Saimel Records in collaboration with Gruppo Sugar presents on this CD the world premiere release of Piero Piccioni´s complete score for the 1960 romantic drama I DOLCI INGANNI (SWEET DECEPTIONS) which was directed by Alberto Lattuada and starred the then just 15-year-old Catherine Spaak in her first leading role besides French actors Christian Marquand and Jean Sorel as supporting characters.
The film chronicles just one day in the life of the 17-year-old Roman girl Francesca (Spaak) which is filled with romantic confusion and sexual curiosity. She thinks that she has fallen in love with the 37-year-old architect Enrico (Marquand), who is a friend of her family, and spends the day observing other lovers’ behaviours and considering whether she is ready to jump. At the end of this one day all the different experiences will have made her more mature so that she can take her life in her own hands. Even though partly influenced by the French Nouvelle Vague of the period around 1960, director Alberto Lattuada also gives this film his personal stamp in the way he surprisingly mixes the drama with some farcical elements and analyses all the nuances of desire.
The musical commentary for I DOLCI INGANNI was provided by Piero Piccioni, who since the mid-50s had established himself as one of the most important younger Italian film composers. Piccioni had already built up a close partnership with Alberto Lattuada since 1953 when he had scored the director´s melodrama LA SPIAGGIA, followed by GUENDALINA in 1957 and LA TEMPESTA in 1958 so it was no mere coincidence that both teamed up again for I DOLCI INGANNI in 1960 for which Piccioni wrote such an extraordinary and highly evocative score which even today sounds totally refreshing and unorthodox. Lattuada was a director fully aware of the value of music in movies and he particularly appreciated Piccioni´s contribution to his own films. This is especially noticeable in I DOLCI INGANNI as there are several scenes which are almost without dialogue and wholly dependent on the music and the visuals – for example the long, very unusual opening sequence (Tr. 1) with a duration of almost four minutes which is filmed in just one shot and in which Piccioni introduces his marvellous main theme which is a long-lined sinuous melody so typical of his style and immediately haunts the listener with its beauty. The inner turmoils of the adolescent girl are rendered through the stupendous and erotically charged loud blasts of a pipe organ with superb ornamentations which are so provocative and sensual.
The mood of the complete score is jazz-based, but what we hear is for the most part seductive, melodic and nostalgic jazz. Piccioni has taken particular care of the orchestrations which are always colourful as well as delicate and change according to the mood of the situations and the sequences. Not only guitar and organ, but also piano and flute may take the centre of attention and provide a great and truly fascinating listening experience. A few lively upbeat swing numbers have been reserved for the car rides and when Francesca visits a friend and her mother whereas the melancholy cool jazz sound of trombone and percusssion describes Francesca´s desolation and solitude on the streets. One of the loveliest pieces of the score is the light romantic music for solo flute and strings for the scene in which Francesca dances with her brother by the riverside.
During the long recording sessions Piccioni had recorded quite a lot of alternate takes of the tracks which can be heard in our regular score program (Track 1-15) and we have attached many of them as bonus tracks on our CD.
Here is the superb music for the long opening sequence (contrary to what the Youtube poster states, it is not the trailer, but the actual opening sequence of the movie):
Great news Stefan, another wonderful Italian film score finally appears on cd and another wonderful score by Piccioni. One of the things that fascinates me about Piccioni's music and keeps drawing me in is that the themes are not always clear cut, the melodies take their time in a languid style that gradually draw you into the music. A lot of Italian composers write such catchy, melodic music that you get it straight away, but Piccioni was more seductive, he took his time.
Thanks for your comments. The shipping costs from Spain are very high, I'm sorry. In the next few days it will be available on Screen and also all the specialized stores: Soundtrackcorner, Ark Square, Intermezzo, etc. I hope that all can buy this CD at a reasonable price.
I've just watched the opening 4-min clip on YT and must admit it had me hooked. Great visuals - hypnotic - but the score caught me off hand at first. The haunting guitar lines are very reminiscent of Basil Kirchin's work, and when the organ comes in it's like Doctor Phibes on the Mighty Wurlitzer.
I'd like to be shaken out of my complacency in my old age. Maybe I'll get the 1960 Piccioni release (it'll be my first). I'm very intrigued by the look of the film, just from that opening sequence itself.
I've just watched the opening 4-min clip on YT and must admit it had me hooked. Great visuals - hypnotic - but the score caught me off hand at first. The haunting guitar lines are very reminiscent of Basil Kirchin's work, and when the organ comes in it's like Doctor Phibes on the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Just imagine, Graham, if British television showed this Italian language film during 1972 and you had recorded this opening scene music onto your tape recorder - you'd have heard Piccioni music at your age 11 and would have been declaring (all during these decades since) how Kirchin, Mellé & Piccioni are geniuses.
I'd like to be shaken out of my complacency in my old age. Maybe I'll get the 1960 Piccioni release (it'll be my first). I'm very intrigued by the look of the film, just from that opening sequence itself.
You'd like to be shaken? Waiter ... a Piccioni shake for Mr. Watt.
