Ennio Morricone

Morricone wrote his first compositions at age of six and demonstrated that he is natural talented and gifted musician.

Before the cinema he composed for radio drama, TV and pop artists. He worked with Renato Rascel, Mario Lanza and Rita Pavone who were a frequent guest on The Ed Sullivan Show.

With Roby Ferrante and Carlo Rossi he wrote Paul Anka’s “Ogni Volta”

He also composed, orchestrated and conducted Mina’s “Se Telefonando“.

Performed by Mina, it was a standout track of Studio Uno 66, the fifth-biggest-selling album of the year 1966 in Italy.

The collaboration with Sergio Leone at mid 60s’ introduced Morricone to the worldwide audience and brought him first international fame. So called “Spaghetti Westerns” era – A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), Once Upon a Time in The West(1968).

The soundtrack from the “The good, the bad and the ugly” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009.

Most of us are familiar with those tunes from the very childhood.

At 2007 Once Upon a Time in The West, won Grammy award for the best instrumental performance.

By early 70s, Morricone made a success with several singles, including A Fistful of Dynamite (1971), original score to the same named film

In 1970, Morricone composed the music for Don Siegel’s Two Mules for Sister Sara, starring Clint Eastwood.

Though it became wide famous after (1981) Le Professionnel, originally “Chi Mai” was composed by Morricone for (1971) Polish drama Maddalena.

And here’s the more recognizable version, which by itself reached “Golden record” title.

In 1977, he composed the official theme for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

In 1978, Morricone scored Days of Heaven, film by American director Terrence Malick, starring young Richard Gere.

The score brought Morricone his first Academy Award Nomination.

Sergio Leone’s “Once upon a time in America” hits the theaters at 1984.

The score was nominated to Golden Globe Award in 1985 and won BAFTA award the same year.

This was Morricone’s last collaboration with Leone. Sergio Leone died 30 April 1989 of a heart attack at the age of 60.

The score is widely considered as one of Morricone’s best works.

(1986) The Mission, directed by Roland Joffé, brought Morricone another Academy Award Nomination.

In the 1987 Brian De Palma’s “Untouchables” is released, featuring Ennio Morricone original soundtrack.

The soundtrack was nominated to Academy award ,Won BAFTA and Grammy awards.

At the latest years works it would be appropriate to mention the Morricone’s collaboration with Quentin Tarantino.

Quentin Tarantino used Ennio Morricone earlier works in few of his films such as

(2003) Kill Bill: Volume 1  , (2004) Kill Bill: Volume 2  ,(2009) Inglorious Bastards and (2012) Django Unchained

Directed by Quentin Tarantino (2016) Hateful Eight score, brought Morricone his first competitive Oscar.

And now, here’s some honorable mentions:

Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” has been played to introduce Metallica’s performances since the 1980s.

Written by Morricone and his son Andrea “My Heart And I”, was performed by Sting on the compilation Andrea Griminelli’s Cinema Italiano (2001).

In 2007, the tribute album We All Love Ennio Morricone was released, featuring performances by various artists, including  Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock and Metallica. All of the performers involved in the album, honored the composer who influenced them all in different times of their lives.

And here’s some jazz version for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly by Herbie Hancock