What does this forum think about Ennio Morricone?

[Quintus 5,399]

Never really hear much mention of this great composer on this board and thats a shame, because Morricone is a true, if alternative legend amongst film score composers. He is of course partly responsible for the Spaghetti Western branch of cinema and one might even argue he helped to put Clint Eastwood on the movie map - The Man With No Name just wouldn't be the icon he is today without the sparse but great orchestrations of Morricone. The score to The Good The Bad And The Ugly is for me Ennio's crowning achievement (listen to the sublime mono tones of The Ecstasy Of Gold for proof), but I know that the composer himself is responsible for more than a prolific 500 scores in his long career, a good few devoted to that of Hollywood.

I'm not comparing him to Williams in the slightest when I make this post, I'm just stating that Morricone deserves a place in movie composer fandom in his own right, especially when we think of the true film scoring greats like Williams and Goldsmith.

On a closing note, check out this post made by a blinkered, if seemingly educated Morricone fan (Williams hater) on the Imdb:

Over some 35 years I have come to appreciate that Ennio Morricone may not only be the world's foremost composer for film, but that he is the world's greatest living composer, full stop  

Williams is the most popular of film composers, but does that make him the best? In my opinion the relentless music on the Star Wars prequels is tedious and entirely detrimental. (There is too much of everything – except convincing dialogue.) When he was 'Johnny Williams' he made no impact. His big idea – using a symphony orchestra to recall the golden age of Hollywood – wasn't his. Then Goldsmith came to rely on one, followed by Horner and now Shore. Is any of this really an advance, musically, on that "Golden Age"? I think Goldsmith assuredly was; Horner might be a bit…  

There is simply no-one is any field of music that is more accomplished or more versatile than Morricone. Realize that he has written over one hundred pieces for the concert hall and chamber – more than most other so-called "serious" composers. From the avant-garde to the pop charts, Morricone says he gives everything he does everything he has.  

As to film, he has written more film scores than any composer, living or dead. In recent years, what with his refusal to work for Hollywood [His never having won an Oscar is a travesty!!!] and the collapse of the Italian film industry, much of his work is now for the medium of television. Again, the output – and the quality of it – borders on the incredulous.  

John Williams is a product of the Hollywood system, as was the late Jerry Goldsmith. Basically, you had big unionised studio orchestras – and professional orchestrator's – to make you sound better than you were. Notice on Star Wars III, Williams has choral music. His fansites are aglow with praise. But notice also TWO orchestrator's: seems to me that Conrad Pope had to be brought in because – technically – Williams just couldn't hack it! The directors and producers never notice – usually they have little idea about music or what a real composer needs to do, and besides – they have bought a brand, a name – in advance.  

Zimmer – admittedly a European – is (like many younger film composers) technically very limited in the sense of composing and orchestrating music, greatly aided by the advent of synthesisers and computers.  

Now, of course, Williams and even more so, Jerry Goldsmith, are (or were) great film composers but they have had the advantage of a globe-dominating film industry, the finest recording facilities, the latest recording technology and a huge pool of able musicians to select from. In Williams' case, the budget allows for the London Symphony Orchestra to be the choice.  

So Williams' first flaw is his reliance on orchestrators: his next weakness is starting with The Form, a symphony orchestra. Why are we hearing piccolos? Oh, because they are part of a symphony orchestra, and after all, we are paying them handsomely, so might as well give them something to do… What a state of affairs!  

Ennio Morricone never starts with The Form – always with The Idea (…which maybe requires a symphony orchestra…)  

Because he began his formal study at the Conservatory unusually young (14 or even 12 in some accounts) and spent many, many years in dedication (he had actually started composing though at the age of 6) he has had the facility to compose almost anything – a polka, a waltz, a military march – from any period: a score like VATEL couldn't be achieved by a Williams or a Goldsmith. Hans Zimmer? No chance!  

Most important of all, Morricone writes every note DIRECTLY onto a full score sheet with no need to tinker at a piano.  

