TO DURATION – A TRIBUTE TO PETER HANDKE.

On the 80th birthday of the great Austrian writer Peter Handke – Nobel Prize for Literature in 2019 and co-writer of the film Il Cielo Sopra Berlino by Wim Wenders – the original score as composed by the Italian maestro Remo Anzovino is released for the first time for the docu-film released in 2017 Canto alla Duration. Homage to Peter Handke, which was directed by Italian filmmaker and producer Didi Gnocchi, who’s other credits include : Hitler versus Picasso and the Others, Napoleon, In the name of Art, Van Gogh: of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies, Hermitage, Gauguin in Tahiti. Paradise Lost, which stars Handke himself alongside the great actor Bruno Ganz. All of which were superbly scored by Remo Anzovino.  

Canto alla Duration, is a poem in verse based on the concept of duration that was published in 1986. What is the duration? According to Handke, but also according to some mystics, it is a concrete and abstract entity. Concrete because the author sees it in the little things in life, in encounters, in people above all (the image of the child who is already an adult and perhaps old is admirable) and abstract because it cannot be defined for what it is, but only for what it is not. The text is linked to memories, locations, and the effort of living there each movement being linked to a change of habits, to the moments in which the poet, after greeting his friends, returns home alone. The places of the soul are the result of the journeys he makes, of certain situations, but the duration cannot be defined even based on experience: It is an achievement and presupposes pain and fatigue. Not everyone is allowed to understand it: it can be intuited through epiphanies in an object or a person, which are permeated with joy that warms the heart and makes us intuit a truth or an Illusion.

The exquisite music composed by Remo Anzovino translates Handke’s masterpiece into sound, restoring its deepest meaning, underlining, and supporting but also at the same time adding to the films content and becoming an integral and important component within it. The score is beautifully written and wonderfully performed, its delicate and fragile tone poems at times being haunting and infiltrating the listeners sub-conscious.

There is a fragility and an affecting air to this work, a work that is filled with emotive and touching musical interludes and scattered throughout there is a sound that is fragility personified. The music is totally consuming as it adds colour, creates textures and conveys moods and atmospheres. It is in my opinion probably one of the composers best works, subtle, affecting and mesmerizing. Recorded and mixed in the hills of Rimini by Cristian Bonato at Numeri Recording (Coriano) and mastered by Giovanni Versari.

The music is performed by the composer on piano who is accompanied by Federico Mecozzi (violin, viola) and Anselmo Pelliccioni (cello, double bass). The score also contains the vocal Across the duration, lyrics, music and arrangement by Remo Anzovino, sung by the violinist Federico Mecozzi. An absorbing documentary with a score that is expressive, effective and immersing.   Available now on digital platforms.

POMPEII- SIN CITY.

From the start of the score for Pompeii-Sin City by composer Remo Anzovino.it is apparent that one is listening to a work that oozes quality and a great artistic stature. The compositions are superbly melodic and contain haunting phrases and nuances that develop and build into subtle but affecting tone poems. The composer fashions a work that has many musical faces, each being expressive and vibrant in their own way.

These individual pieces combine to create an effective score which can be dramatic, romantic, and poignant. Composer Remo Anzovino.is one of the most naturally talented and gifted Maestros that i have heard for many years, the score is symphonically led with gracious and emotive piano performances scattered throughout. 

The composer creates a sound that is directly and instantly attractive, his individual and inventive style being one that enhances and captures the essence and mood of this documentary film. His eloquent yet subdued compositions adding depth and giving the production a higher level of impact, whilst at the same time creating an abundance of atmospheres that maintain an alluring persona. It is a sensitive and wonderfully engaging work, that lace the movie with an ingratiating and rich sound creating various moods.  

This documentary explores Pompeii, a city that has over the centuries been shrouded in mystery, it is also a city that has over this time period managed to influence civilisations, via its culture and art, which ranged from the Neoclassicism to the Contemporary. This film conveys the mystery, the story and the influential range of this City through images and words by the great artists and writers who experienced, visited and imagined it: from Pliny the Younger to Picasso, from Emily Dickinson to Jean Cocteau.

