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Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone, The Sound Of The American West, Dies At 91

Composer Ennio Morricone, posing with his Oscar for The Hateful Eight in 2016. He died Monday at age 91 in Rome. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Music News

Ennio Morricone, The Sound Of The American West, Dies At 91

The iconic Italian composer, who scored The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and more than 500 other films, died Monday in Rome.

Ennio Morricone, The Sound Of The American West, Dies At 91

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'Morricone 60': An Orchestra-Infused Look At A 60-Year Career

Ennio Morricone's new recording with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Morricone 60, is out now. Jelmer de Haas/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jelmer de Haas/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Deceptive Cadence

'Morricone 60': An Orchestra-Infused Look At A 60-Year Career

Film composer Ennio Morricone, known for his use of harmonica and whistling on Western scores, has re-imagined his most popular sounds with help from the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

'Morricone 60': An Orchestra-Infused Look At A 60-Year Career

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Listen: A Few Words With Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone became a fixture of global culture with his film music — but as a young composer, he was a radical. Courtesy of Armonia AC hide caption

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Courtesy of Armonia AC

Deceptive Cadence

Listen: A Few Words With Ennio Morricone

Learn how the 85-year-old composer got his start spoofing on John Cage, and hear his best impression of the coyote howl from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

A Few Words With Ennio Morricone

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Danger Mouse, Daniele Luppi Discuss New Album, 'Rome'

Italian composer Daniele Luppi (left) and Danger Mouse during recording sessions for their new album Rome. Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the Artist

Music Interviews

Danger Mouse, Daniele Luppi Discuss New Album, 'Rome'

Hear a preview of newmusic and use our online chat room to send in your questions.

Danger Mouse, Daniele Luppi Discuss New Album, 'Rome'

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Music Interviews

Morricone Recognized for Impact on Movie Music

Ennio Morricone has earned five Oscar nominations over his long career, without a single victory. But he's guaranteed one this year. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is giving him a lifetime achievement Oscar.

Morricone Recognized for Impact on Movie Music

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Music Interviews

This Time, Morricone Is an Oscar Lock

Forty years ago, Italian composer Ennio Morricone rode into America with the soundtrack for a Western titled A Fistful of Dollars. This year, for only the second time in its history, the Motion Picture Academy will present a film-music composer with a lifetime achievement award.

This Time, Morricone Is an Oscar Lock

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Music Interviews

History of Westerns with Christopher Frayling

Fresh Air

Cultural historian Christopher Frayling is the author of Once Upon A Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio Leone. The book chronicles the history of the spaghetti western. Ennio Morricone, who composed music for the Sergio Leone films, will be awarded an honorary Oscar at this year's Academy Awards. This interview originally aired on Aug. 1, 2005.

History of Westerns with Christopher Frayling

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