His songs – one remarkable collaboration was with Joan Baez – are in Italian, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish…  

And he has written not just for Italian cinema and television, but for French, American, British, Russian, Yugoslav, Spanish, Japanese and Hungarian cinema and television! – who can match that?  

When you remember that an American psychic once claimed that the late, great Henry Mancini was – in a past life – Giuseppe Verdi… you do begin to wonder…  

Williams and Goldsmith especially, but also Zimmer, have their fans. There are many who regard at least the first two as the world's greatest practitioners in film scoring. Certainly, Goldsmith was more imaginative and inventive (far more) than Williams will ever be [but was he Wagner?] – but neither can touch Morricone.  

Apart from second-rate facilities, low budgets, obscure films destined for oblivion, Morricone has suffered in the film music community because few fans know a fraction of what he has done!  

When you know more and more Morricone, questions like 'who-is-greater?' answer themselves

I only quoted that guy so as to spark some interest, as it no doubt will! Oh and because I believe Ennio Morricone deserves some appreciation around these parts

The man is a legend.

[tpigeon 3]

Morricone has composed some of the best music I have ever heard. My favorite score of his is Cinema Paradiso, but I hear that my favorite theme from it wasn't even composed by him, but instead Andrea Morricone. I'm sure someone can inform me as to what this is about, but, nevertheless, the Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso is one the most moving piece of film music I've ever heard. The Untouchables is also quite brilliant, and The Thing was deliciously weird. As for his Westerns, what more can be said other than he is the the master.

Ted

[Marcus 390]

Ennio Morricone is a fine composer, with a solid training and a great dramatic instinct. He is truly unbelievably prolific. I have never heard any of his concert works, so I cannot comment on those, but I'm sure they are valid, decent contributions.

Unfortunately, I feel that Morricone's eclecticism (and I really shouldn't blame a film composer for being eclectic, it's part of the job, I know) occasionally gets in the way of his overall musical vision and voice, which could be why I have never been as impressed as I perhaps ought to be with his work.

It is just that I cannot really say: This is a typical Morricone melody, a Morricone voicing, a Morricone timbre, etc. His work does have a certain unity of attitude and energy, perhaps, but he seems a little "sexless" compared to Herrmann, Goldsmith or Williams.

[Quintus 5,399]

It is just that I cannot really say: This is a typical Morricone melody, a Morricone voicing, a Morricone timbre, etc. His work does have a certain unity of attitude and energy, perhaps,  but he seems a little "sexless" compared to Herrmann, Goldsmith or Williams.

Hmm, totally disagree there, I find his music extremely provocative. The Man With The Harmonica is a case in point and just one example of his ability to paint a suggestive and subtle picture of a moment he has scored.

[Marcus 390]

Don't get me wrong, Morricone's musical approach is usually unique, but his music in its own right doesn't seem as strong as that of the other composers I mentioned. I just don't think he has a very pronounced language. Not that he should need to. But I don't sense a great presence in his music. He has certainly written a fair share of classic scores, memorable scores.. But perhaps I'm very wrong here. I hope so. I would love for Morricone to be a genius. I just can't seem to find his music truly awe-inspiring, or his musicality convincing on the deepest level. But I often like his musical choices as far as serving a film, or interpreting a film, goes.

[robthehand 3]

His music is mostly very good. A few of his scores are among my all-time favourites, and a few I find hideously unlistenable. But out of 500 scores (or whatever it is), I'll allow him a few duds.

[tpigeon 3]

I read some Danny Elfman quote somewhere in which he said that Bernard Herrmann was the best film composer when it comes to writing music to perfectly complement images. But in terms of shear musical beauty, Ennio Morricone is the best all time. It's a good quote.

Ted

[Quintus 5,399]

Indeed it is.

See: The heavenly female vocals of Once Upon A Time In The West for futher proof.