The film surprisingly doesn’t just deal with the volcano eruption, an event that has gone down in history and been re-told and passed down the generations, but it examines the everyday life of the City as it was, and relays the to the audience the day to day lifestyle of the inhabitants, how they loved, worshipped, worked, played and lived and their ultimate fate. It is a fascinating watch and supported wonderfully by a musical score that purveys the emotions of the City dwellers and events that took place within its streets and alleyways. The music that composer Remo Anzovino has written for this documentary, is not just music for film, it is music for the heart, music that is enriching, affecting, and haunting. There is in places a contemporary new age sound to the work, but it also posses and conveys a sense of the ancient and the religious. The re-occurring musical pattern is however firmly focused upon the melodic, the delicate and contains a style and sound that has to it a fragility that radiates a gracious and emotive aura. The solo piano interludes are superb, these intricate, intimate and delightfully touching nuances are at various stages enhanced by the use of lilting strings, that are in no way intrusive but supportive which give the compositions and even greater sense of the emotive.

The composer also utilises cello to heighten emotion and an atmosphere that is overflowing with melancholy, this is more prominent within the cue, DOG AT SUNRISE and I have to say I was reminded slightly of the sound achieved by Ennio Morricone on certain cues within his score for MOSES THE LAWGIVER, it is a heartfelt and sorrowful sound, but also one that is highly attractive and affecting. Then we have up-tempo styles which are sprinkled throughout the score as in LUPANARE TWIST, which for me evoked a sound that composers such as Francesco De Masi and Armando Trovajoli employed within some of their film scores of the 1960’ and 1970’s. This is a soundtrack that is varied, and filled with a diversity of styles, textures, and colours. The composer painting a musical picture of the diverse lives of the citizens of POMPEII and at the same time providing the documentary with an effective musical enhancement. The soundtrack album will be released on November 6^th through Sony Masterworks, this is most definitely one score you should own.

FRIDA VIVA LA VIDA.

Released as part of the five CD set, ART FILM MUSIC, FRIDA VIVA LA VIDA is a documentary film directed by Giovanni Troilo and produced by Ballandi Arts and Nexo Digital. And produced in collaboration with the SKY ARTS channel. The musical score is by the highly talented Remo Anzovino, who has in recent times also written to a number of documentaries that focus upon art and the artists who create it. It is quite amazing when listening to the music of Maestro Anzovino just how varied it is, as a composer for film he seems to be able to alter and tailor his style or his sound to each individual project with ease. For FRIDA his music adds a tantalising and enthralling persona to the engrossing film about the life of this Mexican born painter. The music like the artist and her creations is innovative and haunting. Frida Kahlo is probably discussed more now than she was when she was alive, her paintings have made an everlasting impact upon all generations and have also been instrumental in the influencing of many artists that followed her. She has become a figure head or a symbol that stands for freedom and also for emancipation and many say she is entering into the realms of becoming a legend. Remo Anzovino has written a varied score for the documentary, and one which includes vocals as well as instrumental score. There is a presence within the score and an aura that surrounds it that makes it attractive and alluring, the music is delightfully haunting and at times becomes mesmerising and highly emotive. There are darker sections to the score, which are in keeping with the life and experiences of FRIDA, But again the composer has fashioned a soundtrack that not only ingratiates and enhances the film for which it was written, but it also has a life that extends past being film music, it is also a collection of musical themes and passages that will entertain and interest many without seeing the film, such is the style and overall sound that has been realised here by the composer. As I said, the soundtrack is available as part of a five CD set ART FILM MUSIC, but it can also be heard via digital platforms as a stand alone film score, but my advice would be to check out the ART FILM MUSIC compilation, and savour more of the composers elegant and poignant music.

ART FILM MUSIC. (sleeve notes for the SONY release on December 13th 2019.)

FILM MUSIC IS AN ART.
By John Mansell. (Movie music international).  © 2019. not to be re-printed without permission of the author. 

