Oh, the horror: part 5

Title: Un urlo dalle tenebre (The return of the exorcist)

Year: 1975

Composer: Giuliano Sorgini

This Italian horror film has tons of different titles, one video title even claiming to be the third film in the Exorcist series (though the second film was actually released after this one in 1977) probably trying to cash in for its success. The true third film was released in 1990s. Well this one doesn’t have any relation to its American counterpart and even the score is by a fairly unknown composer and keyboardist Giuliano Sorgini who I only know from one other horror score: The living dead at Manchester morgue. The result is an ok horror score which unfortunately doesn’t really have musical highlights that would rise above the genre’s usual conventions.

The beginning 30 minutes form a promotional album that was never released. Messa nera begins with some atonal choral chords before a menacing yet simple electric organ melody appears over a poppish drum beat. Either the organ notes are tampered to make the cue sound somewhat fuzzy or there might be some issues with the sound quality. There are some added uneasy electronic effects which reappear for instance later in Reparto agitati which is purely ambient sound design enhanced by electronics. Risonanza n° 3 follows in the same vain but adds wandering harpsichord tinkles to the electronic patterns. The first track to make the hairs on my arms to stand up is Risonanza n° 4 which comprises of sighing women’s voices and a disturbing atonal organ that slowly grows in intensity as the cue progresses. Repeating phrases for strings are first heard in Tensione and combined to ominous bassoon notes making a successful suspense cue. Similar string melodies carry over to Demoniaco but unfortunately they don’t make much an impact here because there is no development but just some tremolo playing in unison. The ending of the promo album is called Angeli neri which starts with a hiss sounding like the record was damaged, before reprising the string motifs of Tensone.

The latter part of the Digitmovies release presents some alternates and additional cues. The original main titles feature similar sinister strings as heard in the other suspenseful tracks. There’s a long 10-minute cue called Esorcismo which is a big letdown as the scenes for the actual exorcism in these kinds of films are usually treated with the most bombastic music. However this one is one long drone for buzzing organ and other electronics offering only a little development in the layers of sound it creates. It makes you feel uneasy but it’s a quite lousy excuse for horror scoring in my opinion. The reprise of Messa nera is far more menacing than the opening version even though the organ has an odd celestial sound to it. The last cue Titoli di coda originali is by far the most shocking horror track on the album because here the electronic effects are finally released from the depths of hell along with sighing vocals.

Though most of the album’s duration concentrates on the horror aspects, there is a variety of other musical genres as well. Organo mistico is a beautiful organ composition which offers some sacred qualities to the film. It’s followed by a completely different musical style, Momento pop which is a party cue with a fun flute solo but a quite horrendously cheery and dated electronic organ in its B section that just ruins the track for me. Suore in convento on the other hand features a softer flute solo combined to the medieval organ style of Organo mistico. Flute dominates also a composition called Momento country pop which fortunately isn’t a country pop song per se but only draws inspiration from that genre. It’s actually the best cue on the album featuring sincerely moving flute and oboe performances over base formed by acoustic guitars and light percussion, and a cheesy 70s B section for piano, mellow strings and flute flourishes.

The overall feel I get from this score is that it’s a bit amateurish. It’s almost like Sorgini had just read a book called How to score a horror film beforehand and forgot to add something of his own. I do think that some of the electronic effects are imaginative and they make you think how they were achieved. Except for the few truly shocking cues and peaceful moments I doubt that I’m going to return to this album that often unfortunately.

Rating: ***

Tracklist:

1. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Messa nera) (04:37) ***

2. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Organo mistico) (02:05) ****

3. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento pop) (02:51) ***

4. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Suore in convento) (01:30) ****

5. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Reparto agitati) (02:35) *

6. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Risonanza n° 3) (02:26) **

7. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento country pop) (05:06) *****

8. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Risonanza n° 4) (03:11) ****

9. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Tensione) (02:12) ****

10. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Demoniaco) (02:12) **

11. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Angeli neri) (03:20) ***

12. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Titoli di testa originali) (00:44) ***

13. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Organo mistico 2a versione) (02:04) ****

14. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Momento pop vrs. breve) (01:48) ***

15. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Esorcismo) (09:50) **

16. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Tensione n° 2) (02:02) ****

17. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Messa nera 2a versione) (01:27) ****

18. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Apparizione) (00:33) ***

19. Un urlo dalle tenebre (Titoli di coda originali) (01:28) ****

Giallo fever: part 7

Title: Lo squartatore di New York (The New York ripper)

Year: 1982

Composer: Francesco De Masi

The giallo genre was slowly fading away in the 1980s but there were still directors trying to revive it with fresh ideas. The iconic horror director Lucio Fulci changed the locale to America in his campy Lo squartatore di New York which nevertheless featured such shocking and gruesome murders that it had to be heavily censored in several countries. Francesco De Masi made the score and even though his career was also slowing down in the 80s, he still managed to compose colourful but cheesy music suitable for an urban atmosphere.

