Nino Rota : Music For Film

Although film music fans like to think they are an exclusive bunch, the one thing there has rarely been a shortage of is film music compilations. One only need look at the dozens of albums released containing music by Ennio Morricone, John Barry, John Williams and so forth. However, these are usually from original tracks, composer-conducted re-recordings, specialist film music label re-recordings or the worst sort, brand X re-recordings by some no name orchestra and conductor. Very few of these albums are on major classical labels. Having said that, given the state of classical music recording industry at the moment, it's only really the small labels who are generally furnishing us with inspiring new repertoire - indeed Rota's concert music has been championed by Chandos in some fine recordings. However, Sony Classical have released a few decent film music collections, notably ones from Morricone, Williams, Herrmann and this one of music by Nino Rota, conducted by renowned concert hall baton waver Riccardo Muti. Unsurprisingly, the results are excellent.

Given that this is from a major and not a specialist label, the selections are fairly conservative, sticking mainly to Rota's most famous works for both Hollywood and famed Italian directors Visconti and Fellini, only the lack of Romeo & Juliet is something of a surprise. Naturally enough, the album opens with a fine suite from the first two The Godfather films (Rota had sadly passed away by the time of the belated third part) and covers the gamut from the sweeping gestures of the End Title, to the intimate Sicilian Pastorale and those syncopated rhythms that Rota was so fond of. Some of the jazzier elements are present, notably in The Pickup, which has always been one of my favourite moments from the score. The only two selections not part of larger suites follow; La passerella di addio from Fellini's 8 1/2 seems a surprising choice after The Godfather as part of the darkly comic carnival theme of the former is a slightly amended version of the Love Theme from the latter. La Dolce Vita receives unfairly short shrift, but the brief trumpet and piano cue is lovely in its own right.

Prova D'Orchestra was a faux fly on the wall documentary before they became ubiquitous on television and follows an musicians' uprising during an orchestral rehearsal. Of course, what they musicians are rehearsing is this nine minute suite by Rota and so the selection here constitutes a full performance of all the music heard in the film. The work is indexed in brief tracks, but runs together as a seamless whole and the parts seem to represent every bit of romantic, orchestral music ever written. It is, of course, romantic, but also witty, particularly in the balletic I Gemelli allo Specchio, the (deliberately) out of tune harmonics of Valzerino No 72 and the playful, Rossini style Galop. I'm sure it's all meant to be pastiche, but there is so much of Rota's personality in every bar that to actually call it pastiche is doing the music a disservice. Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli is a darker, more dramatic work that opens with deep, crushing chords and is followed by the low key Canzone Barese, although Milano e Nadia is one of those bouncing jazzy cues that Rota loves so much, although with the occasional dischord that intrudes on the otherwise fairly laid back feel.

Il Gattopardo is perhaps the most symphonic extract on the entire album and is based on a symphony Rota composed in his youth. Unsurprisingly, it is deeply rooted in 19th century romanticism, but again, with Rota's own voice so strong that it would be more reasonable to describe it as romantic music that was simply written in the wrong era. A stunning finale to a superb album. While Silva Screen and Varese produce fine film music compilations, it's only when you hear a world class conductor and orchestra (in this case, musicians from the world famous opera house, La Scala in Milan) is it obvious what that extra bit of polish in both recording and playing can bring to the music, particularly in the very dramatic passages of Il Gattopardo where Muti shapes the music into a romantic, dramatic symphony that transcends its origins completely. To match the superb playing, the sound quality is immaculate, carefully balancing clarity with a warm, rich acoustic that is pleasing on the ears and perfectly suited to the music. In several instances - such as Prova D'Orchestra, the soundtrack album contains a lot of dialogue and no more music - the selections here provide better alternatives to the original scores with equally fine (if not better) playing and vastly improved sound. An essential Rota album.