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) *****

CrimeWaves: part 4

Title: The untouchables

Year: 1987

Composer: Ennio Morricone

Morricone’s next Oscar nomination came straight after the last one in 1988 in the 60^th Academy Awards. The film is by Brian De Palma, and is about a group of police working to stop Al Capone’s crimes in 1930s Chicago. The award went to The last emperor but the film’s star Sean Connery managed to grab one from the best supporting role. Morricone’s score was released at the time of the film’s release in a 40-minute album presentation and later expanded by La-La Land Records. I only own the original album, so let’s hear if it was worthy of a nomination.

As with many albums Maestro Morricone produced, the tracks are in a completely scrambled order usually presenting the thematic material first and ending the album with a long suspenseful cue. This is also true with The untouchables which begins with the End title. This triumphant piece represents the heroics of the police and Morricone has said in the interviews that he really didn’t want to compose this piece the director insisted and ended up offering numerous alternatives which were ultimately rejected. And even though it is one of the album’s highpoints, I can see Maestro’s side too. The piece sounds a bit like a TV news theme and thus is a bit distracting from the overall feel of the score which is more reflective and paranoid. The melody is very typical of Maestro’s more symphonic writing he utilized in the late 80s and 90s and can remind the listener of many other melodies from that time. The trademark faster, rhythmic figures which appear over the melody and were later used e.g. in The legend of 1900 are a great way of creating a sense of movement and buildup. The theme is reprised a few times during the album, first in Victorious after a comical, jazzy tuba prelude which then rises into a hopeful rendition of the melody with a very ‘academic’ sounding conclusion. The untouchables builds straight into the theme with another exuberant rendition that rather clumsily turns into suspense strings in the middle.

Otherwise the album consists of tracks describing the different locales and moods, each one offering a new melody without much thematic repetition. It has been a while when I’ve seen the film and I haven’t heard the expanded album so I really don’t recall whether the themes gain a lot of variation within the film. Al Capone is a very ‘Italian’ sounding cue similar to something Morricone already created for his other mafia-related films. This time it is joined by a drum set and cheesy James Bond -like brass which just exaggerates the mob boss’ grandeur. Other crime aspects are presented in The strength of the righteous which is the main title piece. The track has quirky sensibilities provided by its ingenious Morriconean instrumentation: jagged piano and string rhythms, clever low woodwind writing and a descending harmonica solo borrowed from his score to Il poliziotto della brigata criminale. This unusual cue has crime flick written all over and I just love the creativity Maestro put into it. This thematic thread is turned into a chase sequence in On the rooftops with more chaotic string rhythms.

There is luckily some time for nostalgic sadness too. Death theme is a first example of this, a melody only Morricone can create with so much sentimental sadness to it. It’s like a short elegy for strings and solo saxophone, and even though it clearly isn’t his greatest melody it’s still a delight to listen to. The theme is reprised later in Four friends with almost the same arrangement but this time being played with a flute. Noteworthy is also that a part of the melody became one of the themes in Morricone’s all-time masterpieces Cinema Paradiso a few years later. Another elegant romance cue, Ness and his family has a more hopeful tone with a flute and viola solo and some unexpected harmonic devices.

A bulk of the score is dedicated to the suspense writing Morricone usually excels at. Waiting at the border is the first exercise in this, creating a tense track of building suspense through a steady pulsating bassline, drum rhythm interruptions and a chromatic melody played by the strings. It’s nothing new to the composer but still effective at its own right. Spine-chilling suspense starts The man with the matches with quotes from the main title’s harmonica but unfortunately it later turns into more uninspired, wandering string writing. False alarm has string clusters which are uncomfortable but unoriginal. The ending cue is another cue only Morricone could create. It scores the film’s most famous scene and begins with an innocent musicbox lullaby which repeats endlessly while the disturbing atmosphere slowly creeps in preparing the listener for the approaching bloodshed. At times the strings might sound almost serene but there’s tension in the atonal cluster chords which become more prominent before engulfing the whole cue into a dramatic nightmare with piano stabs reminding us of the gangsters’ presence.