The score can be divided into two distinct categories, the first one being the 80s pop/disco inspired cues and the other the music for the killer scenes. New York one more day perfectly sets the mood for the hustle and bustle of the city with the catchy main theme that is very 80s cheese but highly entertaining. The melody is carried through different period-appropriate instruments such as electric guitars and synthesized elements. New York one night is a fine counterpart to the opening cue because the theme variations are more subtle and mellow with their textures for sensual trumpets and saxophones while still having similar drive and enthusiasm. In addition there’s also material that’s clearly more source music in style such as Puertorico club which offers Latin-inspired rhythms, a sax solo and shouting band members which probably serve their purpose in the scene but not as well on the album. There’s also a romantic theme called Fay which is a lullaby-like, dreamy duet for a trumpet and harmonica.

The suspenseful cues begin with Phone call which transforms the main theme completely, first performed by a mysterious flute solo over dubious harpsichords and trumpets. The atmosphere starts to warm up and turn more romantic before more dramatic, echoing saxophones appear and the main theme moves to the electric guitar. The atmosphere becomes icy cold in The ripper, which is an effective thriller track even though there seems to be very little happening. The intensifying feeling of dread is accomplished with flutes, keyboards, electric guitars and subtle percussion and ingeniously applied main theme variations. Slight unease is also added to the end of New York one more day’s reprise which disturbs the otherwise laid-back feeling of the track. Where is the ripper? clearly tries its best to be suspenseful but here the 80s instrumentation sounds almost comical and hence the cue doesn’t reach the same level as the previous killer cues. The score luckily closes with two brilliant yet hair-raising moments: Suspense and murder & Waiting for the killer. The first one features jazzyish harmonies and concludes with a shocking main theme statement and a musical knife stab before returning to the noir atmosphere. The last cue combines the best of both worlds because there’s a source cue feeling to the backing drum set and bassline but the echoing saxophones and vibraphones simultaneously create a feeling of growing suspicion which leaves the listener wanting more.

There’s a great blend of acoustic and electric elements here, and the 80s synths and effects are applied thoughtfully. I know that this score won’t appeal to everyone because it’s a 1980s score after all and you shouldn’t be expecting a large orchestral approach. De Masi’s technique shines through and there are an abundance of catchy melodies and clever variation to the thematic material which just makes me smile.

Rating: ****

Title: Una tomba aperta… una bara vuota (Night of the scorpion)

Year: 1972

Composer: Piero Piccioni

The album’s second score offers 20 minutes of more peaceful atmospheres after the in-your-face attitude of its predecessor. It’s for a Spanish-Italian co-production involving a man haunted by his previous, deceased wife and a series of murders committed by a gloved killer. Piccioni made a very subtle, beautiful score that is more reflective than murderous in nature.

Surprisingly the score doesn’t open with a main theme statement but with sinister music that clearly fits like a glove for a haunted house film. Helen where are you? is built around a repeating phrase for strings while the atmosphere around it transforms along with instrumental changes, such as ghostly organ or tremolo strings. Though the pace is slow there’s a mood of cleverly rising suspicion and horror that makes my skin crawl.

The peace is restored in It means love, the film’s main theme. It’s a piece for piano solo over soft strings, that is just so enchanting with its fragility. However below the peaceful surface lies steadily pulsating undercurrent for drum set and bass which prepares us for the impending doom. That pulse carries straight over to Haunting memories which combines it to the opening track’s ominous string writing. The reprise of It means love concentrates on the fragile strings while piano taking a background role before coming more prominent during the end. The melancholic mood is almost agonizing with its immense beauty.

