) ****

29. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 16) (02:01) ***

30. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 17) (03:42) *****

31. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 18) (01:53) ****

32. L'osceno desiderio (Seq. 19) (02:30) *****

WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 6

Title: N.P. – Il segreto

Year: 1971

Composer: Nicola Piovani

Nicola Piovani is an Italian composer whose works I haven’t been liking all that much. I mean his works are fine, but perhaps too light-hearted and ‘simple’ for my taste. I purchased this Music Box records album at a sale and it is a fairly enjoyable experience with two quite different scores 10 years apart from another.

The first one, N.P. – Il segreto is a film about a dystopian future society with state control and despotic leaders. The main theme is surprisingly happy given the subject matter. It’s a version of Niccolò Paganini’s Caprice no 24 but turned into a psychedelic 70s beat track with harpsichord, surf guitars, organ and so on. It’s similar to what Morricone did with Dies irae for the film Escalation. Eventually more orchestral elements are added along with a nod to the original composer with a short solo violin passage. The final track includes a la-la choir which is just so fun that you have to start humming along. It’s the highlight of the whole album for me.

Speaking of Morricone, Strike #1 is straight out of his works for political thrillers with steady piano rhythms and weird harmonies with hints to the Paganini melody. It’s a cool little cue but pales in comparison to the brutal force perhaps needed for a political setting. Strike #2 is more aggressive arrangement of the same material and includes even some distorted electronic guitar notes to disturb the mood. Butterfly introduces two recurring melodies. First a semi-religious string melody with unexpected chord progressions, later sung by a choir in track 7 with a sweet accompaniment, the most sincere moment on the album. The second one just wanders on mournfully without that much variation and just repeats itself on and on. That same tune is reprised in Prophet by a solo accordion and viola and finally in Transformation by a marching band which gets unfortunately very tedious with the endless repetition. We return to the martial feel in Montage which begins with just the drums on top of which harpsichord lines and sharp piano notes are then played. Again, it’s more comedic in tone than suspenseful but I’m impressed how entertaining it is with so few instruments.

The score is just under 30 minutes long but even for that amount the material seems enough. Unfortunately there isn’t enough variation and most of the cues are just repeating a short tune with little changes in the orchestration. The main theme and its applications in the two Strike -cues are the highlights and the main reason for further listens.

Rating: ***1/2

Title: Il minestrone

Year: 1981

Composer: Nicola Piovani

The main theme for Il minestrone is a polar opposite in tone to N.P. – Il segreto. The film is a comedy about a group of scoundrels trying to eat for free in restaurants by committing scams. Well this time the melody is dead serious, folksy mandolin tune reminiscent of Italian rural melodies or even Italo-schlager harmonies. This juxtaposition of the subject matter and the music makes it comedic and a delight to listen to. Snippets of the main theme appear frequently for instance at the end of Promenade by a marching band, and in a very silent film like piano/harpsichord duet Food fight which just keeps the mad pacing going. Dog eat dog combines the fastening pace with the nostalgic strings and some marching band creating an entertaining moment.

Most of the album’s other melodies are in the same style as the main theme, sounding pretty much Italian traditional music, a style which Piovani does very well and I’m most familiar of him doing. However many of these melodies are more light-hearted than the actual main theme. There is straight up restaurant source music for either mandolin or viola backed by a strumming guitarist in Invisible meal, Jaunty source and Rich meal.  It’s appropriate scoring but unfortunately the cues start to run into each other and you again start to wish for some variety. A new arrangement by a Strauss-melody Die Fledermaus is written in that same restautant-like way.

Piovani also wrote his own slower Alpine, Strauss-inspired tune which is introduced in Wandering, then heard along with a lonesome trumpet playing the main theme in In the mountains and in its sweetest form in After the storm. Some straight marching band tunes are heard in Marines and eventually in Finale which is an extended treatment of the previously mentioned Alpine tune along with snippets of the main theme. A very beautiful solo piano piece Il maestro is a nice change of pace and highly moving with its simple, descending chord progressions, a clear highlight for sure.

Of the two scores, Il minestrone perhaps is the more approachable one but the material is even more monotonous. If you can’t stand Italian traditional music with emphasis on mandolin, then I advise you to stay away from this one. However I have to admit that the main theme is actually pretty infectious especially when the pace gets going.