[Romão 2,274]

Morricone has composed some of the best music I have ever heard. My favorite score of his is Cinema Paradiso, but I hear that my favorite theme from it wasn't even composed by him, but instead Andrea Morricone. I'm sure someone can inform me as to what this is about, but, nevertheless, the Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso is one the most moving piece of film music I've ever heard. The Untouchables is also quite brilliant, and The Thing was deliciously weird. As for his Westerns, what more can be said other than he is the the master.

Ted

The love theme was composed by his son Andrea Morricone, and that's pretty much all there is to it.

As for the IMDB quote, Williams can be blamed of everything, except not having perfect command of the potential of an orchestra.

[MikeyKW 0]

I've found his scores pretty unrewarding. Life's just too short to spend it wading through his volumnious output for very little in return. I feel the same with many composer some have a high regard for, people like Hans Zimmer, Chris Young, Georges Delrue, Eric Serra, Bill Conti, Basil Poledouris, DeVol, Vangelis, the non-Bond efforts of John Barry, Michael Legrand, and the assemby-line stooges of MV.

[Red 75]

I like Morricone, but he's no Williams. Who doesn't love The Good the Bad and the Ugly's main theme?

[Alejandro 26]

Morricone's A Time of Destiny, which was used in the Wyatt Earp trailer, is by far my favorite Morricone score. If you have not heard this score, message me and you will have it in no time!

My favorite, I tell you!!

MySpace Film Music Group:

http://groups.myspace.com/filmmusiccentral

[Panthera 0]

I've only heard The Mission and part of Bugsy. The Mission was really good but Bugsy was sort of boring.

[Quintus 5,399]

Morricone's A Time of Destiny, which was used in the Wyatt Earp trailer, is by far my favorite Morricone score.  If you have not heard this score, message me and you will have it in no time!

My favorite, I tell you!!

MySpace Film Music Group:

http://groups.myspace.com/filmmusiccentral

OMFG, what a picture you have on your Myspace profile The Vanity Fair one - its stunning! Please tell me you have it as a Jpeg?!!! I'd give anything for that photograph on my desktop!

Oh and I'd love to have the Morricone piece you mentioned, send it to me PLEASE!

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

Morricone is a film music master. One of the finest ever, but to say is the best living composer... talk about over-ratting...

Your quote sounds a bit too much like a fan-boy talking.

Personally, I love Morricone work, but he's the kind of composer who keeps writting the same kind of melody... catchy tunes, but you've heard one, you've heard them all. I still love to hear them, but they are all close cousins to say the best. So as a composer I don't find him as creative as Williams.

Or let me say this on another way: Morricone created a sound with his spagheti westerns, and haven't changed much since then.

Williams on the other hand, as always tried to achieve a diferent kind of sound each time he writes something, while remaining faithfull to himself. He may ahve not created a landmark sound like Morricone in the 70's, but he as achieved a kind of artistry in writting for orchestra that few composers have.

And writting a lot of music don't make no one a better composer... thats quiet a silly remark.

Wax: Right Between the Eyes

[A24 4,327]

I liked him when I was a kid.

[Jeshopk 8]

He doesn't write any good action music. It's a big chink in his otherwise sturdy armor.

[Quintus 5,399]

He doesn't write any good action music. It's a big chink in his otherwise sturdy armor.

Yes, I'd agree with that, tho the films he scores are not really about that, if we are pointing out movies.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

he's pretty good.

[A24 4,327]

Maybe we should say, "he was pretty good". I mean, outside these great Sergio Leone scores, what has he done lately? I don't hear myself humming any of his tunes!

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

While the Sergio Leone score will go down as landmarks, I rather listen to some of his other scores, like Malena, Mission to Mars or Legend of 1900. Actually one of the things I've been listening a lot latelly, was his score to Sustiene Pereira.

Williams: Jaws

[Sandor 796]

Morricone is my favorite film composer after John Williams.

Maybe we should say, "he was pretty good". I mean, outside these great Sergio Leone scores, what has he done lately? I don't hear myself humming any of his tunes!

This is the kind of "crappy" remark that dominates the talkback-sections over at Imdb.com or Mugglenet...