For me The untouchables sounds a bit like Morricone on autopilot. There certainly are positives here like the brilliant main title cue but overall I feel that he has scored similar films with better success. The 40-minute presentation is plenty enough and has enough highlights to keep you entertained.

Rating: ****

Tracklist:

1. The untouchables (End title) (03:13) *****

2. Al Capone (02:56) ****

3. Waiting at the border (03:46) ****

4. Death theme (02:43) *****

5. On the rooftops (02:36) ****

6. Victorious (02:10) *****

7. The man with the matches (02:47) ***

8. The strength of the righteous (Main title) (02:27) *****

9. Ness and his family (02:46) *****

10. False alarm (01:13) **

11. The untouchables (03:05) ****

12. Four friends (02:52) *****
13. Machine gun lullaby (07:02) ****

Exotic flavours: part 3

Title: The mission

Year: 1986

Composer: Ennio Morricone

The next Oscar nomination Maestro Morricone got in 1987 for his score to Roland Joffé’s film The mission about a Jesuit missionary in South America. After his spaghetti western scores it may be his most well-known score internationally with many of the film’s cues receiving praise even outside the film music community. Sadly once again the Academy didn't acknowledge the brilliance and instead gave the Oscar to Herbie Hancock’s Round midnight. Morricone loved the film and has been public about this in interviews feeling that his score should have been the winner. Well in any case he was thankfully rewarded with Oscars for his lifetime work and for an original film score as well.

The score begins with its highpoint On Earth as it is in heaven. This piece of music is usually the ending of Maestro’s live performances. This masterclass composition could be labeled under ‘beauty’ in a dictionary and it’s impossible not to be moved by its immense emotional rush. It also serves as an introduction to all the elements the score consists of. The slow intro introduces a heavenly choir singing in Latin before South American percussion rhythms enter into the scene and explode the track into a dance of the chanting natives. On top of everything plays the melody of Gabriel’s oboe, a miraculous theme that I’ll talk more in a moment, and the film’s main theme is also hidden in the accompanying chords. The cue builds and builds towards a finish that is brilliantly joyous and marvellous. Film music just doesn’t get any better than this!

The film’s main theme is The mission which is the only time we get to hear the moving developmental bridge section for strings in the middle of the cue. The identity the melody gets throughout the film is introduced in Falls which builds up to a wondrous statement of the theme which by itself is an extremely simple falling and rising melody that repeats mostly 4 notes. It’s performed here by pan flutes that are appropriately played by a group called Incantation whose member Tony Hinnigan later had a successful career with another film score composer, James Horner. He has said in an interview that Morricone improvised the melodies, rhythms etc on the spot and asked the players to create something similar with their flutes and percussion instruments, and everything was recorded on one take. That’s hard to believe because the ethnic instruments are implemented so effectively to the orchestral and choral material. The theme gets many versions throughout the album’s duration. It reaches another short crescendo in Climb, and gets even a disturbingly skewed string version in one of the suspense tracks Remorse which fortunately transforms after a fleeting moment of darkness into a heavenly reprise of the main melody. However by far the greatest use of the theme is in the film’s finale Miserere where it’s sung by a solo treble vocalist who ends the album with a true human element after the preceding devastating horrors.

The second idea called Gabriel’s oboe truly is the heart of the score. In the film it’s what Jeremy Irons’ character plays in the rainforest to convince the native people that he is friendly. Supposedly Morricone wrote the music by looking at Irons’ finger movements to actually try to fit the music into the scene. I’m not really convinced that that’s the case while rewatching the scene, but in any case it still is a spectacular composition. The choice of oboe as the primary instrument is just heart-wrenchingly emotional and especially the B section of the melody just melts your soul when the instrument reaches those glorious high notes. Vita nostra is another incredible cue with the oboe melody being played this time with a high ethnic flute while the choir chants the natives’ theme in a very bright and optimistic fashion. The last reprise of the theme is heard briefly in The sword for a warm low flute that is surrounded by sinister stabs of military trumpets and brass.