Oddly the mood moves rather elegantly to the complete opposite, namely Ghost chase that features sinister strings which are almost as fragile at first as in the main theme but gain more power as the piece progresses. Dreaming again adds a real feeling of dread to the mix and makes me look over my shoulder as is clearly sounds like someone creeping around in dark hallways. A quiet electric organ takes over Moonbeans on the ruins which is also built around a steady beat like the preceding track but unfortunately isn’t as effective. The string melody from the opening track is reprised though with piano and eerie, textural strings. The final track of the score, Echoes of a name, is a complete version of a melody that began track 18. It is a mysterious cue that combines approaches heard in the suspense cues to jazz-inspired harmonies but sadly leaves the album quite unresolved.

It’s absolutely sublime how Piccioni has achieved so much with so little. This has to be one of the all-time subtlest thriller scores but still a nail-biting experience that holds you in its grip through the short duration. Besides the killer main theme there’s even strange ethereal beauty amid the suspense which really leaves the listener into a state of confusion as how to feel about the score. And that’s a good thing without a doubt.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

“Lo squartatore di New York”

1. New York one more day (02:53) *****

2. Phone call (04:34) ****

3. New York one night (02:43) *****

4. Puertorico club (03:15) ***

5. The ripper (03:26) *****

6. New York one more day (02:09) ****

7. Fay (03:36) ****

8. Where is the ripper? (02:24) ***

9. New York one night (02:36) ****

10. Puertorico club (03:15) ***

11. Suspense and murder (02:49) ****

12. Waiting for the killer (02:43) *****

“Una tomba aperta… una bara vuota”

13. Helen where are you? (03:55) *****

14. It means love (02:24) *****

15. Hunting memories (02:17) ****

16. It means love (02:35) *****

17. Ghost chase (01:45) ***

18. Dreaming again (02:17) *****

19. Moonbeams on the ruins (03:14) ****

20. Echoes of a name (02:00) ****

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) *

CrimeWaves: part 3

Title: L’orchestra rossa (The red orchestra)

Year: 1989

Composer: Carlo Savina

During the 80s Carlo Savina’s scores actually started to lean towards more orchestral approaches even though the trend was to include synthesizers in the scores. Nowhere is this more apparent than in L’orchestra rossa which was one of the last scores he ever composed. This French film is about Soviet espionage rings working in Nazi Germany and has music by an Italian composer. Though having such international potential, the film is once again unknown and almost no material can be found about it online, not even any sound clips of the score that was released by the Spanish record label Saimel in 2011.

The score’s opening track play out like an overture of sorts introducing the moods that the score consists of. It begins with dramatic string stabs accompanied by martial percussion rattles that depict the turmoil that was going on in Europe at the time. A secondary theme is then introduced briefly on a solo clarinet, a melody that has some march-like qualities to it followed by a glimpse of something Slavic folk song like. But at 2-minute mark a longlined string melody appears which is the film’s main theme. That melody is then joined by an accordion and it swells for a short moment in a beautiful modal fashion. However the track concludes with a hopeful melody for horns and solo violin that unfortunately never appears again until the very end. The melody has some old-time Hollywood qualities to it or perhaps something Jerry Goldsmith might have come up with.

The score begins properly in Seq. 2 with those dance-like Slavic folk song melodies hinted at the beginning performed by a clarinet, swirling fiddle solo and accordion over dramatic martial percussion and staccato piano chords. The main theme gets its first full version in Seq. 4 beginning with a solo violin playing in the darkness before the strings come in with dramatic piano notes. The rest of the piece jumps back and forth from the secondary clarinet march theme and the main theme in an ominous fashion.

The weakest parts of the score for me are the suspense tracks that don’t really go anywhere and mostly consist of just wandering strings. These elements start Seq. 5 but luckily both the secondary march theme and main theme get fine versions at the end of the track that prevents it from becoming dull. The track also introduces a new accordion theme briefly that is certainly Slavic in nature and rather moving. This theme gets a full version in Seq. 7 with mournful strings backing the accordion melody that features folk music inspired accents and in Seq. 17 with almost jazzy harmonies. The suspense continues in Seq. 10 which begins with the martial folk song melodies of Seq. 2 but then changes the mood to sinister strolling that is briefly interrupted with another cleverly disguised and harmonized main theme version. The dullest dramatic track is Seq. 13 which just provides sleep-inducing suspense writing that really doesn’t raise any suspicions that it probably should within the context of the film.

Though the score is mostly very dramatic there are moments of pure beauty such as Seq. 11 which begins with a tear-jerking rendition of the accordion theme before changing into the most fragile version of the main theme this time with modal harmonies that bring both folk songs and early sacred music to mind. I just adore how different harmonies Savina utilizes with his main theme which completely changes how the melody feels. There’s a Slavic waltz track for violin and clarinet in Seq. 15 that is extremely dark but agonizingly beautiful and romantic at the same time. The secondary march theme gets a nostalgic variation in Seq. 16 without the martial backing which makes the listener realize how great a melody it really is.