I seriously hope you're just being sarcastic...

[publicist 4,643]

Or let me say this on another way: Morricone created a sound with his spagheti westerns, and haven't changed much since then.

Williams on the other hand, as always tried to achieve a diferent kind of sound each time he writes something, while remaining faithfull to himself.

That, as usual, betrays just a total igorance of the artist's output.

It pains me to read sentences like this because a) Morricone was going through a lot of 'phases' after the 60s (the melodic style of the early 70s Giallo-films is the complete opposite to something like 'Orca' or 'Days of Heaven, which are late 70s, not to speak of 'Marco Polo'(1982) or 'La Venexiana' (1986?) etc., etc.,etc.

...and B) the notion that Williams, of all composers, tried always for something different is really stretching it, especially when you compare him to Morricone. If anything, Williams, for a long time of his career, was a reliable source for a certain kind of scoring approach and if you honestly tell me that polished routine like 'Spacecamp', 'Far and Away' or even 'Jurassic Park' shows us a composer hungry for new things, you will be punished with 10 days of incarceration with a continous loop of Saloon-music from 'Once upon a Time in the West'.

Morricone's action music, i will admit, is really not something that makes the ears jubilate.

[nicholas 1]

Morricone seems to me to be the most uniquely idiomatic composer working in film today. Every one of his scores that I know has some special flavour or idiosyncracy. I'm not a great fan of the western scores (in fact I'm ashamed to admit I don't know them) but that's probably because I'm not a great fan of westerns - what is more likely to induce a yawn than a shot of cavalry riding over a dusty hillside? Highlights of Morricone's output for me would include the solo viola tune in the main title of "Hamlet" (perfectly capturing Hamlet's fatal melancholia), the string writing in "Days of Heaven", all of "Cinema Paradiso" and, of course, "The Mission" - the fusion of lines in the main title is nothing short of sublime.

[A24 4,327]

Maybe we should say, "he was pretty good". I mean, outside these great Sergio Leone scores, what has he done lately? I don't hear myself humming any of his tunes!

This is the kind of "crappy" remark that dominates the talkback-sections over at Imdb.com or Mugglenet...

I seriously hope you're just being sarcastic...

I don't understand why you are so upset. I was sharing an honest thought. Oh, it's Roald ...

[Sandor 796]

I'm not upset. Just disappointed by your totally "out-of-style" reasoning. Expected more from you I guess.

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

Or let me say this on another way: Morricone created a sound with his spagheti westerns, and haven't changed much since then.

Williams on the other hand, as always tried to achieve a diferent kind of sound each time he writes something, while remaining faithfull to himself.

That, as usual, betrays just a total igorance of the artist's output.

It pains me to read sentences like this because a) Morricone was going through a lot of 'phases' after the 60s (the melodic style of the early 70s Giallo-films is the complete opposite to something like 'Orca' or 'Days of Heaven, which are late 70s, not to speak of 'Marco Polo'(1982) or 'La Venexiana' (1986?) etc., etc.,etc.

...and B) the notion that Williams, of all composers, tried always for something different is really stretching it, especially when you compare him to Morricone. If anything, Williams, for a long time of his career, was a reliable source for a certain kind of scoring approach and if you honestly tell me that polished routine like 'Spacecamp', 'Far and Away' or even 'Jurassic Park' shows us a composer hungry for new things, you will be punished with 10 days of incarceration with a continous loop of Saloon-music from 'Once upon a Time in the West'.

Morricone's action music, i will admit, is really not something that makes the ears jubilate.

OK, I'm peaking my copy of Once Upon a Time in West, and will put the sallon musicon repeast for the next ten days

I confess that my judgemtn of morricone work is based mostly on th later output, from the 80's on, and that isn't the best way, if a way at all, to judge a composer carreer. Shame on me.

You seems to be a larger expert on Morricone that me, so could you list a recomendation of his work for me to listen to? Maybe a sort of top 20 scores... thanks.

