Italian musician, a composer and arranger who wrote scores for more than 400 movies and TV series. Although initially known to film audiences for his “spaghetti Western” soundtracks, Morricone worked in almost every imaginable musical style and he is probably the most extensively heard film composer of the 20th century. His score to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) is considered one of the most influential soundtracks in history and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. He was presented with an honorary Oscar at the Academy Award celebration held on 25 February 2007.
At the age of 12, Morricone began his studies of music at Rome’s Conservatory of Santa Cecilia. There he studied trumpet, composition, conducting, and choral arrangement. To support himself, he played the trumpet in jazz bands although his instructors urged him to concentrate on composition. After his graduation, he went to work for Italy’s national radio network before starting to score films with his first release being Il Federale in 1961.
In the mid-1960s, he attracted international attention when he collaborated with director Sergio Leone on A Fistful of Dollars (1964), and it was his work with Leone that arguably brought him the most acclaim throughout the years. Morricone received five nominations for an Academy Award for his scores for Days of Heaven (1978), The Mission (1986), The Untouchables (1987), Bugsy (1991), and Malena (2001). None of these nominations specifically resulted in an Oscar but he was honored with a gold statuette for lifetime achievement in 2007. He has been presented with several other awards throughout his career including two Nastri d’Argento awards, one in 1970 and the other in 1971. Although he is most noted for his work in film scores, he wrote several orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have garnered praise and admiration.
A man who projected sincerity and seriousness of purpose, Morricone worked hard at his craft even in his late 70s. Despite working so often for Hollywood productions, he never wanted to live outside his native Italy. In fact, he refused to speak English, preferring to communicate in his native Italian, with a translator at his side if necessary. Morricone and his wife Maria married in 1956. Their four children include Andrea Morricone, who followed in his father’s professional footsteps.
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