Rating: ***1/2

Tracklist:

1. N.P. - Il segreto (Main theme) (03:36) *****

2. N.P. - Il segreto (Strike #1) (01:56) ****

3. N.P. - Il segreto (Butterfly) (03:37) ***

4. N.P. - Il segreto (Montage) (03:53) ****

5. N.P. - Il segreto (Prophet) (01:25) ***

6. N.P. - Il segreto (Strike #2) (02:31) ****

7. N.P. - Il segreto (Choir) (02:32) ****

8. N.P. - Il segreto (Transformation) (04:25) ***

9. N.P. - Il segreto (Main theme - choral) (03:38) *****

10. Il minestrone (Main theme) (03:47) *****

11. Il minestrone (Invisible meal) (02:01) ****

12. Il minestrone (Promenade - 1st version) (02:51) ****

13. Il minestrone (Food fight) (02:23) ****

14. Il minestrone (Wandering) (00:53) ***

15. Il minestrone (March) (00:59) ***

16. Il minestrone (Jaunty source) (01:09) ***

17. Il minestrone (Dog eat dog) (02:00) ****

18. Il minestrone (Rich meal) (01:32) ***

19. Il minestrone (Promenade - 2nd version) (02:34) ***

20. Il minestrone (Il maestro) (02:06) *****

21. Il minestrone (Die Fledermaus) (01:47) ***

22. Il minestrone (Marines) (02:51) ***

23. Il minestrone (In the mountains) (01:22) ****

24. Il minestrone (After the storm) (02:14) ****

25. Il minestrone (Finale) (04:21) ***

26. Il minestrone (Main theme - alternate version) (03:11) *****

WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 5

Title: L’harem (Her harem)

Year: 1967

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Another obscure project from the 60s for Maestro Morricone. The film is about a woman who starts her own harem of men and at the end things turn deadly. The score is a unique one and showcases once again Maestro’s chameleon like ability to adapt to any film or situation.

The score was previously paired up with Maestro’s score to Il ladrone but luckily Beat Records released a longer version in early 2017. It’s still a very short one and presented here in a suite clocking just over 30 minutes and divided into 5 sections. But for me it’s the perfect length to discover this hidden gem.

The score consists of two different themes highlighting two extraordinary musical artists, Gato Barbieri on saxophone and Bruno Battisti D’Amario on guitar. These two really are the soul of the score which is otherwise scored for a very small amount of other instruments. This chamber ensemble approach nevertheless works and creates a wonderful feeling of sensual isolation for the film’s remote locale.

A solo saxophone opens L’harem primo and slowly chimes, woodblocks, percussion fills and nostalgic Morriconean high strings enter along with delicate brass chords. The real star is the saxophone which develops from the main melody into more improvisatory verses before returning to the original melody and then moving to another developmental section. The atmosphere lingers at the border of atonality and tonality which gives the cue some needed edge and hence prevents it from becoming boring. The solo sax version of the opening is exactly that, just a 10-minute sax solo in the emptiness. On paper it sounds ludicrous and I wonder who would even manage to listen to it completely. But right from the first notes I was hooked. The intense performance goes through so many emotions and the wonderful echo of the recording elevates it even further. At times the sax sounds like it’s part of a sensual bar scene, sometimes like a soundtrack to some film noir flick and sometimes like a screeching animal howling at the moon. L’harem secondo is built like the opening cue but there is an added woodwind layer in the orchestral section and the brass chords become more prominent as the cue progresses resembling Maestro’s signature ‘urban chords' depicting city life. The atmosphere however stays at a comfortably low-key level and ends the score with mysterious atmospheres and some wonderfully unresolved tension.

D’Amario’s showpiece is called Sei corde (lit. ‘Six strings’) which actually has some Middle-Eastern influences that the film’s title might suggest. It begins rather slowly along with some pounding percussion backing and then turns into a furious dance for the solo guitar and percussion. It’s an extremely groovy yet brutal track which differs completely from the meditative nature of the saxophone-heavy cues. You almost forget you’re listening to a film score rather than some ethnic folk group just jamming in their pagan rituals. The reprise in track 4 skips the cue’s slower opening and goes straight into the dance sequence that doesn’t hold anything back and goes even further into the violent madness. The album ends with a source cue from another Morricone score Menage all’italiana (1965) which is a great, fast party cue complete with twanging surf rock guitars and some needed attitude to end the album with a more positive note.

During the first few listens I had some difficulties with getting into the essence of this score. But the more I listen to it, the more I love it. It just floats so beautifully from one atmosphere to another and then being temporarily disturbed by the ethnic dancing. It might not be for everyone though since some might discard the meditative quality of the music and consider it as boring. A top-quality score by the Maestro and a great addition to your collection if you can bear his writing for smaller ensembles.

