Good The Bad And The Ugly [Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

A few cautions however: nowhere on the CD packaging or in the enclosed booklet is the listener informed that the new tracks are in MONO, not stereo (stereo masters do not exist for the new tracks). The mono sound quality is clear and well done, but it does clash significantly with the original stereo tracks. I don't think this should prevent anyone from purchasing this CD, but buyers should be aware that the sound varies tremendously between tracks. Also, the enclosed booklet contains no liner notes or information on the music. It does contain three spreads showing close-ups of the eyes of the main characters -- a cool design idea -- but the album producers missed a golden opportunity for presenting background data, restoration notes, and track-by-track commentary. A score of this historical importance certainly deserves this sort of treatment!

With this score, Morricone pushed to its limits his rough, weird style of Western music that he developed in his two previous Westerns for Sergio Leone. The famous "Main Title" sums up Morricone's approach perfectly: bizarre instruments, jagged changes in sound, and a thunderous tempo. This main theme appears throughout the score in many variations, depending on which member of the unholy trinity it is describing. The other tracks found on the old CD outline the other important themes: the slow 'war theme' heard in multiple bugle calls in "The Strong"; the ethereal female vocal in "The Carriage of the Sprits"; the sprightly dance tempo of "Marcia," which later becomes a slow, grim lament with a wordless male chorus in "Marcia without Hope"; and the vocal piece "The Story of a Soldier," sung by a chorus of imprisoned confederates, and later made into the most touching piece on the album, "The Death of a Soldier." The score concludes with two incredible musical pieces. "The Ecstasy of Gold" is a swirling, gradually building piece dominated by a soaring female solo voice; it casts an incredible hypnotic spell to match the title -- this is true 'ecstasy'. "The Trio" covers the tense showdown, and will make your heart pound out of control as the music crescendos with drums, Spanish trumpet, and guitars hammering away at each other.

Here's what you'll find on the new tracks.

"Sentenza" (the Italian name for the character Angel Eyes, played by Lee Van Cleef), "Fuga a Cavallo" (Escape on Horseback"), and "Inseguimento" ("Pursuit") utilize new different versions of the famous theme. "Sentenza" is eerie and played on electronic guitar and low woodwinds, while the other two versions are action-oriented. "Il Ponte di Corde" ("The Rope Bridge") features some of Morricone's most bizarre and comic orchestration. "La Missione San Antonio" is a rare moment of laid-back beauty in the score, using the theme heard in "The Story of a Soldier" as its base. "Padre Ramirez" is a sad and beautiful Spanish guitar lament, another bit of touching music amidst the musical ferocity (although the main theme explodes at the finale). "Il Treno Militare" ("The Military Train") returns to the "The Story of a Soldier" theme, but played slowly and with a martial drum beat underscoring it.

"Fine di Una Spia" ("End of a Spy") starts with the a soft version of the main theme, then switches over a version of "The Carriage of the Spirits." "Il Bandito Monco" ("The Bandit Monco") and "Due Contro Cinque" ("Two Against Five") are suspense pieces using heavy, punctuated percussion and only hints of any of the film's themes.

I hope that some music label will get around to re-mastering and expanding Morricone's greatest score, "Once Upon a Time in the West," with the same care done here!