Morricone wrote also two sacred choral pieces that are performed impressively by London voices. Both Ave Maria Guarani and Te Deum Guarani however offer mental images of South America because the choral sound is very nasal and the latter cue also includes a native flute to back up the melody. Brothers on the other hand is a romantic theme for a flute and accompanying solo guitar which doesn’t reappear elsewhere on the album. The guitar gives a more dramatic solo performance in Carlotta with a more menacing string backing. The natives’ chanting theme is featured in The river which rises up to glorious heights with the vocal parts getting higher and higher after each repeat and ending with a fanfare version of Gabriel's oboe's opening phrase.

As with many other Morricone scores, there also are a few suspenseful moments that especially in this score feel extremely harsh since the core material is just so melodic in comparison. Penance is the first of these and is mostly built around wandering bassoon motif that now reminds me of Maestro’s main theme for The hateful eight. There also is a short quote of the Latin doomsday hymn of Dies irae and a short reprise of the main theme in a schizophrenic arrangement. The whole cue creates a disturbing feeling of uneasiness because the tension doesn’t fully resolve at the end. Refusal begins with excellent pan flute motifs that just make the hairs all over your body stand up and the situation is then made worse by a steady crushing rhythm and screeching high strings and military trumpets. Once again this writing is highly disturbing but simultaneously so effective. The natives’ theme is played over chase-like percussion and pizzicato writing in Asuncion which is an oddly fun cue though being suspenseful. Alone is mostly an exercise for the atonal strings which once again provide material that is rather hard to enjoy but certainly serves its purpose within the film. The players of Incantation bring out all the stops in Guarani which includes all kinds of imaginable noises that can be produced by the ethnic flutes. The atmosphere cools down towards the end but the waiting uneasiness and sudden stabs from the flutes prevent the listener from getting a sigh of relief.

There really isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about this score so I’ll keep it short. Even though The mission receives a lot of praise, it’s all deserved. It’s one of the most accessible Morricone albums ever because even the suspenseful cues are there to complement the overall narrative. It’s a spectacular score with a great amount of heart and soul. Any film score fan should listen to it at least once and preferably many times more.

Rating: *****

Tracklist:

1. On Earth as it is in heaven (03:48) *****

2. Falls (01:53) *****

3. Gabriel's oboe (02:12) *****

4. Ave Maria Guarani (02:48) *****

5. Brothers (01:30) *****

6. Carlotta (01:19) ****

7. Vita nostra (01:52) *****

8. Climb (01:35) *****

9. Remorse (02:46) *****

10. Penance (04:00) *****

11. The mission (02:47) *****

12. River (01:57) *****

13. Gabriel's oboe (02:38) *****

14. Te Deum Guarani (00:46) *****

15. Refusal (03:28) *****

16. Asuncion (01:25) *****

17. Alone (04:18) ****

18. Guarani (03:54) ****

19. The sword (01:58) ****

20. Miserere (00:59) *****

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) ****

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) ****

Oh, the horror: part 2

Title: …e tu vivrai nel terrore! L’Aldilà (The beyond)

Year: 1981

Composer: Fabio Frizzi

Lucio Fulci’s The beyond has developed a cult status over the years and probably as zombie themed films and series have become more mainstream it might continue to attract more and more viewers. The score for the film was written by Fabio Frizzi who had already had several experiences of scoring zombie films in the past and had developed a recognizable style for those films. This time he composed a varied score suitable for the cityscape but also for the roaming herd of zombies in a form of massive choral writing.

Verso l’ignoto is a rather unsettling piece dominated by repeated a piano figure that unfortunately gets tiresome after a while. It slowly starts to lead the listener towards the dark atmosphere the rest of the score is made out of. Voci Dal Nulla introduces the most famous theme from the movie which is the one performed by a large choir with lyrics derived from the latin doomsday hymn Dies irae. It’s a simple melody where the basis is formed by slow moving chords with livelier soprano parts performed on top. The second reprise of the theme (track 6) skips the introductory synth choir and goes straight to the brutal vocal and orchestral battle with martial snare drum rhythm. The last reprise (track 8) is more similar to the first version though the string performance is extremely vivid and the choir is at its most powerful and diabolical mood (I’ve always thought that the choir sounds like a bunch of zombies singing, though I don’t know if that was the intention or if the singers are just having a bad day). It also includes a gorgeous interlude for just the piano and flute solo that is the album’s highlight moment for me. The theme gets an acapella version at the beginning of Sequenza coro e orchestra. The second part of the track shows some fully orchestral thriller like scoring with almost jazzy harmonies.