Rating: *****

Tracklist:

1. L'harem primo (07:06) *****

2. Sei corde (05:21) *****

3. L'harem primo – solo sax (09:55) *****

4. Sei corde (#2) (02:45) *****

5. L'harem secondo (06:26) *****

6. Bonus track: Fermateli! (boutique scene source music) (02:45) ****

WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 4

Title: L’istruttoria è chiusa: dimentichi (The case is closed, forget it)

Year: 1971

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Though I tend to enjoy or at least respect Maestro Morricone’s efforts of creating experimental film scores, there are limits to everything. The name of this series is Weird tho’ fabulous and this score definitely fits into the first word of the title. The fabulousness though comes in the daringness of the ‘music’ and the guts behind it. This is undoubtedly the most experimental Morricone score I’ve ever heard and it’s very hard even to label as music.

This political film tells a story of a prisoner witnessing firsthand the grimness and corruption going on behind the bars. The whole score is avant-garde in nature and it’s clearly inspired by Karlheinz Stockhausen’s compositions. The cues consist of sound design and effects that appear seemingly out of nowhere and disappear as they please. Bulk of the score contains radio noise playing either patriotic marches (the extract is by a fellow film composer Luis Bacalov and it’s called Una banda per un assassinio) or pop cues that sound like Tom Jones singing. The album actually says that Morricone orchestrated and conducted the music. I would have loved to be a fly on the ceiling when the score was recorded because I have no idea how one would orchestrate or notate this kind of abstract ‘music’, or whether there were actual radios being turned on and off during the recording session like in an avant-garde music installation. Or it might just be a typo.

The score is presented in a 27-minute suite divided into four sections plus the album also includes two alternate takes at the end. The titles of the sections show no hope for our protagonist: ‘Memento’ – ‘Orders’ – ‘Riot’ – ‘Life sentence’. The score opens with a buzzing electronic effect and then first faint radio signals appear soon to be interrupted by metallic clanging. Ordini on the other hand begins in a much quieter manner with several long pauses between the twangs. There are some real instruments to be heard from time to time such as a piano or small string quartet. However those moments are short-lived as the madness starts to sneak in. The track introduces highly disturbing whispering voices and creaking prison doors amid atonal piano chords. And then out of nowhere we hear screams that sound like someone getting assaulted. Around 7-minute mark out of the silence arrives an actual musical motif, a minor third interval for some plucked instrument that reminds me of time ticking by. Astoundingly the motif is actually reprised in track 6. Overall this 11-minute cue is the best section because it actually includes some real instruments and almost none of that irritating radio noise.

Well I spoke too soon as Disordini is full of that. However it also includes some rhythmic string and piano chords which are made unbearable by the constant interruptions provided by shouting prison guards, screeching electronics and happy march music that cuts and twists and bends like someone was messing with the signal. Ergastolo introduces actual screeching woodwind instruments before the atmosphere cools down and those aforementioned string chords make their return. Surprisingly a steady piano rhythm appears at 3.5-minute mark perhaps giving us this score’s version of forward momentum. During the last few minutes the track reaches a sort of climax as it unleashes all kinds of rattles and clangs and the electronic effects intensify for a short fleeting moment. The last two cues don’t bring anything new to the table though the film version of Memento has to be the worst track in Maestro’s entire career as the electronic manipulation of different radio signals is just that annoying and unbearable.

This is what a nightmare sounds like. The score knows how to establish an atmosphere though: bleak prison scenery fully realized by sounds echoing in the vast hallways and cramped, claustrophobic cell blocks. Some might wonder why I gave a high rating to a Morricone score with music by an avant-garde group Nuova Consonanza. At least their music was fun, this one isn’t. The score will never be a classic and I find it nearly impossible to recommend to anyone. However it once again shows the creativity of a Maestro who didn’t bow to anyone else and crafted a score unlike anything we’ve heard before. And that is an accomplishment on its own right.

Rating: *

Tracklist:

1. Memento (02:34) *

2. Ordini (11:03) **

3. Disordini (05:49) *

4. Ergastolo (07:23) *

5. Disordini (titoli versione film) (02:14) *

6. Ordini (versione alternativa) (03:29) *

WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 3

Title: Teorema (Theorem)

Year: 1968

Composer: Ennio Morricone

This is going to be another multiple score release by a Swedish record label Fin de Siècle Media. The films are unknown and there’s very little information to be found about them online. Judging by their descriptions they seem to contain many genres and hence can’t really be categorized. All the scores by Maestro Morricone are versatile and even the soundscapes don’t really give you the clue what’s happening on screen.

