Ennio Morricone

[svandamme]

So i've never been a fan of classical music, or opera, you just can't pay me enough to go to any kind of opera or classical performance, it's just not for me... Most of it, i find to be to over complicated, to pedantic, just trying to hard...
In school we were supposed to learn all that crap, and why this or that major classical work was good , and what it was supposed to be doing... Most of the time, i just developed an enormous sense of boredom. And i keep getting that if i hear somebody ranting about one of the classical classics...

Some exceptions exist, like ride of the Valkyries, Wiener Waltz, in small doses, or some part of some opera... But those are just small excerpts of classical stuff i kinda like...I'de never pay to sit out a full concert.


Then there is Ennio Morricone, who does produce music, that is performed by classical orchestra's, with opera singers.. but with a major twist, in terms of the composition, and the use of instruments...It's technically not considered "classical" music, but he composes his music just like classical composers, he doesn't sit with a band jamming till something works...He composes his music alone, for a full result , using the classical instruments (+ whatever suits him)...

It's not like i often play his music, but when i "accidentally" slap some compilation album of his on the hifi... i end up sticking with it for the rest of the evening... I may be an art philistine, but to me his works are really top notch, even if some would say, he's (just) a movie music maker...

I like how he doesn't over complicate things with layers upon layers of instruments. Or how he uses things , very subtle to work up a big feel. Or how he uses very a-typical instruments or sounds... And i just love how he uses the trumpet, flutes and the bassoon...

The "Big Guys" made music for the then modern forms of entertainment, which is exactly what Morricone did throughout his career.
So am i nuts in thinking that this composer, is just as brilliant as the likes of Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Brahms, Verdi, and others? Or is his stuff to simple to even think about comparing to the "Big Guys"?

[74-911]

I suspect most Americans haven't a clue who Ennio Morricone is. They would only know of Ennio Morricones work if you had mentioned he is the composer of the music in all the Clint Eastwood "spaghetti westerns", i.e. Fistful of Dollars, A Few dollars More, etc.. etc... as well as scoring many more movies.

[Sonic dB]

I know who he is and have a bunch of his stuff on my Ipod. Svandamme is right in that Morrricone writes his music at a desk with a pencil and staff paper. Actually he is a bit snobby about this having stated that it is the only true way that a composer should write. Im not so sure about that comment at all, but yeah he has written some excellent stuff.

[pmax]

So was Morricone.

[MRM]

How does his work compare to Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller? It sounds like they have similar sensibilities. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannheim_Steamroller

[craigster59]

Or Aaron Copland, one of the best......

[craigster59]

And "Beef, It's what's for dinner"....

[svandamme]

Not feeling it for either steamroller or Copland, it's not in the same category as Morricone.. But that's just me.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Not feeling it for either steamroller or Copland, it's not in the same category as Morricone.. But that's just me.

Stijn, Morricone is one of the greats. I am one of those some may label as a "culture vulture" in that my theatre dollars go to the symphony and ballet more than any other live entertainment but I get your point. The "classics" aren't for everyone.

However writing to set or create the mood for a movie requires great skill and empathy. Morricone is up there with Elmer Bernstein and John Williams and his spaghetti western music is amongst the best sound tracks written.