Art is something that can be purveyed in various ways, there is art as in the form of the drawing or painting of images, art as is the written word or the creation of poetry and verse, art as in sculpture and pottery or the musical works of the great Masters, art comes in many shapes and personas, and at times one does wonder is this really art? There is also an art form which is sadly overlooked and has always been and this is the composition of music for the specific purpose of enhancing or supporting the moving image on screen, in other words film music as we know it. There are an abundance of styles and sounds which are utilised within the film music arena, but the one purpose no matter what style or direction artistically the composer chooses to focus upon or take, is that the music he or she writes underlines, supports and above all compliments and elevates the scene or scenarios that are being acted out on screen, and the composer has to do this without being intrusive or overwhelming, in fact he or she writes music that maybe at times is not even noticed by a watching audience, this I suppose is the purpose of music in film, to be there in the background to add to a scene but it must not be heard in a way that we as an audience or a listener would hear it in their home or via a recording they have purchased. There are numerous composers that work within the film music fraternity, but there are but a handful that stand out and shine via their innovative or distinctive compositions. One of these is Maestro Remo Anzovino, his music for feature films, documentaries and television projects, may or may not be familiar to you, but there is little doubt that he is a talented musician and a composer that adds colour, light and shade to a movie just as a painter adds textures and images to a canvas. Anzovino, personifies the word chameleon-like with his varied and versatile compositions and has created numerous soundtracks that not only ingratiate the projects he has worked upon adding atmosphere and depth to each one in an individual way, but also he has written affecting and mesmerising tone poems that have much appeal and contain a hauntingly beautiful quality which can be appreciated and savoured by many who listen to them away from the images they were intended to underline and punctuate.

The composer’s music is a synthesis of styles, that encompasses and embraces numerous musical sounds and employs a mixture of textures and colours. There are delicate and intricate nuances within his works that evoke emotive and poignant senses, intimate piano solos that fixate the listener because of their charming and expressive sound, dark and brooding passages that are intense and gripping and lavish and luxurious themes that are vibrant and tantalising. But, every project is different, yes there is a sound or a style that is present throughout each of his musical journeys whether this be for a studio album or for TV, Film etc, but when one listens to music by this composer every new recording and new composition is filled with an astonishing vitality and energy which beguiles and enthrals.

Remo Anzovino, was born in Pordenone, Italy on February 12th 1976. He began to take piano lessons in his early years and then as a teenager studied privately harmony and jazz and then moved onto counterpoint. He began to compose music at the age of 11, aged 18 the composer began to work on writing music for commercials, and at around the same time started to contribute musical scores for the theatre. He was always attracted to creating music for the moving image, and aged 26 the composer wrote his first score for a silent movie, an area in which he has since exceled and become known for in recent years.
“I have always imagined a silent film with screenplay and sounds, to me silent films are just films. Therefore, it was a matter of commentating them musically rather than making didactic choices or a simple accompaniment. This requires a greater preparation on the film and a greater respect of the narrative. I cannot stand the idea of extemporizing music especially for a silent film. In fact, a greater rigor is expected. Obviously, there is no chance to discuss the music with the filmmaker and thus you need to convey modern emotions and feeling from a film shot almost a century ago”.
(Remo Anzovino).

In 2006 the composer began to devote most of his time to composing music for film.
“I think a musician can work for a film only if he loves the cinema deeply and knows its basic language. I feel comfortable in doing this because I work as if the music was not mine, I love cinema to the point that I personally strive for finding the most suitable solutions for the film. In my concerts I always put some themes from soundtracks that I rearrange in different forms to make it even more autonomous in the relationship with the audience”. (Remo Anzovino).

This music collection includes five examples of the composers work for film, VAN GOGH OF WHEAT FIELDS AND CLOUDED SKIES, GAUGAIN IN TAHITI-PARADISE LOST, WATER LILIES OF MONET, HITLER VERSUS PICASSO and THE OTHERS and the composers score for FRIDA VIVA LA VIDA. Each one has its own individuality, its own voice and its own musical fingerprint. It is evident when listening to these superb scores that there is a glimmer of genius within each of them, with a light of excellence that shines through them and radiates from them.

Many critics often remark when discussing composers and they want to draw a comparison between them and a more established or well-known artist. “This is the new Ennio Morricone” or “This could be a modern-day Bernard Herrmann”. Yes, Remo Anzovino, does have certain qualities and little nuances and quirks of orchestration that one could easily compare to other composers that work in film, but to draw any comparisons with other composers I think would be pointless as he is a music-smith who has created his own incredible sound and fashioned his own original style, he is Remo Anzovino.

