A noir movie soundtrack by Manuel De Sica

Manuel De Sica is an Italian composer born in Rome in 1949 and is author of more than 100 soundtracks composed for cinema and tv. During his classical education, he attended theory courses at Santa Cecilia Conservatory together with Bruno Maderna. In his youth he formed the beat band “The Ancients” on which he printed two 45 r.p.m.

In 1968 he composed his first sound track for the movie “Amanti”, directed by his father Vittorio De Sica. Soon after he wrote a score for the tv movie “FBI – Francesco Bertolazzi  Investigatore” directed by Ugo Tognazzi. Then followed many tv and movie sound tracks among which “I and God”, the debut of director Pasquale Squitieri, “Cose di Cosa Nostra” by Steno, “Io non vedo, tu non parli, lui non sente” by Mario Camerini. His cooperation with his father continued for the following sound tracks “Il giardino dei Finzi Contini” (for which he got an Oscar nomination), “Lo Chiameremo Andrea”, “Una breve vacanza” and “Il Viaggio”.

Manuel De Sica - early  80s

Manuel De Sica composed and recorded many music libraries which, especially during the 70s and 80s, were used to synchronize movie, tv movies and tv reports of different genre.

On this post I wanted to propose a record by Manuel De Sica relased in restricted number of copies in 1981 Edizioni Musicali Goldfinger label. According to my point of view, the record is titled inappropriately and generically “Ballabili vari”. The record features 15 instrumental homogeneous tracks and could be characteristically defined ideal for a hypothetical poliziesco movie.

Side A  begins with “Baobab”, a jazzy track with a marked rhythm which expresses apprehension through a hammer piano and mitigates after it is succeeded by a harmonica. Brass and electric bass take the track back toward a jazzy atmosphere,  enhanced by a long saxophone solo.  The second track, “Indagine”, is a warm and brilliant blues, also thanks to the support of Rhodes piano charged with flanger suffocated by the robust sound of a saxophone. There is a trace of a semi-acoustic guitar while the rhythm is light as the drummer always delights us with his percussion brushes.

“Till then” has, per se,  a languid atmosphere and  here  the moog plays the part of the boss; the sound reminds that of Alberto Baldan (could it be him?), behind it there is a combination of semi-acoustic guitar and bass line while the drummer continues brushing and is, at the end, assisted by congas.

There is a different version of “Indagine” where there is no guitar. “Aspettando” is the  following track, introduced with a bass phrasing which reminds the riff of Papa was a rolling stone. One would expect a funk-soul track but the atmosphere is definitely a suspense one, with many synthesizers and distorted guitar. The percussionist, once again, seems to strife on background.

With “Swinging Venice” , the atmosphere is much more intense and positive, it is a waltz jazzy track mainly introduced  by a trumpet and then by semi-acoustic guitar,  a Rhodes and  piano, creating a sound mat that carries along the melody. “Per te” a real adagio, is held by Rhodes   while the main motif , of classical wind-up, is performed with an oboe.

The flip side is opened by “Detective”: it starts with overlapping winds  that play with an  almost puerile motif, that leaves space to funk-jazzy rhythm with piano and bass in evidence. Percussions are unusually powerful, bodily and support a mid-tempo track and clipped guitar. There follows “Es-pa-na” a strongly describing track played on few notes. The acoustic guitar phrases with Rhodes which has little echo . “Dixie” , as the title tells us, is a track 30s style with trombone leading the theme, there are also  brass breaks while a banjo supports the harmonic part. On “Pedale”  the main part is sang by vocalizzo scat, which have trumpet breaks and a flanger guitar. “Sub-terra memores”  is an atmospheric track with electronic sound and tubolar bells.

The 13th track is “Luna park”, again a new jazzy waltz. The keyboard  plays a melody on harpsichord, on final we hear a trumpet which gives us the track a 30s character. The thriller atmosphere returns with “Paura del buio”, an electric guitar with a psychedelic track which creates a typical atmosphere of “poliziottesco” movies.  The last track, “Ah ah ah”, is the last jewel of the record where a female vocalist makes her point in a very sensual and exuberant manner.

Manuel De Sica 1974

From this record were extracted some tracks for the score of the tv movie “Il Commissario” by Florestano Vancini shown on Rai in 1982. This music library, due to its extreme rarity, is almost unknown, even among the restricted number of vinyl collectors.

I would like to spend few words in favour of Maestro Manuel De Sica for his geniality, depth and moral stature as composer. It is my belief that he deserves more recognition that he actually has ever had.