EverKent

Imagine the opening credits of an Italian political thriller of the early Seventies.

Sentimental movies were the playground of Trovajoli, Piccioni, Morricone and some others, providing delightful and romantic lounge-style melodies for often subversive plots, on a background of pop culture sets and stylish women.

Outlaws and gangsters often had a leading role in Italian action movies of the period, and their fierceness and violence was counterbalanced by a more human depiction.

Ennio Morricones Chi Mai is a celebrated piece created for the movie Maddalena in 1971, then re-arranged by its author in 1977 in a version that will be used the Jean-Paul Belmondo vehicle Le professionnel in 1981.

The poliziottesco was Italys response to the American crime and action movies, like the so-called spaghetti westerns were to the American cowboy movies.

Lets have a booster shot of the Cronaca di un falsario theme before we get into more serious business.

Such a collection wouldnt be complete without a western theme, the genre that made Italian film music so popular throughout the world. This theme tries the impossible task of summarizing the genre in just above 4 minutes.

To a lesser extent, Italy tried to import the success of British spy movies, never managing to make it become a local specialty. It often resulted in spoofs where the comedy aspects were taking over.

Fascinated by ancient music, Ennio Morricone often came up with music styles from the past (the Passacaglia, the Responsorio, the Missa Luba) and more prominently the Tarantella, the most famous example being Rabbia e Tarantella from Allonsanfan

Composers of Italian genre cinema would usually propose their themes in several arrangements in order to suit the different atmospheres of the movie. This technique allowed them to make the listener feel at home while bringing variety.

After some of the bank robbers have been arrested, the police organizes a reconstruction of the attack, not knowing that the mobsters are hidden in the vicinity in order to take this opportunity to free up their teammates.

Giallos (Italian thriller-horror genre) were often underscored with experimental jazz music, but would typically contain one theme of great beauty to contrast with the general unease.

In the Seventies, westerns continued to be created massively in Italy but, with the resounding success of the Trinita movies, they took a more parodic turn. The composers naturally followed the same trend and came up with lighter music, employing c

Lets complete this journey with a last rendition of the Cronaca di un falsario theme on piano.

Cover of a piece heard in the movie Ruba al prossimo tuo (1968).