Michael Draine's Twisted Vista
Ennio Morricone
Senza Sapere Niente di Lei
(Digitmovies)
Senza Sapere Niente di Lei (1969)
marks Ennio Morricone's debut in
Digitmovies’ ongoing documentation of
music for the European thrillers known as
giallo. The term giallo derives from
the Italian word for “yellow,” the color of
inexpensive mystery paperbacks.
As only two cues from Senza Sapere
Niente di Lei (loosely translated, “without
knowing anything about her”) have seen prior
release, this limited edition CD rescues an
alluring score from obscurity. Much of the
program reiterates a romantic waltz motif, with
chiming keyboards and double-bass accenting		Music Reviews
a gently stepping melody, augmented by
chamber strings and light brush-drumming.
On “Frammenti d’estasi,” (“fragments
of ecstasy”) harp and chimes conjure		Twisted Cinema
an atmosphere of heart-stopping beauty.
Wary that the score’s repetition might prove
tiring, the composer elected to interleave
Senza Sapere Niente Di Lei with four
tracks recorded in 1970 for a proposed
film, Lui per Lei. The first cut from Lui per
Lei, “Stato Confusionale” maps a
dark psychological terrain, shifting cine-
matically between a music box melody,
spidery piano, and ghostly female vocals.
“In un Ricordo” (“in a memory”), combines
whistling with sustained, flowing electric
guitar lines into a subtle and provocative
arrangement. The soaring “Lui per Lei,”
with wordless male choir, ranks among the
Maestro’s finest lounge miniatures. Such
melancholy beauty inspires visions of a film
akin to Vertigo or DePalma’s Obsession.
Comprising 19 of the disc’s 50 minutes,
Lui per Lei is an extraordinary discovery.
As with all their releases, Digitmovies
presents Senza Sapere Niente di Lei
with uncompromising sound, booklet
notes, stills, and a centerspread of
the movie poster.
www.digitmovies.com