Western (+Book) - Ennio Morricone

Advantages: Hugely original, perfectly suits the mood of the film
Disadvantages: perhaps a bit tough going without the images.

...Probably the most famous theme tune to any western, the instantly recognisable title track is audacious and original. Who but Ennio Morricone could combine almost Monty Python like silly voices with twangy guitars, lush strings, strange flutes and a male voice choir to make a perfect accompaniment to the final and best of the Dollars trilogy. Director Sergio Leone's highly original visual style (be it sometimes over the top) demanded the same with the music and in Morricone he certainly got that. This is probably best defined in the final sequence where the three protagonists are searching for the gold in the graveyard and the tense shoot out that follows. The music amplifies the heat and suspense to an almost unbearable crescendo. A classic soundtrack.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great tribute to a great composer.
Disadvantages: Not suitable to anyone who isn't familiar with Morricone's music.

...I think the title of this album should be considered a solid fact. We do all love Ennio Morricone! He's easily one of the best composers of recent times, and hundreds of films would be lost without his music. Despite not giving a full picture of Morricone's work, i think this is still a great tribute album. The fact that artists from Celine Dion, to Bruce Springsteen, to Metallica, ahve come forward to pay their tributes shows the extent to which Morricone has touched the world. I found out about this tribute from the Metallica website when they announced they'd recorded their own version of "Ecstasy Of Gold", and I immediately bought it. Ecstasy of Gold, and Bruce Springsteen's "Once Upon A Time In The West" are my favourite tracks on the album, but they all have their strengths. At that, I wouldn't say that any of the artists... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: A good intro to Morricone's work
Disadvantages: Is it really his most significant work? "the very best"?

...Like most compilations, this is a slanted album that shows just the most popular (rather than "the very best") of Maestro Morricone. How dangerous it is to reduce such a prolific composer to one single CD! Certainly a good intro for someone who doesn't know anything about him, but still in that case, I´d rather listen to a complete soundtrack of his. If you are a Morricone fan, you would agree that Morricone's eclectic spirit could suit any music lover... yet this album cannot offer an eclectic picture of his genious. Please take a look in online databases at his filmography and you'll find over 500 soundtracks. He has virtually touched every style of music except for rap (or am I wrong?). Fundamentaly Morricone is all about emotions. Thus his work is varied and eclectic as an unfolding life that nurtures itself from the multiple... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful