L'ARMATA BRANCALEONE

SOUNDTRACK:
Carlo Rustichelli (Carpi, December 24, 1916 - Rome, November 13, 2004) was the author of hundreds of film soundtracks and will go down in history for his famous friendship with director Pietro Germi and for the “Brancaleone March,” a true iconic hymn like the “James Bond” theme” by Monty Norman or “the Raiders March” by John Williams from “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. This unforgettable choir motif is introduced by “Branca Branca Branca Leon Leon Leon” and a whistle and is the heart of the background music, which the author reprises with orchestral versions that are sometimes comical and sometimes dramatic- all under the direction of Bruno Nicolai. Two of the other supporting scores are “Pirulè” the psalm theme of the pilgrims, and “Cuccuruccù” sung by a female voice accompanied by the mandola. For our CD (total running time 70:43 minutes) we were able to access the mono master tapes from the original recording session. We’ve included the audio editing on the first fifteen tracks which we personally prepared with Maestro Rustichelli for the CD’s first release in 1995, followed by film versions, alternate takes and the singles released in 1966 on the single Parade PRC 5002. The CD ends with the rare take of the march introduced by the voice of Vittorio Gassman. Winner of three Silver Ribbons, the film was presented in competition at the 19th Cannes Film Festival. DIRECTOR AND CAST:
Directed in 1966 by Mario Monicelli. Starring Vittorio Gassman, Catherine Spaak, Gian Maria Volonté, Maria Grazia Buccella, Barbara Steele, Enrico Maria Salerno, Carlo Pisacane, Folco Lulli, Ugo Fangareggi, Joaquin Diaz, Luis Induni, Gianluigi Crescenzi, Alfio Caltabiano, Fulvia Franco, Tito García, Luigi Sangiorgi, Carlos Ronda, Philippa De La Barre De Natteuil, Pippo Starnazza. PLOT: While on his way to take over the Aurocastro fiefdom, a knight is attacked by bandits who overpower him and throw him in a ditch. One of the bandits finds the parchment which declares the knight’s investiture of the fiefdom, so he convinces his friend Brancaleone to take the knight’s place. Brancaleone takes command of the bandits, but along the way to Aurocastro he runs into various ordeals: an encounter with Teo latto and his Byzantines, the occupation and escape from a city in the grip of the plague, and the rescue of an extravagant bride. When he finally reaches the feifdom, the army is attacked by Saracens but is saved by the warriors (commanded by the knight who had been attacked by the gang). The only thing left for Brancaleone and his men to do is to go on a Crusade in Palestine.

TRACK LIST

01. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (Titoli) E DOPO LA BATTAGLIA 2:54
02. COMBATTIMENTO 1:07
03. UN PREZIOSO BOTTINO 1:49
04. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#2) 2:12
05. LA CITTÀ APPESTATA E CUCCURUCCÙ 1:40
06. LA DAMA MISTERIOSA 1:53
07. PIRULÈ (strani pellegrini) 2:33
08. BRANCALEONE E MATELDA (tema d'amore) 1:28
09. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#3) 1:18
10. TEMA D'AMORE E BRANCALEONE PRIGIONIERO 3:09
11. CAVALCATA E TEMA D'AMORE 1:45
12. GLI ULTIMI DUCHI DI BISANZIO 1:12
13. BRANCALENE INCONTRA TEODORA 2:57
14. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#4) 1:20
15. BRANCALEONE IN GABBIA E MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (Finale) 1:25
film versions and alternates
16. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (Titoli) 2:16
17. LʼARMATA BRANCALEONE (il campo dei caduti) 3:17
18. COMBATTIMENTO (#2) 2:10
19. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#5) 2:42
20. LʼARMATA BRANCALEONE (peste!) 1:58
21. CUCCURUCCÚ 1:27
22. PIRULÈ (strani pellegrini #2) 3:49
23. BRANCALEONE E MATELDA (tema d'amore #2) 2:09
24. BRANCALEONE E MATELDA (tema d'amore #3) 2:06
25. LʼARMATA BRANCALEONE (tema dʼamore/A cavallo) 1:46
26. LʼARMATA BRANCALEONE (Bizantini/Incontro con Teodora) 4:33
27. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#6) 1:39
28. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (#7) 3:42
29. LʼARMATA BRANCALEONE (Brancaleone prigioniero) 1:39
30. PIRULÉ (liberazione di Brancaleone e Marcia- Finale) 1:52
31. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (versione singolo Lato A) 1:33
32. CUCCURUCCÚ (versione singolo Lato B) 1:39
33. MARCIA DI BRANCALEONE (con la voce di Vittorio Gassman) 0:31