For years on this FSM board I have been writing about Piccioni soundtracks and their films, but Graham takes his usual position: 'Don't tell me what album to buy'.
This time around, I hope Graham finally buys his 1st Piccioni disc at age 56. Perhaps more than one. There's plenty of Piccioni albums on the Saimel label which Graham could get from Rosebud in Valencia.
Here's a few Saimels on Piccioni's earlier scores:
1957
1961
Piccioni was attached to a number of significant monochrome films during the early 1960s. Because of this, I consider the period from 1960 up to 1964 as a 'peak' for Piccioni before the Leone/Morricone collaboration altered the soundscapes on Italian productions. As I Dolci Inganni hails from 1960, it's in the very good company with Il Bell'Antonio and Adua E Le Compagne
I've just watched the opening 4-min clip on YT and must admit it had me hooked. Great visuals - hypnotic - but the score caught me off hand at first. The haunting guitar lines are very reminiscent of Basil Kirchin's work, and when the organ comes in it's like Doctor Phibes on the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Just imagine, Graham, if British television showed this Italian language film during 1972 and you had recorded this opening scene music onto your tape recorder - you'd have heard Piccioni music at your age 11 and would have been declaring (all during these decades since) how Kirchin, Mellé & Piccioni are geniuses.
That is undoubtedly true, Zardoz. I don't think anyone would deny the importance of one's first exposure to - and subsequent exploration of - music that opened up a whole world of wonder to us in our formative years.
As regards your second post, let me think about that...
I'd like to be shaken out of my complacency in my old age. Maybe I'll get the 1960 Piccioni release (it'll be my first). I'm very intrigued by the look of the film, just from that opening sequence itself.
You'd like to be shaken? Waiter ... a Piccioni shake for Mr. Watt.
For years on this FSM board I have been writing about Piccioni soundtracks and their films, but Graham takes his usual position: 'Don't tell me what album to buy'.
This time around, I hope Graham finally buys his 1st Piccioni disc at age 56. Perhaps more than one. There's plenty of Piccioni albums on the Saimel label which Graham could get from Rosebud in Valencia.
The Piccioni shake was quite good, Zardoz, but I didn't have much of a point of reference. That's what I get for spending my working life down the pit and only recently coming up for air. I always go back to the old familiars. So many unexplored Kirchins, Mellés, Schifrins, Lutyens, Goldsmiths, Norths, Denny Zeitlin's jazz piano albums... I'm going to have to miss out on a lot of new (for me) territory if I want to delve deep. That's what I like to do. It might be my biggest failing. There's a lot to be said for casting the net wide, but it's not in my character.
Zardoz, I don't remember saying "Don't tell me what album to buy". What I did say is that, in my experience, people (in general) dislike being told what to like, which is slightly different. I've spent some uncomfortable moments with perfectly friendly people who, for example knowing that I like quite a lot of jazz, sit me down in a chair and say, "Now what do you think of THIS?" - and I feel obliged to say, "Wow man - love it!" when I really mean "Interesting - let me find my own way on that". That's why I, personally (me, myself, I) rarely feel the desire to click on people's links for the "Wait till you hear these!" It puts me off. And I know that a lot of open-minded people love that kind of guidance. "Gee thanks! My first Morricone! I only knew him for the spaghettis!"
Grandfather on the porch anecdote time. About a year ago, I decided to watch all of Barbara Steele's horror movies. Of course, Les Baxter's score for PIT AND THE PENDULUM had me drooling as I did as a be-bibbed baby, but as you all know she did quite a slew of horrors in Italy in that decade. I was quite struck by the mid-'60s Morricone (can't quite remember what that one was), and another with music by... I can't even recall the film, but it might have had a Carlo Savina score. Carlo Savina! And I'm not even sure of the film, or what the music sounded like! Parochial idiot (me, not him)!
The one that did make an impression was UN ANGELO PER SATANA, which was really quite wonderful, and with an absolutely exquisite score by Francesco De Masi. So struck was I by the beauty of the music (coupled with the haunting atmosphere of the film - a fundamental connection) that I actually tried to get in contact with De Masi's son (who I think might be the holder of his father's estate), but to no avail. I think I "chronicled" this (in inverted commas) on a thread here. I know that wayoutwest was keen to see things moving.
I shall actually be in Valencia in a few short weeks, and will be dropping by the Rosebud shop for a wee chat with whoever's there (Juan, Pedro...). Let's see how the conversation flows. Those guys are great.
So I have ended up with an enormously long disjointed rabbit. That's real life here, right in front of your computer-glazed eyes. When I'm in Valencia, I'll be sure to mention I DOLCI INGANNI, Piero Piccioni, and my sexual hang-ups (which is what it all boils down to in the end surely).
Better put a smiley on this.
ADDED AUTOMATICALLY VIA SPACE SATELLITE - graham watt ha añadido a través de correo por voz:::::::////
"Ha! I have just realised that all my former ramblings about the Barbara Steele horror marathon, and Francesco de Masi's score for UN ANGELO PER SATANA are actually preserved on a thread started by a Mr Anthony Row!"
