ENNIO....AT LAST

As I hoped when I posted my sabato musicale at the weekend, 87-year-old Italian composer Ennio Morricone at last won an Oscar for a film score on Sunday night. The maestro had been awarded an honorary Oscar for his career in 2007 but, despite being nominated five times over the years, had not won an Academy Award for Best Score.

All that has now been put to rights with the award for the score of Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and the director, like the whole of Italy, is delighted. How could Italy and the world not love a man who, in his acceptance speech, dedicated both the score and the award to his wife?

Here is an excerpt from another of my favourite Morricone scores:

SABATO MUSICALE

Congratulations to Ennio Morricone, who was awarded his well-deserved star on the Hollywoood Walk of Fame yesterday. Speaking at the ceremony, the composer said,

"I always try to create a soundtrack which pleases both the director and the public, but it must also please me."

This may explain the constant integrity of his music.

Here's an old  Morricone favourite of mine, which became well known in Britain as the soundtrack to a 1981 TV series about David Lloyd George:

Ennio Morricone - Chi mai

The 87-year-old maestro is hotly tipped for an Oscar for The Hateful Eight, so let us wish him luck.

SABATO MUSICALE

I was delighted to be able to report this week that one of my favourite composers, Ennio Morricone, will receive the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm on Monday.

I do love Chi Mai, which was the theme for Le Professionel  but also for a largely forgotten 1981 TV series, The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.

SABATO MUSICALE

I hope you enjoy this haunting track from Ennio Morricone's score for Baarìa:

Ennio Morricone - Brindisi from the film Baarìa