The first part (using female voices) is featured in the opening credits as On the album, tracks 2 and 4 are source music tracks, and these stand out in stark contrast (as 'normal music') to the rest of the underscore.Īnd developed in female and male 'la-la' figures over an acousticĬhimes, bells and organ textures also first appear here, sometimes In any case, the score for this film is strongly flavored by Edda Dell'Orso's haunting, wordless vocal performance, as well as the floating, improvisatory statements from the studio 'jazz band'.

It's possible that the musicians were provided with partially-notated elements without rhythmic markings, and were then cued in and out by conductor Bruno Nicolai (that's my guess anyways). Acoustic bass and guitar tremolo figures and accent rhythms.Sparse ornamentation from electric guitar swells, noirish sax, and ethnic percussion.Female 'la-la' chant, female and male sighing/moaning/whispers (female vocals provided by the always-delightful Edda Dell'Orso).Tension theme (atonal, nervous theme on piano/synth/harpsichord/clarinet/acoustic guitar), also developing into cascading scales.

3-note ostinato (synth/vibraphone/celeste/piano/harpsichord), developing into cascading scales.

'Fraseggio senza struttura' (Phrases Without Structure) is basically built on these gestures, or 'phrases' (though not all are present in every version): Most likely, several versions were recorded and Morricone and the music editor used the material as library music to fit the dramatic contours of various scenes. The improvisational tension theme is titled (appropriately enough) 'Phrases Without Structure', and is used for all scenes featuring the killer's presence (POV stalking scenes, off-screen phone calls, gloved hands preparing knives, etc.). The lullaby 'Crystal Plumage theme' is first heard in the opening track, and is mainly used for flirtatious sleuthing scenes between Sam and his girlfriend Julia back at their apartment. The first mature example of this is probably 'The Bird with the Crystal Plumage' (Italian: L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo).įor this film, director Dario Argento's first feature, Morricone developed two very different compositional tactics: a female lullaby ('la-la') theme song, and a semi-improvised, atonal 'indeterminate' piece, which uses free-floating rhythms to create a sense of unpredictable tension. Several years after pioneering the spaghetti western musical style, Morricone also trail-blazed music for Italian Giallo B-films (thrillers), using unusual instrumentation and employing improvisation as a structural device.

Ennio morricone discography rar