There are also a number of source cues on the album. The first one, Seq. 3 is an Argentinian tango piece for violin and accordion that is good fun though nothing really that special. The background music for bar scenery is mostly performed in three piano solos: Seq. 6, Seq. 9 and Seq. 12 which all are pleasantly melodic. First of which being more thoughtful and nostalgic while the second more upbeat and the last perhaps a little patriotic before turning melancholic in its B section. By far the greatest source cue is Seq. 14 which is a lounge jazz cue for sensual clarinet, trumpet and different kinds of twinkling organs or vibraphones.

The finale cue is another mixture of styles beginning with a short source waltz that is interrupted by pastoral version of the main theme that then turns back to martial percussion and wandering suspense strings. Luckily the melodies soon return first with a nostalgic version of the accordion theme that sounds like it has aged during the album’s duration. After more suspense writing the track starts to make its way towards a climax. Surprisingly it never reaches it but quiets down to solo clarinet and violin performing the main theme in stillness. The last part of the track reprises the overture’s version of the main theme complete with the hopeful Hollywood melody that ends the score with an emotional high note.

L’orchestra rossa has to be one of the most agonizingly attractive pieces of music Savina ever created. The dullness of the suspense cues and slow-moving nature of many of the tracks are the only issues I have with the score. Even the source pieces seem to fit well into the soundscape Savina has crafted here, which just oozes with class perfectly suitable for an espionage flick. If you fancy thematic orchestral music strongly rooted in folk music inspired melodies, this hidden gem might just be right up your alley.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 1) (04:42) *****

2. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 2) (02:46) *****

3. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 3) (02:15) ***

4. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 4) (03:47) *****

5. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 5) (04:06) ****

6. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 6) (01:53) ****

7. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 7) (01:29) ****

8. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 8) (01:25) ****

9. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 9) (01:26) ***

10. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 10) (04:00) ****

11. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 11) (02:06) *****

12. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 12) (02:27) ****

13. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 13) (03:11) ***

14. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 14) (01:37) *****

15. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 15) (02:10) *****

16. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 16) (02:33) ****

17. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 17) (01:08) *****
18. L'orchestra rossa (Seq. 18) (08:41) ****

Need for drama: part 3

Title: I figli chiedono perché (Why?)

Year: 1972

Composer: Ennio Morricone

I figli chiedono perché is a film supposedly about a friendship between a Jewish girl and a Muslim boy during the Arab-Israeli war. I said supposedly because I couldn’t find a synopsis in English and had to turn to Google Translate. As you can probably tell, the film has completely faded into obscurity but luckily one thing still remains and that’s the score by none other than Maestro Morricone who composed a hugely dramatic monothematic score for the film.

The 40-minute album opens with the main theme that provides a prime look to a musical structure called descending fifths. The melody just flows seamlessly because of the predictable chords but it’s still very pleasing though overdramatic. The track starts with a solo piano line that is joined by the unmistakable voice of Edda dell’Orso and descending swirling strings. The B section of the theme reminds me of other Morricone compositions, for instance a B section of his main theme for Addio fratello crudele the year before. You better like the theme if you want to enjoy the rest of the album because it’s basically everything you’re going to get. The following Angeli deconstructs the main chords into Morriconean string lines before the theme is reprised by the flute and backed by a classical guitar. Nuovi angeli changes solo to the guitar and lowers the atmosphere even more as the lines from the previous track start to become hazier and more somber in tone. Its second version includes the piano playing in a classically romantic way and Edda singing in a sort of lied-inspired fashion though without lyrics. The delicate harp and glockenspiel open I piccoli before Edda’s vocals make a sweet return even though the music becomes more and more introverted. The B section gets a fuller arrangement in I bambini before returning to the main theme. The rest of the thematic reprises vary in tempo and instrumentation balancing the theme from solo instrument to another. These include flutes, guitar, organ and cor anglais for instance.