The first score is the shortest of the three with only about 15 minutes of music and it’s probably the most well-known title of the bunch. Teorema is directed by the controversial filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and it tells a story of a supernatural entity that comes to change the life of an upper-middle class Italian family. The score begins with two abstract, atonal pieces. The first one utilizes the chamber-sized orchestra and choral voices of I Cantori Moderni. The soundscape that is created is completely otherworldly and sterile and it’s stripped down of any emotion. It’s extremely difficult music and reminds me of Maestro’s absolute music compositions but the effect is similarly oddly engaging. The following Frammenti drops the choir and what are left are only the little fragmented notes from the orchestral instruments that sound like they form an aleatoric composition.

The rest of the score includes 3 melodic cues beginning with an original song performed by a group called Trio Junior. It has to be one of my all-time favourite Morricone songs. The melody has a classical quality to it and the harmonizing of the vocals reminds me of medieval singing even though they are accompanied by a pop beat. The uneasiness isn’t far though because the track also includes eerie wind sound effects that make the song sound like it is played somewhere in the distance. L’ultima corrida is a comical piece featuring a Mariachi trumpet and electric guitar solo over choral voices singing “bombom” . The last track is a danceable beat track with rather mellow harmonies that close the score peacefully. It may be hard to rate a score this short but based on these cues I’m happily surprised by the variety that is apparent in all the 5 tracks and thus Teorema gets a high rating from me.

Rating: ****

Title: La stagione dei sensi (The season of the senses)

Year: 1969

Composer: Ennio Morricone

The next title La stagione dei sensi is a psychologic tale about seduction of naïve teenage girls on a secluded island. The film opens with a brutal original song Gloria that’s performed by Patrick Samson with a rock’n’roll attitude. However what makes the song stand out is the unusual arrangement by Maestro that features ear-piercing brass section lead by crystal-clear trumpets that sound like they’re welcoming the four horsemen of the apocalypse. After the exciting opening the mood changes immediately to a Latin-flavoured cue Una voce allo specchio with an incredibly beautiful vocal scat solo by Edda dell’Orso. The track is just a bliss to listen to and comes completely out of left field. The reprise in track 12 replaces Edda’s voice with a sensual harpsichord. The psychedelic aspects of the story are addressed in the following Sytar that features the Indian instrument sitar but the backing orchestral arrangement is very impressionistic which makes the overall mood surprisingly somber.

The second original song sung by Samson isn’t as successful as the opening track. It has 2 versions, Tell me tell me in English and Laila laila in Italian. The trumpets are once again featured heavily but this time in a more 60s pop music style which is fun but nothing special. Edda has another incredible solo in a dreamlike Sospendi il tempo which acts as an interlude between the two rock tracks. There’s also a track of pure insanity called Dinamica per 5+1 which has to be one of the greatest atonal tracks I’ve heard from Morricone. It’s written for a chamber ensemble that consists of a constant walking electric guitar line, percussion hits, screeching/barking trumpet, occasional clarinet and completely mad organ lines that sound like someone just smashing the keys blindly. The piece has no clear structure but that’s what makes it intriguing in a way. The sound has to be created in a sarcastic way because nobody would create a cue this bizarre without any sense of humour. The score ends with a beautiful classical waltz for the string section that is again a complete mood change compared to the preceding madness.

The contrast between different musical styles is even more evident in this score than Teorema. There’s only a bit more oomph missing that prevents it from getting five stars. Nevertheless the mixture sounds fresh and the constant changes keep the listener on his toes.

Rating: ****1/2

Title: Vergogna schifosi (Dirty angels)

Year: 1969

Composer: Ennio Morricone

The closing 23 minutes of the album are dedicated to Vergogna schifosi which is nearly a lost film according to the description. It is centered on blackmail of previous crimes and Morricone has taken a rather playful approach to the serious subject matter. Namely the main theme, which is a children’s round game tune but the choral lyrics include far more ominous words such as “matto” (= madman) and “morte” (= death). The theme is a pinnacle of Maestro’s theme writing ability. The playful tune forms the basis but in addition to that there are two counter melodies that arise over the choral voices. The first is a long-lined soaring melody that is solely performed by Edda dell’Orso’s wordless vocals. The second motif is a sung wah-wah similar to Morricone’s spaghetti western writing which is featured heavily in Ninna nanna per adulti which then variates the round game melody in an impressionistic orchestral version. The score is mostly monothematic and all the material arises from the opening track Matto, caldo, soldi, morto… girotondo. The Edda melody gets its purest version in Una spiaggia a mezzogiorno without the other choral voices. The last track reprises all the thematic ideas in a neatly packed and compact way and it’s probably the greatest single track on the album.