Suono aperto and Oltre soglia are both very urban sounding ques where the orchestra is joined by funky basslines and pop music inspired percussion section. The problem I have with both of the tracks is the same as with the opening track: that they only seem to have a short melodic motif that is repeated endlessly with only a little of instrumental variety. The reprise of Suono aperto is more orchestral and filled with lovely flute solos. Giro di blues is a source piece of sleazy lounge jazz. The last track is probably the most dated sounding track on the album but nevertheless it is really cheeky, fun piece with groovy rhythms and some really creative synth sounds that fit in perfectly to the urban atmosphere. And though this track loops the same melody heard in Oltre soglia again and again, this time it is varied enough to keep the listener’s interest.

I would have loved to give the score a higher rating but even though it’s flawlessly performed and the melodies are strong, it doesn’t manage to raise any emotions in me besides during the introduction and interlude of Voci dal nulla. The 1995 Beat records album has enough material and I actually think having more would actually hurt the listening experience. Overall it’s a nice combination of 1980s synth sounds with more traditional orchestral and choral writing even though it doesn’t work quite that well without the accompanying picture.

Rating: ***1/2

Title: Quella villa in fondo al parco (Ratman)

Year: 1988

Composer: Stefano Mainetti

Clearly the first score on this ‘twofer’ was the reason for my purchase but because the album has a second score, let’s review that one as well. This time we’re travelling further into the 80s with the score for a strangely translated film titled Quella villa in fondo al parco aka Ratman. The composer Stefano Mainetti has only a few released scores mostly from the 1980s though he has had projects well into the 2010s.

The bleak opening track Synodia begins with horrendous 1980s synth effects before developing into a decent menacing keyboard melody which is the score’s only returning thematic idea. It’s followed by Persequor which begins with nighttime scenery before turning back to unlistenable synths. Coniectrix follows in the same vain though this time the synth effects in the middle depict some creature moving around in the gutters which suits the English language title of the film. Egomet is the best track this far reprising the keyboard melody from the opening track with synth choir excerpts.

The following tracks unfortunately develop more towards the unlistenable territory. Vesaevus has some obnoxious ‘action’ writing that makes you want to turn off the CD player. Necator has the main theme but it too is ruined with sound effects. Esus reprises the main theme, the terrible synthetic action and the choral effects of Xuthus. Phitia is the most listenable track on the album, because it’s just a plain piano solo without any synth rendering. The melody hasn’t been heard anywhere else on the album but sounds surprisingly fresh after all the horror heard in the previous tracks.

This score is mostly very unpleasant to listen to because of the horrendous synth effects which represent some of the worst the 80s had to offer. It also lacks melodies and development I’m craving from a film score. I’m not familiar with Mainetti’s other film compositions but unfortunately after listening to this score I’m also not eager to find out more.

Rating: **

Tracklist:

“…e tu vivrai nel terrore! L’Aldilà”

1. Verso l'ignoto (03:58) ***

2. Voci dal nulla (02:57) *****

3. Suono aperto (01:24) ***

4. Sequenza coro e orchestra (04:32) ****

5. Oltre la soglia (04:01) ***

6. Voci dal nulla (04:26) ****

7. Suono aperto (03:58) ****

8. Voci dal nulla (04:18) *****

9. Giro di blues (02:21) ***

10. Verso l'ignoto (03:22) ***

11. Sequenza ritmica e tema (04:23) ****

“Quella villa in fondo al parco”

12. Synodia (01:09) **

13. Persequor (02:00) **

14. Coniectrix (01:42) **

15. Egomet (01:26) ***

16. Temulenter (00:31) *

17. Vesaevus (02:49) *

18. Xuthus (00:41) **

19. Necator (01:44) **

20. Esus (03:19) **

21. Daemonicola (01:07) *

22. Phitia (02:16) ***