By the way, I have a cd with a concert work by Morricone, a very modern kind of thisg, from what I remember -- haven't listend to it in years. Maybe you can allow me a short interruption in sallon music just to listen to it

Mancini: Peter Gunn (the actual soundtrack, not the albuns)

[Romão 2,274]

I would also recomend the Sicilian Clan.

[A24 4,327]

I'm not upset. Just disappointed by your totally "out-of-style" reasoning. Expected more from you I guess.

Now who's talking like a IMDB -er?

[Sandor 796]

WhAtYaMEan.... dont YOU know MORICONE is THE BEST ever!!# He wrote the MOST FaMoUs THEMES: GOOD, BAd Ugly + Few DOllar MoRE + The MISSION+ The PINK panTHER + Chi MAI + BRavEHeaRT!!???!!

[Ollie 1,059]

I find Morricone to be hit or miss with me. I find some of his works very good but I really don't find myself that interested.

[A24 4,327]

WhAtYaMEan.... dont YOU know MORICONE is THE BEST ever!!# He wrote the MOST FaMoUs THEMES: GOOD, BAd Ugly + Few DOllar MoRE + The MISSION+ The PINK panTHER + Chi MAI + BRavEHeaRT!!???!!

LOL

[robthehand 3]

Fateless (from last year, I think) was great.

[Sandor 796]

Me too! And great vocals by Lisa Gerrard! Didn't even recognize her voice at first! She sounds totally different than on the Gladiator soundtrack (thankfully!).

[publicist 4,643]

That list can be arranged!

I agree with Merkel: 'The Sicilian Clan' is one....

Sorry, but i don't have the time to search for the correct english title for every of these. I will mark those where you simply need the main themes, as a lot of Morricone scores, especially for thrillers contains one great lyrical meldoy and 30 minutes of hair-raising aleatoric and dissonant 'garbage'. Just try iTunes for some of it, but be aware that the short clips seldom say much.

Westerns:

'Il Mercenario'

'la Resa dei Conti'

'Navajo Joe'

'Il Grande Silenzio'

Giu' la testa

Guns for San Sebastian (Love Theme, especially)

Il mio Nome è Nessuno (The Wild Horde is a favourite)

Two Mules for Sister Sara

Vamos A Matar Companeros (main Theme+Il Pinguino)

60ies Easy Italiano stuff (FUN!)

Diabolik (only 'Deep Deep Down', the main theme...the rest has vanished, unfortunately)

L'Alibi

L'Assoluto Naturale (Main Theme)

I Malamondo

Le Casse (go for the Astrud Gilberto song 'Argomenti', the main theme)

Metti Una Sera A Cena (lot of belcanto pop 60s style, think of frothy lounge music with a spaghetti western twist to it!)

Scusi, facciamo l'amore? (the same as above)

Thrillers/Cop Movies:

'Le Marginal' (main theme)

'Le Professionel' (not for 'Chi Mai' but there some interesting Bach-variations!)

'Bird with the Crystal Plumage' (Main Theme)

Cosa Avete Fatto a Solange? (Main Theme)

Il Gatto a Nove Code (Main Theme)

'Citta Violenta'

Exorcist II - The Heretic

Una Pura Formalità (more intellectual, for fans of recent Williams concert works:)

Dramas:

'Canone Inverso'

Casualties of War

Days of Heaven

Il Prato (a hell of a beautiful theme!)

La Califfa

La Venexiana (very choral)

El Greco (medieval liturgical...beautiful!)

La Donna Invisibile (drama with more conemporary orchestration)

La Luz Prodigiosa (recent and gorgeous)

La Tenda Rossa (The Red Tent)

Maddalena (this is just some strange hybrid of melody, avantgarde and pop which no Hollywood composer would ever be capable of producing...it's good and the famous 'Chi Mai' tune is first used here as a secondary theme)

Mosè (Moses the Lawgiver) (try for the theme first, it crops up on a lot of compilations)

Nostromo (gorgeous)

Queimada (the famous chant 'Abolica')

Sacco e Vanzetti

What Dreams May Come

Adventure:

Marco Polo (one of the most gorgeous viola melodies i know)

Orca

Red Sonja

The Adventurer (this is a great tragic one...there are several longer pieces with a classical twist)

[tpigeon 3]

Morricone's action music' date=' i will admit, is really not something that makes the ears jubilate.[/quote']

In general, I agree. Sometimes, he can find the perfect music for action-oriented scenes. For example, the triumphant Untouchables theme is used to perfection in one action sequence in the film. It's not traditional action music, but it is a great fit for the images.