There are two exceptions to the monothematic nature of the score. Guardami negli occhi is a laid-back beat track that is pleasant enough but doesn’t just quite reach to the level of the other material. Another original cue is the 6.5-minute Un altro mare which is a waltz that has harmonies similar to some of Maestro’s giallo scores. The track consists of alternates between the chorus with wah-wahs and different verses utilizing both the choral voices and orchestra. There’s a constant feeling of forward momentum and the 6 minutes just fly by like a light summer breeze.

The score is clearly the best one of the bunch and a pleasant listen throughout even though it’s monothematic. The strength of the melodies and the colourful orchestrations prevent it from never becoming dull.

Rating: *****

All in all the album is one of the best collections of short Morricone scores that’s floating around. Each one is highly enjoyable and interesting though there are challenging moments as well. But what I love most is that even though the scores are very short, there’s a clear vision to them and they feel like separate little journeys even though there aren’t that much cohesion between the contrasting styles of each score. That’s a sign of true artistry to me and I can wholeheartedly recommend this album!

Tracklist:

“Teorema”

1. Teorema (04:15) *****

2. Frammenti (02:29) ***

3. Fruscio de foglie verdi (Cantato) (02:22) *****

4. L'ultima corrida (02:38) *****

5. Beat n. 3 (02:45) ****

“La stagione dei sensi”

6. Gloria (03:31) *****

7. Una voce allo specchio (02:56) *****

8. Sytar (03:33) *****

9. Tell me tell me (03:03) ***

10. Sospendi il tempo (01:57) *****

11. Laila laila (03:10) ***

12. Una voce allo specchio (01:05) *****

13. Dinamica per 5+1 (04:53) *****

14. In tre quarti (02:08) *****

“Vergogna schifosi”

15. Matto, caldo, soldi, morto... girotondo (03:22) *****

16. Guardami negli occhi (02:15) ****

17. Ninna nanna per adulti (02:42) *****

18. Una spiaggia a mezzogiorno (03:37) *****

19. Un altro mare (06:31) *****

20. Matto, caldo, soldi, morto... girotondo (04:51) *****

WTF (Weird tho' fabulous): part 2

Title: La più bella serata della mia vita (The most wonderful evening of my life)

Year: 1972

Composer: Armando Trovajoli

This review involves three short scores released on a single Beat Records CD in 1997. The composer of all these scores is Armando Trovajoli (sometimes written Trovaioli) who had a long career in film and stage music, and was mostly known for his scores to Italian comedies. These films are classified as comedies as well, though they all contain elements from other genres, hence my classification under the WTF category.

The first score is called La più bella serata della mia vita and the short description says that it tells a story of a man getting a trial for murder. The clips from the film I managed to find showed scenes featuring psychedelic and surreal images and the music possibly accompanies them perfectly. The opening is already a mishmash of contrasting styles beginning with an electronic bass beat not that far from Vangelis’ compositions. Then the cheerful main theme is introduced in a series of tinkling synthesizer notes before it turns into a classical piano melody on top of the electronic base. The combination sounds strange but somehow it works. The following two La castellana pieces develop the material further. The first one begins with a love theme for a woman’s voice singing in pseudo-German. The voice has been tampered with synthesizers so that you can’t really tell what is being sung. The classical melody is then reprised with the vocal effects and in the following track with a classical chamber ensemble, an electric organ and drum set suitable for a futuristic dinner sequence.

The things turn darker in Verso il castello even though it begins with a beautiful version of the love theme including a music box. The electronic beat then returns with the cheerful main theme that is combined to the love theme once again sung in incomprehensible vocal effects. After those the beat changes and we get a full choir singing the doomsday hymn Dies irae over the bassline which creates a moment of fleeting uneasiness. The changed beat continues in Fine di una sogna creating almost a feeling of electronic chase music. However the love theme soon returns with a smooth synthesizer and vocal line over a sweet string backing that makes way to the classical melody juggling between the synthesizers and the full string section. The dinner party -like version of the love theme is reprised in Pranzo il gala with beautiful classically inspired flourishes that are though performed with an electric piano. The reprise of La motociclista isn’t anything like the opening track but a piano version of the love theme with some hints to the Dies irae melody from the dramatic choir. The classical melody gets its best version in the last track Gavotta al castello with very dated synthesizer sounds that end the score in a cheerful fashion.