There are a few exceptions to the monothematic structure of the score though. Some moments are possibly meant to be suspenseful or depicting the horrors of war. These are surprisingly composed for solo harp providing tinkling notes that float in the emptiness. The first version Arpa-fata morgana prima has eventually some variations of the main theme and similar notes also open its second version in track 10 before everything dissolves. The deconstruction is complete in track 19 with the harp notes almost sounding like they were tampered with electronics to achieve their echoy nature. Similar effects are also implemented into the main theme in track 18. The reason I really wouldn’t call these moments suspenseful is because they create a feeling of slight uneasiness rather than horror and are occasionally even beautiful in their simplicity.

There’s also another gorgeous theme called Fiaba per innocenti that appears a few times and reminds me of Maestro’s spaghetti western melodies or perhaps some religious music because of its harmonic language. The first version is fully orchestral, the second in track 12 has a solo recorder playing the melody and finally there’s a humming choir providing the harmonies in Fiaba seconda with an appropriate solo child vocalist (at least judging by the subject matter).

The album is certainly dramatic but there are several moments of beauty, especially the ones with the presence of Edda’s emotional vocals. Even the suspense is handled with very low-key effects and it doesn’t distract the listener away from the overall mood. I also love how the album begins dramatically but diminishes as it progresses becoming introverted and then rising through hardships back into the light.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Tema) (02:32) *****

2. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Angeli) (03:12) ****

3. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Nuovi angeli) (02:30) ****

4. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (I piccoli) (02:36) *****

5. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Arpa-fata morgana prima) (00:57) ***

6. Fiaba per innocenti (Intermezzo) (01:40) *****

7. I bambini ci chiedono perche' i piccoli (Versione II) (01:30) *****

8. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (I bambini) (02:29) ****

9. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Nuovi angeli versione II) (01:57) *****

10. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Arpa-fata morgana seconda) (03:57) ****

11. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Perduti nel sogno) (01:32) ***

12. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Fiaba prima) (01:17) ****

13. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Perché versione I) (01:34) ****

14. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Arpa) (00:47) **

15. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Perché versione II) (01:26) ***

16. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Fiaba seconda) (01:52) *****

17. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Angeli versione organo) (00:59) ***

18. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (I piccoli versione celesta) (01:26) ****

19. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Arpa versione arpe II) (03:57) ****

20. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Versione corno inglese) (01:48) ****

21. I bambini ci chiedono perche' (Finale) (02:33) *****

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) ***

Exotic flavours: part 2

Title: L’Araucana (Conquest of Chile)

Year: 1971

Composer: Carlo Savina

One composer yet to be tackled in my blog is Carlo Savina who was a respected conductor of many great composers including Miklós Rózsa and Nino Rota to name a few. He did also arrangements and additional music while having a significant film music career of his own. With his score to L’Araucana, a film about the conquistadors arriving to Chile in the 1500s, he provided music of great contrasts.

The score can be roughly divided into 3 categories: the martial and destructive music for the conquistadors and their war with the natives, the romantic material for the female lead and the ‘South American’ music for the natives. The title track L’Araucana introduces a heroic theme for brass that isn’t that far from something Rózsa could have written in his prime years, though it also has qualities of some spaghetti western melodies. It’s developed further in the following track Conquistadores march combined to martial drum beats and a few menacing stringers that signal the terror that is to come. Lautaro has first moments of suspenseful creeping-around music that has some nods to the tribal music with an added ethnic flute. Many of the short tracks reprise the martial themes in a fashion that reminds me of TV scoring creating stringers that need to work in the scene but which can feel a bit disjointed on the album on their own. The burning sun and Inexorable march both feature the main theme over a steady rhythm that clearly suits for an army preparing for a battle. The latter also has a short appearance of the doomsday hymn Dies irae that represents the impending doom. There’s also a battle motif in The Earth shakes and Araucana attack which is basically just a low piano chord played rhythmically. The main theme brings the album to a close in a fanfare-like fashion in Finale which is a bittersweet sendoff.

The first appearance of the romantic material is in the brief First kiss that introduces the film’s gorgeous love theme on solo viola. It gets its full version for flute, harp and harpsichord in Inez and Pedro which is the album’s highlight cue. The moment is short-lived but luckily the following Mi coya reprises the theme right before the conflict begins. Court rumours has the love theme played on a crystal clear Spanish trumpet solo that turns rather dubious at the end. The solo viola plays mournfully in Chained to the wall before it resolves to an unexpected church organ solo of Married which is followed by a series of consecutive short reprises of the love theme in settings both menacing and agonizingly beautiful.

