Agi Murad il diavolo bianco / Ester e il re / Gli Invasori

Digitmovies pays a tribute to Mario Bava with the sixth volume of the series dedicated to the great Maestro of Horror and Fantasy: three original soundtracks released for the first time thanks to the help of C.A.M. in whose archives the original session tapes have been preserved. This double CD-set focuses on the works of Roberto Nicolosi composed for three adventure movies: “Agi Murad il diavolo bianco” (aka “The white warrior”) directed in 1959 by Riccardo Freda but completed by Mario Bava (who was also the assistant director and director of photography) and starring Steve Reeves, Giorgia Moll, Scilla Gabel; “Ester e il re” (aka “Esther and the king”) directed in 1960 by Raoul Walsh together with Mario Bava (also director of photography) and starring Joan Collins, Richard Egan, Sergio Fantoni; “Gli invasori” (aka “Erik the conqueror”) directed in 1961 by Mario Bava and starring Cameron Mitchell, Alice & Ellen Kessler, Giorgio Ardisson, Andrea Checchi. The grandiosity of Roberto Nicolosi’s music for “Agi Murad il diavolo bianco” (Aka “The white warrior”) had fascinated Mario Bava – no wonder that Bava wanted him to compose the music for his directorial debut “La maschera del demonio” in 1960. Disc 1 (from original mono session tapes): for “Agi Murad il diavolo bianco” Roberto Nicolosi composed a symphonic musical score dominated by an heroic theme with a semi-religious touch presented first in “Titoli di testa” which ends in a pastorale mood (Tr. 1). The symphonic score (practically survived in its complete form) is rich in action cues dominated by brass well suitable for the numerous battle scenes like Tr.2, Tr.4, Tr.6, Tr.7, Tr.11, Tr.12, Tr.14. The ethnic side of the story (taking place in Chechnya in the beginning of the Russian invasion) is emphasized by a grotesque theme (Tr. 3) and by a wild ballet music piece (Tr. 8). Unfortunately considerable amount of music from the score of “Ester e il re” (Aka “Esther and the king”) were lost. The music released here is all what has luckily survived on the original session tapes (including the epic “Titoli di Testa” and „Finale” – at first thought to be lost too). The symphonic score is penned by Angelo F. Lavagnino, one of the most prominent names of Italian Film Music and by Roberto Nicolosi. The two composers have created a series of memorable romantic and extremely sensual themes for the character of Esther (Joan Collins) like Tr.16, Tr.17, Tr.20, Tr.23, Tr.24, Tr.25 and an exotic dance piece using female voice (Tr. 21). Disc 2 (from original stereo session tapes): this second disc opens with four extremely rare tracks from “Ester e il re” survived in stereo: „Titoli di testa” (Tr.1), the dance with ethnic female voice (Tr.2), a reprise of the love theme (Tr.3) and “Finale” (Tr.4). But the main attraction of Disc 2 is the complete original symphonic score from the movie “Gli invasori” (aka “Erik the conqueror”), composed by Roberto Nicolosi and entirely recorded in stereo. In “Titoli di testa”, after an introduction for French horns, a dramatic theme is developed for brass and percussions (Tr.5). Violent music passages for brass and percussions describe the bloody battle scenes between the enemy Viking factions (Tr.6, Tr.7, Tr.11, Tr.12, Tr.19, Tr.21, Tr.22, Tr.23, Tr.26). Roberto Nicolosi alternates this vigorous music with other more soothed, mysterious and sometimes mystical for strings (Tr.8, Tr.13, Tr.14, Tr.15, Tr.1, Tr.18). The delicate love theme (Tr.10, Tr.17, Tr.24, Tr.25) is very similar to “Tema di Katia” for piano and orchestra written one year before for “La maschera del demonio”. The heroic side of the story is underscored by the quiet but epic theme of the knights (Tr.20) and the bombastic finale (Tr.27). Despite of a careful digital mastering and restoration some sound anomalies pre-existing on the original sources can remain.