THE TWO SEASONS OF LIFE LE DUE STAGIONI DELLA VITA Unknown Morricone #14
This series is inspired by a controversy thread where someone posited the idea that besides THE MISSION and some Sergio Leone westerns Ennio Morricone hasn't written anything great. Rather than making my usual comment that most of Morricone's great scores are from Italy and trying to get Americans to listen to them is like getting them to see movies with subtitles, I decided to take another tact. Since I am at an age where I will only be able to make my case a finite number of times I decided to turn this into a series presenting each great score one at a time, sort of like recordman.
How important is this score? For Morricone, when he created his own record label with fellow composers Armando Trovaioli, Piero Piccioni and Luis Bacalov one of the very first LPs he issued was LE DUE STAGIONI DELL VITA. When Ennio first was invited to give a concert they demanded he do the Leone westerns, THE MISSION, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, etc. But Morricone knew he also wanted to represent his more melodic side. He chose 5 of his best pieces that were in obscure films and he concocted "Cinque canzone" a 26 minute suite of 5 songs with elaborate orchestrations presented in an almost operatic style. The songs were from LA CALIFFA, QUESTA SPECIE D'AMORE, L'ALIBI and LA MOGLIE PIU BELLA, but the one that both begins AND ends the piece is LA STAGIONI DELLA VITA. It is obviously a pretty important piece for Morricone.
For me anytime anyone asks for a top ten Morricone list LA STAGIONI DELLA VITA is prominently there. When I first got the LP I was surprised the whole thing consisted of three cuts, one very short but the other two were suites. The B-side suite was pure dissonance. Well at least it was all in one place. But the A-side suite was the most breathtaking 18 minutes I ever heard. No wonder he wanted it released! The one theme is put through it's paces unlike I'd ever heard before or since. From intimate piano to full strings, from Edda Dell Orso's vibrancy to a full choir, the theme slowly rises to wondrous spirals and glides down to profound intimacy. I can never say enough about it.
But the movie is something else indeed. I haven't the faintest idea what it is. The sketchy description on the CD doesn't say much. All I know is the film's director, Samy Pavel, was born in Egypt and made 8 French language films and one in Arabic in Belgium between 1972 and 1992. None of these films have any synopsis's or any detailed reviews in IMDB. Maybe if there is an FSMer in Belgium they could give me a clue. My wild guess, based on the music, the stills and the title is that this is a melodrama where either the mother or child in the story only has "two seasons of life". The music is beautiful and moving, sort of like Morricone's LOVE STORY, except more variety and elaboration.
But here I am like most of you who probably haven't heard of most of the films I have talked about in this series. And how frustrating is that? Here is one of the very best scores Morricone ever wrote attached to a film no one has ever heard of, literally.
Here is a much shorter version of this theme, try to find the suite to hear it in it's full glory:
Luckily the soundtrack is available from Saimel and an older one on Point Records. And that "Cinque canzone" that Morricone has long since abandoned for his concerts is available on MORRICONE DIRIGE A MORRICONE which I believe was reissued recently. http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~sonoro/sevilla_live.html
....and to underline the continued importance to him of the piece he included a vocal version of this in the album he did in 2011 with Hayley Westernra.
Like you, Morricone, ... ... From intimate piano to full strings, from Edda Dell Orso's vibrancy to a full choir, the theme slowly rises to wondrous spirals and glides down to profound intimacy. I can never say enough about it. ... I find this 18 minute piece absolutely captivating. It is just down-right GORGEOUS!
I have no idea about the film and when I first acquired the score (on Point, partnered with D'Amore Si Muore I found I liked this cue more than anything in the other score. The extended release on Saimel does not add much and, to be honest, the dissonant pieces are heavy going - perhaps this is in contrast to the lyrical cue.
I know nothing of the suite to which you refer but will do some research (is the CD release readily available?)
Thank you both for the info re: this CD ... I vaguely recall seeing it listed a while ago. I shall bear it in mind for when funds allow (I'm struggling to afford purchases at this time, having just spent [yet] more money on hi-fi equipment!)
Track 18 of which is the Main Title from the film. It is a lovely piece and makes me want to hear more of the score, or at least the easy to digest bits.
Bought the Saimel cd of LE DUE STAGIONI DELLA VITA just last year,think if I had this score ten or maybe even five years ago I would have loved it but my taste has shifted to some degree there is a bunch of scores that I loved and no longer listen to,and have not felt any of the magic you are feeling for this score yet. Thought the dissonant pieces are quite interesting though,but maybe that is because it reflects my current favorite style of score which is the Giallo ones.
It's funny that after many years I started to go back and try to listen to dissonant pieces to see if I missed something and ,sure enough, it depends on the piece. These incorporate elements of the score (like the children's chorus) that make them more interesting to me.
But the melodic work is what makes this soundtrack for me. Absolutely one of THE most beautiful things Morricone ever wrote. But because the film is SO obscure it is uphill trying to get this one out to fans. Wished someone had downloaded a section of this on youtube.
Now that I like. Theres a little moment at around 2.07 where you think Edda is singing high, when she suddenly goes up two notes!! wonderful. Love the choir at 5/6 minutes. I have this theme somewhere but not the score. I think that might change.
Now that I like. Theres a little moment at around 2.07 where you think Edda is singing high, when she suddenly goes up two notes!! wonderful. Love the choir at 5/6 minutes. I have this theme somewhere but not the score. I think that might change.
Thanks, Miguel. This one really surprised me and as I labeled it, it is about unknown as Morricone gets while still being so beautiful. I really still don't know what this film is about, but that suite he put together for it is something else.
