RAI Radio 1 – Giorno per Giorno – July 6, 2020 – Special Tribute Edition – 10:30-11:30 am – RAI Radio 1 –
Ennio Morricone: November 10, 1928 – July 6, 2020. On top of what has been a catastrophically terrible year for the world in general, the Music world has suffered a loss which can only be described as tragic-beyond-words.
I remember the day Nino Rota died. Rota was a contemporary of Ennio Morricone’s; together they represented some of the most inspiring, evocative and defining scores for film. Rota for Fellini, Morricone for Leone. Pondering the loss, I remember thinking “well, at least we have Morricone”.
And now today, Morricone is gone. It was once said, I think by Fellini (or possibly Leone or Antonioni), that the score to a film represents 50% of the cinema experience; it was that mutual and integral part which is the essence of story telling – the visuals translate to the brain, the music translates to the heart. And the two in concert become responsible for those moving and defining experiences we have as the audience, the film-goers – the ones whose eyes inexplicably tear-up for every reason and no reason – those notes, those visuals.
So when I heard the terrible news this morning, I went on a frantic search of the archive, looking for something to offer as tribute to the man and his inestimable contributions to cinema.
I stumbled across this live broadcast from earlier this morning via the Italian Radio network RAI, and what was an almost hour-long, loving tribute to the man and his music, with words from those who knew and worked with him. It captures a wide array of musical styles and films so associated with the work of Ennio Morricone.
One caveat: It’s all in Italian – so unless you’re fluent, it might be frustrating to wade through. I’m not, but I picked up enough to appreciate what was going on. And if nothing else, the program is filled with music that is instantly recognizable – so it will be emotional no matter what.
We’ve been losing so many this year – but we’ve been left with so much. Ennio Morricone’s music will be with us, hopefully, for centuries – it was his gift.
