Soundtrack Apocalisse

The film music and sounds of composer Bruno Maderna are few and far between and to see a compact disc of this soundtrack released was a little surprising. I must admit that Maderna’s modern, experimental and futuristic sounding work for LA MORTE HA FATTO L’UOMO is anything but easy on the ear or the brain for that matter. It is at times very difficult to listen to and I found myself thinking maybe the director or producer of the movie was drunk when he agreed that the composers score was suitable for the film. Obviously it was, and has made a lasting impression on many a collector or fan of giallo pictures and music from them.

The composer supplies us with a somewhat disjointed sound throughout the work, by this I mean if you are looking for nice melodies and easy listening passages you have certainly come to the wrong place. It is a score that will require 100% concentration to appreciate the composers musical solutions to the films requirements. Although saying this on the second listen, I did find some attractive pieces which are performed in the main on solo violin, that is supported by classical guitar and interspersed with male voice which speaks rather than attempts to be musical in any way.

This is an interesting score because it was so far ahead of its time, after all most of the other giallo movies during this period were being scored by the likes of Cipriani, Morricone and Nicolai etc with haunting melodies and dramatic sounding compositions, which at times were themselves reffered to as experimental by critics, so Maderna has to congratulated for enhancing the images of this particular motion picture with music and sounds musical and otherwise which are certainly innovative if nothing else. This is a soundtrack that should be added to ones collection, because of its rarity and nothing else really. Sound quality is very clean and crisp, and the disc is packaged well, and has accompanying notes that at times become as difficult to read as the score ids to listen to.

Saying all of this, maybe the score might prove too modern sounding for Italian soundtrack collectors who are used to haunting melodies and soaring female vocals from the pens of Morricone, Cipriani, Micalizzi and Nicolai etc, so maybe this is an acquired taste, and one that should be listened too first before one purchases. No slight on fin de siecle releasing this one, but I do not envisage it being a great seller for them and if they should continue to release items such as this I can see them having a lot in stock.