VAN GOGH-OF WHEAT FIELDS AND CLOUDED SKIES.
The Sedona International Film Festival, presented the Great Art on Screen series with “Van Gogh: Of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies”. This was screened in Sedona on Wednesday, Feb. 13th, at the festival’s Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Great Art on Screen is a series of seven documentaries featuring an in-depth look at the most extraordinary and ground-breaking art masters of their time. Take a fresh look at Van Gogh through the legacy of the greatest private collector of the Dutch artist’s work: Helene Kröller-Müller (1869-1939), one of the first to recognize the genius of Van Gogh. In the early 20th century, Kröller-Müller amassed nearly 300 of Van Gogh’s paintings and drawings now housed at her namesake museum in Holland.
The Basilica Palladina exhibition in Vicenza, “Amid Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies,” with 40 paintings and 85 drawings on loan from the Kröller-Müller Museum, lends the basis of this program, revealing Van Gogh’s art and his genius, while allowing audiences to understand the importance of drawing as part of his craft. Van Gogh’s seemingly instinctive canvases were the result of long, preparatory studies very rarely exhibited – not just sketches but stunning works of art in and of themselves, where the broken flow of lines that characterize the style and strokes in Van Gogh’s paintings can already be seen. Composer Remo Anzovino, wrote a soundtrack that is sublimely beautiful and alluring attractive, the Maestro creating wonderfully lyrical musical poems that not only enhance the images on screen but also bring a sense of emotion and poignancy to the proceedings.
His music gives the artistry and stunning imagery as created by the Master Vincent Van Gogh an even greater life and vibrancy, the musical score purveys an aura of vulnerability and fragility and weaves an intricate and compelling musical web, that itself could be seen as a brush of sorts that is applying colour and giving life to an empty canvas. The composer utilises solo piano and strings that at times soar or entwine to bring to fruition a heartfelt and highly emotive conclusion.
The gracious and eloquent themes the composer has written seem to engulf the listener and surround them; they are emotionally affecting as just music as well as being effective in the context of the film. The style is at times classical but there is also present a slightly more contemporary sound which although is fleeting proves to be attractive and powerful. The score is filled with a vibrant but at the same time poignant persona which has touches of splendour tinged with melancholy. The piano performances are haunting and spellbinding and create a mesmerizing and delicate air. Accordion is also utilised and adds much to the proceedings, the instrument fades in and out of cues adding an even greater atmosphere to the score. The instrument is then given a greater role and is centre stage in a handful of cues, LOVING PEOPLE being one of them. ARLES SYMPHONY is another outstanding piece which has subdued but simultaneously driving strings that are a background to additional strings which perform the central melody, this is also enhanced by use of percussion and punctuated by Accordion. But it is the piano performances within the score that tantalise and entertain, they are not only delicate and fragile sounding, but via their achingly beautiful pure sound become hypnotic.
HITLER VERSUS PICASSO and THE OTHERS.
“I was involved in scoring Hitler Versus Picasso and the Others from the producer Didi Gnocchi (3d Produzioni) with whom I previously worked for some television projects. She co-produced Hitler versus Picasso with Nexo Digital as distributor. From that moment on we started an ongoing partnership collaborating particularly with the CEO Franco Di Sarro. I composed 3 scores VAN GOGH OF WHEAT FIELDS AND CLOUDED SKIES, HITLER VERSUS PICASSO and WATER LILLIES OF MONET one after the other since all the films were released in 2018, one every two months in approximately six months”.(Remo Anzovino).
HITLER VERSUS PICASSO and THE OTHERS, has a score that is certainly filled with drama and urgency, but, it also contains many passages and interludes that contain a rich and melodic style, Remo Anzovino, has written a powerful soundtrack that is overflowing with themes which have varying styles and definite appeal. The music is an entertaining entity alone, as well as perfectly supporting the film. The composer manages to create so many fresh and lingering thematic properties throughout the work. It is a more thematically led score with strong motifs that lend a considerable weight to creating a greater atmosphere and setting the mood of the film. Directed by Claudio Poli, HITLER VS PICASSO and the OTHERS is set in 1937 when the Nazi’s held two exhibitions in Munich: one was in order to denounce what was termed as “degenerate art,” the other, was curated by Hitler personally, and was said to be staged to glorify “classic art.” The film is presented and Narrated by Toni Servillo, and is a journey through four exhibitions, where masterpieces by Botticelli, Klee, Matisse, Monet, Chagall, Renoir, and Gauguin are on display. With each exhibition a story unfolds and each of these are interesting and fascinating.
The cast includes, Timothy Garton Ash, Jean-Marc Dreyfus, Edgar Feuchtwanger, Simon Goodman and Berthold Hinz. After a period of seventy years since the declaration of war, HITLER VERSUS PICASSO AND THE OTHERS is a film that reveals many of the secrets of the so-called Fuhrer treasure. Paintings by numerous revered artists are hidden, looted from galleries and museums with many of them thought destroyed by the Nazi’s and lost forever. These are un-earthed and reveal the Nazi’s obsession with art. The four exhibitions which the film revolves around are.