By far the most interesting part of the soundtrack is the music for the natives. I don’t really know why it sounds ‘South American’ to me but there clearly is a quality that feels real and not just a composer trying to create an artificial sounding depiction of a culture. The music is dominated by ethnic flutes and light percussion but overall the tracks are scored very sparsely and thoughtfully. Nothing is underlined and the music has given a marvelous amount of space to breathe and float. The recording of the instruments sounds simultaneously crisp and ancient which just adds to their charm. The first introduction of these elements comes in Cuzco 1540 depicting the life in the Incan capital. It features both the pristine flutes but also tribal percussion that is made edgier by a buzzing organ effect. Wedding ceremony has the flute dancing around some plucked instruments creating a moment of unconventional beauty without ‘Western’ melodies. As the war draws nearer, the flute becomes a character too and starts to sound more beaten down such as in Riverbound. You can clearly hear the devastation in the performance of Inez returns home and Aftermath that both end with melodies similar to the conquistadors’ music. Meanwhile the preparation of the natives is represented with menacing percussion effects of Children of one God, Electing the warchief, Araucana beat and the two Percussive tracks. There’s also a longer piece of tribal drumming called Araucana dance that is a fun addition among the serious tone of the rest of the album.

Though the album consists of very short cues (the total duration is 38 minutes and there are 40 tracks), there’s a great flow to the album and the cues seem to blend into each other beautifully creating a cohesive tone poem of sorts. I actually think the album works better as an individual piece rather than several short moments. One complaint I have though and that is about the errors in the album’s tracklist and the actual music on the CD. Below the review I’ve assembled the tracks like they are heard when the album is played and in the ( )s their place in the album’s printed tracklist. Nevertheless it’s fine music that really shows great versatility and restraint.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. L'ARAUCANA (L'Araucana) (01:01) *****

2. L'ARAUCANA (Conquistadores march) (01:16) *****

3. L'ARAUCANA (Cuzco 1540) (01:50) *****

4. L'ARAUCANA (Lautaro) (01:27) ****

5. L'ARAUCANA (En marcha) (01:15) *****

6. L'ARAUCANA (Wedding ceremony) (01:44) *****

7. L'ARAUCANA (Making crosses) (00:36) ***

8. L'ARAUCANA (Taking tabs) (00:33) ***

9. L'ARAUCANA (The burning sun) (01:29) ***

10. L'ARAUCANA (Inexorable march) (01:07) ***

11. L'ARAUCANA (First kiss) (00:27) *****

12. L'ARAUCANA (Riverbound) (00:34) *****

13. L'ARAUCANA (Submission) (00:42) **

14. L'ARAUCANA (Children of one God) (00:46) **

15. L'ARAUCANA (Inez and Pedro) (01:21) *****

16. L'ARAUCANA (Mi coya) (00:41) *****

17. L'ARAUCANA (Electing the warchief) (01:03) **

18. L'ARAUCANA (Araucana beat) (01:48) ****

19. L'ARAUCANA (Ambush) (00:26) ***

20. L'ARAUCANA (The Earth shakes) (00:53) ***

21. (22.) L'ARAUCANA (Inez returns home) (01:06) *****

22. (23.) L'ARAUCANA (Aftermath) (00:27) ***

23. (24.) L'ARAUCANA (Court rumours) (00:25) *****

24. (25.) L'ARAUCANA (Sentence of death) (00:33) ***

25. (21.) L'ARAUCANA (Araucana dance) (02:33) ****

26. L'ARAUCANA (Chained to the wall) (00:19) ***

27. L'ARAUCANA (Married) (00:29) ****

28. L'ARAUCANA (Don Pedro's trial) (01:20) *****

29. L'ARAUCANA (Don Pedro de Valdivia - I) (00:34) ****

30. L'ARAUCANA (Don Pedro de Valdivia - II) (00:24) ****

31. L'ARAUCANA (Don Pedro remembers) (01:23) *****

32. L'ARAUCANA (Ego te absulvo) (00:26) ***

33. L'ARAUCANA (Fanfares) (00:22) ***

34. L'ARAUCANA (Don Pedro's parade) (01:59) ***

35. L'ARAUCANA (Suspence) (00:55) ***

36. L'ARAUCANA (Araucana attack) (01:20) ***

37. (39.) L'ARAUCANA (Santiago del nuevo extremo) (00:17) *****

38. (37.) L'ARAUCANA (Percussive I) (00:52) **

39. (38.) L'ARAUCANA (Percussive II) (00:52) ***
40. L'ARAUCANA (Finale) (00:49) *****