Ted

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

That list can be arranged!  

I agree with Merkel: 'The Sicilian Clan' is one....  

Thnaks for the list. i think that some of the themes are in the recent DVDs of Morricone.

And Merkel... what the hell are you waiting to get me that? (presto, presto, otherwise you'll suffer the consequences of that other thread...)

[Quintus 5,399]

OMG CHECK THIS OUT, ITS AMAZING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ3u3fTG70Q

I'm so pleased with myself for just finding this

You Tube has a trunk full of Morricone stuff on there!

[Panthera 0]

That was the first time I ever heard The Ecstacy of Gold. Was the lady singing anyone famous?

[robthehand 3]

Wow, awesome clip! I'm really upset that I can't go to Morricone's London concert. :cry:

[Quintus 5,399]

Not sure about the lady, but she did a great job under Morricone's direction. Yes that was Ennio Morricone himself conducting

Listen to it again, it will take a grip of you and never let go

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That really is a kickass performance!

[John McClane 1]

Morricone is legendary.

He's easily one of the best western score composer (and the most prolific). I found myself loving him expecially for those stuff (as I'm a guitarist, and love his works) but surely there's some non-western score of him I like.

But while his classical score are just "wonderful orchestral score" I think that nothing can top his trademark western sound. He composed some of the best whistled music to whistle along!

There too many grreat scores of him I like to actually list them all. Plus I'm holding an icecream so I'm typing with one hand, which is annoying and just simply sucks.

[Quintus 5,399]

I have the Yo Yo Ma version of The Ecstasy Of Gold actually. PM me if you would like to hear his interesting take on the piece.

Also, has anyone heard Morricone's Chi Mai? Its a most relaxing piece of music.

*TGE - Who thinks that Morricone writes beautiful and soothing thematic strings better than anyone in the business.*

[Omen II 1,235]

That was the first time I ever heard The Ecstacy of Gold. Was the lady singing anyone famous?

I am not 100% certain, but I think the soprano in that clip is Susanna Rigacci. I've been fortunate enough to see Morricone conduct this piece live in concert twice; on both occasions the soprano soloist was Susanna Rigacci and her peformances were stunning. It certainly looks like her. Her speciality is 18th and 19th century bel canto repertoire but she often works with Morricone when he gives concerts.

Maddalena

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Well, this thread has made me revisit my (rather thin) Morricone library. Forgot all about this guy. OUATITW still rocks! I'll have to watch the film again soon.

Man With a Harmonica

P.S.: Wasn't Morricone going to do a concert in Antwerp a few years ago? I think there was an announcement of it in the LotR Symphony booklet, but it never showed up on the website. I would have liked to go to that.

[violin123 0]

I love his theme from "The Mission" especially "Gabriel's Oboe"

[King Mark 3,626]

I like:

Once upon a time in America

Once upon a time in the West

The Untouchables

The Mission

Legend of 1900

Lolita

I think he has more misses than hits.You can't just get a random Morricone c.d. and think you'll like it.

K.M.

[John McClane 1]

You don't like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Mark?

However, I agree with you last sentence. But I liked every western score of him I listened. I don't really like his "pop" stuff, though.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

OMG CHECK THIS OUT, ITS AMAZING    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ3u3fTG70Q

I'm so pleased with myself for just finding this    

You Tube has a trunk full of Morricone stuff on there!

The english horn solo in the beginning was great. The rest of the stuff

was nice 30 years ago.I can't take it anymore.