The "Main Theme" in itself is already something completely offbeat and highly original. It opens with a rhythmic thumping of a drum that is followed by the oft-parodied seven-note whistling motif on a soprano flute (representing Eastwood), arghilophone (representing Van Cleef) and grunting voices (representing Wallach). The second part of the theme (this one more forward riding than the first part) features the electric guitar and a male choir. From there on the music gets even more excited with a reprisal of the first part accenting the underlying rhythm and now presented by Morricone's experimental "native" human voices. This yields into a virtuostic dialogue with two trumpets and lightning like slashes of guitar (my favorite part I might add) after which the second part is reprised with even greater energy. After this the first part returns and is allowed to wind down to a conclusion. The reason why I have gone into such detail with this opening cue is because it is not easy for us today to really understand how new and strange this main theme sounded like back in 1967. The sheer unusualness of the orchestrations, guitar, native voices, male choir, strings, trumpets, whistling, saxophone, drums, all treated individually and uniquely within a three minute cue make for a very interesting listen. Apart from the main theme that crops up often during the score in different variations, depending on which of the three men is being depicted, there is also a world-weary, long-drawn melody that is the very essence of resignation in Western music, appearing in cues like "La Missione San Antonio" and "The Death of a Soldier". It is also turned into a song in "The Story of a Soldier" that sounds very much like something Henry Mancini would have written at the same time for films like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Days of Wine and Roses. In "The Strong" we can hear the fanfare-calls of the U.S. Cavalry under a noble trumpet elegy that again brings to mind a setting sun in the great open prairies and can also be found from "The Carriage of the Spirits" and in a harmonica arrangement in "Marcia" as well as a few other places.
A definite highlight is the cue "The Ecstasy of Gold" which accompanies Eli Wallach as he runs through the cemetery in search of the gold. The aural majesty of this single cue of about three-and-a-half minutes is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard and the increasing layers of different elements from the simple oboe-led opening to the massed intensity of the conclusion is absolutely fantastic. The last cue, "The Trio", is the final stand-off between the three men and is a great way to end the album.
1. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo / The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Main Title (2:43) 2. Il Tramonto (The Sundown) (1:15) 3. Sentenza* (1:42) 4. Fuga a cavallo* (1:07) 5. Il ponte di corde* (1:52) 6. Il forte / The Strong (2:23) 7. Inseguimento* (2:25) 8. Il deserto / The Desert (5:17) 9. La carrozza dei fantasmi / The Carriage of the Spirits (2:10) 10. La mission San Antonio* (2:15) 11. Padre Ramirez* (2:37) 12. Marcetta / Marcia (2:53) 13. La storia de un soldato / The Story of a Soldier (3:54) 14. Il treno militare* (1:25) 15. Fine di una spia* (1:17) 16. Il bandito Monco* (2:46) 17. Due contro cinque* (3:46) 18. Marcetta senza speranza / Marcia without Hope (1:41) 19. Morte di un soldato / The Death of a Soldier (3:08) 20. L'estasi dell'oro / The Ecstasy of Gold (3:23) 21. Il triello / The Trio (Main Title) (5:03)
* Previously unreleased
Music Composed and Conducted by Ennio Morricone Original Album: United Artists, 1967 (UAS 5172) Re-Release: Capitol Records, 2004 (72435-98621-2-5)
