Fellini! E più
Nino ROTA (1911-1979)
Nights of Cabiria (1957) [4:52]
I vitelloni (1953) [3:36]
The Road (1954) [4:38
The White Sheik (1952) [3:07]
The Godfather (1972) [3:16 theme] and [3:18 waltz]
Romeo and Juliet (1968) [3:30]
8½ (1963) [4:40] and [2:10 waltz]
Juliet of the Spirits (1965) [4:23]
Risatine maliziose (1978) [2:36]
The Clowns (1970) [3:46]
Amarcord (1973) [4:03]
Alain ROMANS (1905-1989)
My Uncle (1958) [2:44]
Mr Hulot’s Holiday ‘Quel temps fait-il à Paris?’(1953)
[3:45]
Luiz BONFÁ (1922-2001)
Black Orpheus (1959) [4:28]
John WILLIAMS (b. 1932)
Schindler’s List (1993) [4:00]
Charlie CHAPLIN (1889-1977)
Modern Times - ‘Smile’ (1936) [3:21]
Carlos GARDEL (1890-1935)
Por una cabeza - music used in the film Scent of a Woman (1992)
[3:55]
Die Österreichischen Salonisten: Peter Gilmayr (violin); Kathrin Lenzenweger
(violin); Judith Bik (cello); Roland Weisinger (double bass); Peppone Ortner
(clarinet and saxophone); Wieland Nordmeyer (piano)
rec. Saal der Landesmusikschule, Bad Schallerbach, Germany; 20-22 February
2012
GRAMOLA 98958 [70:14]
A glance at the heading above and readers will notice that these are pared
down performances: small ensemble rather than sumptuous orchestral renderings.
You pays your money and takes your choice. Clearly, the choice will also depend
on the track-listing above. It has to be said that there is no lacking of
colour nor want of enthusiasm for this music among these performers. Take
for example the perky, cheeky jazzy rendering that is the Die Österreichischen
Salonisten’s rendering of Rota’s music for the opening number
Nights of Calabria. There is also enough rubato and no
shortage of emotional involvement for John Williams’ affecting Schindler’s
List.
Most of these selections will be familiar to film music enthusiasts. The chamber
ensemble performances will delight and make for pleasant late evening easy-listening
- perhaps earlier for the more strident utterances such as those in the latter
part of I vitelloni! Every mood is catered for from the sentimental
and nostalgic to the witty and downright quirky.
Standout tracks for me include: Nino Rota’s Godfather waltz,
given here with a salty bittersweet twist to its intimacy; the merry capers
implicit in the quirkiness of Rota’s music for Fellini’s 8½;
and his haunting - in more senses than one - score for Juliet of the Spirits,
plus that nostalgic glow that is his Amarcord. I was equally attracted
by the atmospheric and comically melancholic music, by Alain Romans, for the
two Jacques Tati films. Also who could resist that memorable Black Orpheus
melody by Luiz Bonfá? - or Carlos Gardel’s sexy tango that lifted
Scent of a Woman.
A delight for film music fans.
Ian Lace
A delight for film music fans.