Reflections on the Music of Ennio Morricone has the unique distinction of being published just before the death of the esteemed Morricone (1928–2020), who is famous as a cinematic composer. Sciannameo (music, Carnegie Mellon Univ.) developed the book through conversations with the late Sergio Miceli, who was an Italian scholar of film music in his own right. Sciannameo covers Morricone’s life from his early days through his retirement in 2019. There is discussion of many of Morricone's best-known works, including both the Once upon a Time… and La Cage aux Folles trilogies, and of his experimental electronic music. Of particular interest to some will be the last chapter, in which Sciannameo picks up the debate about the value of concert music for a composer who was so well received as a Hollywood film musician. With more than 500 scores to his credit, Morricone has interesting works in both genres, and this book introduces the reader to some of the composer's less-known works. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Choice Reviews

Here, writer and lecturer Franco Sciannameo. . . provides a comprehensive examination of Morricone’s lifetime of musical composition. . . it’s not a long book but it is quite comprehensive in its treatment and is both newly educational and further inspiring to one’s regard of the famous composer. . . . The book is thus an intriguing read—and indeed serves as an essential and comprehensive examination of the fame and legacy of this singular, unique, and multifaceted composer.

Soundtrax

Working from numerous primary sources, some previously unavailable in English, Franco Sciannameo strikes the perfect balance of musical analysis, biographical data, and social and historical contextualization to shed new light on this prolific and influential composer. Stepping back from the usual discourse on music for the western, Sciannameo looks at the “big picture”: Ennio Morricone as a multi-faceted composer who just happens to work in film. The reader will understand much of what has made this composer who he is, from his early conservatory training, through the musical upheavals of the mid-twentieth century, his “absolute music,” the commercial success of his pop-music arrangements, and his work in television, film, and live performances. Fame and Legacy: Reflections on the Music of Ennio Morricone is an enjoyable read for the musician and non-musician alike.

Charles Leinberger, University of Texas at El Paso

Franco Sciannameo’s authoritative new book, Fame and Legacy: Reflections on the Music of Ennio Morricone, offers a meticulously chronicled investigation of the work, life, and enduring legacy of one of the most influential film composers of all time. Through nuanced discussions that weave together evidence from Italian language sources (printed in English for the first time) and the author’s own conversations with the composer, Sciannameo reconstructs a sophisticated media history surrounding Morricone and his various collaborators, one that casts a kaleidoscopic light on the complex relationship between art music, popular music, and film music.

Juan Chattah, Frost School of Music, University of Miami