artist: Ennio Morricone country of origin: Italy style(s): Soundtrack, jazz, pop, blues, classical, ambient, orchestral essential releases: The Mission [soundtrack] (1986, Virgin) Film Music volume 1 (1987, Virgin) Film Music volume 2 (1987, VIrgin) The Ennio Morricone Anthology (1995, Rhino)

These are four essential albums for newcomers to one of the acknowledged masters of contemporary film music who has scored literally hundreds of films over his lengthy career. The Italian-born Morricone has been composing soundtracks since the 1960’s and his output is so prolific that even Rhino's painstakingly complied 2-CD set doesn’t tell the full story. Still, this and the two compilations from Virgin are as close as you’ll get to an accurate overview of his legacy and they certainly showcase his striking versatility.

His music evokes everything from heartfelt nostalgia (“Deborah’s Theme”) to the haunting desolation of Sergio Leone’s mythical West (“The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”) and takes in elements of folk, pop, jazz and world music. Though Morricone uses a large array of individual instruments, he seems to be a classical composer at heart and orchestrations appear regularly throughout his work. At least one of his soundtracks that should be heard in its entirety is The Mission with its lush, breathtaking choral and orchestral arrangements combined with elements of South American music courtesy of the group Incantation.

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