The score is clearly very unique with its combination of classically inspired melodies to futuristic electronic effects. Most of the times the combinations work but at times the sounds are a bit too dated. In addition the tracks do get quite repetitive and the original effectiveness can get buried under the repetition of melodies and moods. It’s an enjoyable little score nevertheless and the best one on the CD.

Rating: ****

Title: Straziami, ma di baci saziami (Torture me but kill me with kisses)

Year: 1968

Composer: Armando Trovajoli

The next one Straziami, ma di baci saziami is a romantic comedy film that has homicidal undertones. There is a catchy and cheerful main theme called Straziami theme which is clearly ‘Italian’ in nature with its chord progressions and the instrumental choice of a mandolin as a primary instrument. There’s also a long-lined love theme again featuring the mandolin called Romantic country. This melody is so stereotypically ‘Italian’ that you can almost imagine Venetian gondolas floating by while listening to it. Most of the score is built around these themes in different disguises. For instance The deaf tailor combines the main theme to comical chase music for the strings. In the following track it’s transformed into a samba carnival cue with choral singing. The reprise of the love theme ends with an orchestral crescendo that leads to a funeral march Tailor’s funeral before a cabaret like variation in Looking for her. There are also two thematically independent cues, a moonlight dance track for a solo guitar and buzzing electric organ called Moonkiss and a following party shake Beat trombone that both are good additions for breaking the monotony. The score ends with two reprises of the main theme, the first one for solo violin and accordion followed by a lazily played tango version.

There really is nothing that memorable or obnoxious about this little score and thus the overall effect is rather anonymous. It’s a good filler score on the album but I probably wouldn’t listen to it on its own and it pales in comparison to the other two scores.

Rating: ***

Title: Dimmi che fai tutto per me

Year: 1976

Composer: Armando Trovajoli

The last score is a romantic heist film that includes the most comedic score of the three. It begins with a cheesy, bubbly synthesizer melody over a Latin inspired rhythm which is a quite charming opener to be honest, though nothing special. Grand-dad’s girl begins with mournful floating synthesizer notes before turning into a 70s pop music inspired flute melody. The popular music aspect develops further in the groovy basslines of the two Planning the snatch cues and The fat son that also has weird floating glass-like elements. There’s also a piece of brilliantly entertaining, genuine jazz piano playing in Armando’s blues that is probably performed by the composer himself. Another highlight is Dancing for you that is a sitar melody that is so unexpected that it’s just a blast to listen to. The album ends with a song Gotta get rich quick that is first introduced in track 25 with a honky-tonk like arrangement. The English lyrics are about getting rich as the title suggests but unfortunately the song gets quite redundant after the chorus.

The score is the most versatile of the three and it even surprised me a couple of times. However the lack of a main theme lowers my rating and the extreme cheesiness might be too much to handle for some listeners. Overall the album really shows off Trovajoli’s abilities of creating catchy melodies and different styles of music even though these aren’t the scores I would necessarily recommend to purchase immediately.

Rating: ***1/2

Tracklist:

“La più bella serata della mia vita”

1. La motociclista (03:38) ****

2. La castellana (03:22) *****

3. La castellana (03:30) ***

4. Verso il castello (04:29) *****

5. Fine di un sogna (06:02) ****

6. Pranzo di gala (02:41) ****

7. La motociclista (02:32) ****

8. Gavotta al castello (03:32) ***

”Straziami, ma di baci saziami”

9. Straziami theme (02:00) ***

10. Romantic country (02:34) ***

11. The deaf tailor (01:17) ****

12. Straziami theme (01:24) ****

13. Romantic country (02:10) ****

14. Tailor's funeral (00:57) **

15. Looking for her (01:31) **

16. Heartbreak (03:01) ***

17. Moonkiss (02:42) ****

18. Beat trombone (01:30) ***

19. Straziami violin (01:36) ***

20. Straziami tango (03:30) ***

“Dimmi che fai tutto per me”

21. Golden dream (02:32) ****

22. Grand-dad's girl (01:56) ****

23. Planning the snatch (01:02) ***

24. Armando's blues (02:36) ****

25. Gotta get rich quick (instrumental) (01:32) ****

26. Planning the snatch (01:53) ***

27. The fat son (01:04) ****

28. Dancing for you (01:58) ****

29. Golden dream (00:33) ***
30. Gotta get rich quick (03:58) ***