“Degenerate Art” Munich, July 9, 1937
The Nazi hierarchy organized this exhibition in Munich, it consisted of 650 works of art seized from over 30 German galleries and works that were confiscated from private collections. The works were chosen from modern movements in the world of art that were not in keeping with what the Nazi’s considered to be things of beauty.

“21 rue La Boétie”, Paris, March 2017
Anne Sinclair, director of the Huffington Post, reveals the story of her Grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, who was to become known as one of the most interesting gallery owners and art dealers in the early part of the 20th Century. He was a French national and Jewish, who was good friends with Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Henri Matisse, and an extraordinary art collector, who opened a gallery at 21 rue La Boétie, in 1910, where he collected works of ‘degenerate art’. In 1942 he was stripped of his French nationality and part of his collection was stolen by the Nazis.

“Gurlitt Collection”, in two locations:
The last chapter of the films story is set in September 2010. A train hurtles along a track with an elderly Gentleman on board, he is German, and we soon discover that he is art collector Cornelius Gurlitt. His Father, Hildebrand became known as ‘Hitler’s Merchant’. Cornelius was hiding some of the most priceless art treasures of the century, among them “Portrait of a Lady” by Matisse, the painting belonging to expert and lover of Impressionism, Paul Rosenberg.
The music for the movie is an essential component of the story telling and an integral and important part of the film and the film making process, it would be difficult to imagine this movie without the subtle underscore or the more dramatic and driving pieces that the composer created for this production, the thematic quality of the compositions are evident and the score heightens the mood and atmosphere within every scene, the composer underlining and punctuating without being intrusive. The score is a fusion of symphonic, choral and electronic elements. Anzovino fashioning and creating via use of the full range of the instruments within the orchestra and by way of samples.

HITLER VERSUS PICASSO AND THE OTHERS, contains a score that is a truly haunting affair, one example of emotive writing within the soundtrack is the cue, VIOLIN FOR THE INNOCENTS, which is filled with so much emotional sentiment and a musical passion that is immediately affecting, it is not just a heartfelt composition but a heart breaking one, that invades the listeners soul. The same can be said for CELLO FOR THE INNOCENTS which recalls the same theme, in a slightly briefer duration, but has to it an air of melancholy and a rather more sombre aura, but again brimming with yearning and poignancy.
“My scores for film and also television always involve musicians. My team is made up of people who get along and of high expertise. For string instruments, we have developed a special technique that mixes pieces played by musicians for every section of the orchestra and samples. This combination makes the sound tenser and more modern without giving up to the kind of expressiveness only musicians can add. Brass instrument, woods, percussions and string instruments are rigorously played by musicians. Piano pieces are of course played by me. I like using electronics in expressive and analogue fashion. I usually conduct my film scores but am also supported by my assistant the Maestro Federico Mecozzi. While one conducts the other supervises in the recording booth with the sound technician Cristian Bonato”(.Remo Anzovino).

 

WATER LILIES OF MONET (The Magic of Water and Light).
This film tells the story of how a huge piece of art came into being and also of how it essentially broke with convention and also of the artist Monet who’s life was reconstructed and invigorated via painting. It is a story that shows the obsession the artist had with light and water, an obsession it seems he could not get away from, but putting it to wonderful use by transforming his paintings into magical and beguiling Masterpieces that were to revolutionize modern art. The artist had one goal and that was to transfer his first impression onto the canvas and paint so it appeared as an image that he had not seen before every time he looked at it. The documentary also does this and shows the watching audience THE WATER LILIES by Monet as they have never been seen before. This is a uniquely special cinematic experience, with exclusive footage of Monet’s masterpieces which are housed at the Orangerie Museum, the Marmottan Museum and Giverny. Masterpieces that would be the artists final legacy to France and ultimately the world, being a symbol that is associated with peace and hope for all.
The score for WATER LILIES OF MONET is an accomplished and richly melodious work. It has to it an intimacy and purveys a sense of hopefulness and joy that is resounding and vibrant. The composer makes effective use of synthetic and sampled sounds within the score and creates a collection musical landscapes and moments that are coloured with mesmeric and lilting musical sounds and textures which he achieves by combining the synthetic with the symphonic, the choral and solo voice interludes. The composer fashions uplifting and energetic themes that are filled to overflowing with exuberant and harmonious sounds. The score may not be grandiose, but it is a work that is tantalising and haunting, the combination of Soprano and strings is stunning, and the use of electronics and conventional instrumentation is a stroke of genius, each section complimenting and giving support to one another.

GAUGUIN IN TAHITI-PARADISE LOST.
In 1891 artist Paul Gauguin had become disillusioned with life in Europe, his wife had left him and taken his children with her, his friend Vincent Van Gogh had passed away and his life as a painter was in the doldrums. In the same year the artist decided that he would leave Marseilles and head for the South Seas, it was this decision that took him to Tahiti. French Polynesia and The Marques Islands where he was to experience so many beautiful and wonderous sights in the form of landscapes, seascapes and also life experiences through the local populations of the islands. These inspired him to create images and vibrant colours that were to change his approach to painting forever, seeing the use of colour and light in a very different way from when he was in France.
The film takes us to simple island dwellings which the artist built out of leaves and bamboo whilst in the Pacific and to modern day Paris, New York, Boston, Chicago and Edinburgh where many of his masterpieces are now preserved. This is a film that follows this master’s journey on which he grasps the essence of life and art. To enhance the beauty of Gauguin’s surroundings Remo Anzovino has written one of his most touching scores, it is a work of immense beauty itself, the composer again performing piano on the soundtrack. There are it seems an endless collection of heart-warming and wonderfully affecting themes present within this score, and at times it is hard to take in that all this superb music comes from one movie. The opening cue, OVIRI, is a short lived but brooding and powerful introduction to the remainder of the score, with the composer creating a dark and shadowy sound, via piano, low strings and breathy woodwind, tremolo strings are introduced also which bring a sinister sound to the proceedings, it is a uneasy style that is employed, with brass being added at the conclusion.
Track number two, NOA NOA is a lighter affair with soft strings and lilting piano performance which compliment each other perfectly, the composer also utilises wood wind as in flute which has to it a slightly jazz style, but the combination of the strings, piano woods and electronic support is ingenious and also entertaining and evokes memories of Italian film music from the late 1960’s and into the decade of the 1970’s, its film music but also could be categorised as new age or easy listening exotica styles. Track number four on the recording is LES JOURS PERDUS, this is in my opinion one of the most beautiful melodies on the score, piano again takes centre stage whilst being underlined by strings, and laced with additional string performances giving the piece a rich and wonderfully lavish style and persona. The tender nuances composed by Remo Anzovino within this cue are in a word stunning, they are filled with a delicate and affecting style that is romantic but at the same time purveys a mood or atmosphere that is fragile and totally consuming.
Track number five, I WILL LEAVE , is a more downbeat cue with strings introducing the track, but the low key and near sombre atmosphere, alters as the composer brings into play more strings and the gentle use of percussion and solo violin, the music gains pace slightly but never reaches its crescendo as it reverts back to a more calming and tranquil piece as it reaches its conclusion. Track number six, PARADISE LOST is the piano solo version of the piece, again it is a beautifully executed performance by the composer, the seven-note motif is lovingly played and oozes with elegance and charm. Track number seven, BACK TO THE ROOTS, is another cue that is slow builder, the composer again turning to the string section to create the foundation and introduction, whilst adding other elements both electronic, percussive, choral and symphonic as the composition unfolds and progressively builds. Electronic and conventional instrumentation working in unison to fashion a melodic and powerful track which has to it an inspiring sound. The score features a handful of soloists, these include, flautist Fabio Mina, percussionist Marco Zanotti, cellist Anselmo Pelliccioni and Violinist Federico Mecozzi. The score is a delightful and sophisticated collection of themes which underscore, support and enhance the production and add to it a greater atmosphere and depth.

FRIDA VIVA LA VIDA.
This is a movie that explores both parts of Frida Kahlo’s personality. We see her human side as in a person who is a victim of her tortured body and of her tormented and difficult relationship and also the film focuses upon her pioneering artistic career and her involvement with feminism. Asia Argento narrates and as the film progresses, we begin to understand the dual personality of this complicated but brilliant individual. The film utilises Frida’s own words and makes use of her letters, which are mixed with interviews and other documentation. Of, course it also shows many of her paintings, which are on display and stored in many of Mexico’s amazing museums and galleries. The score for this movie in particular is I think one of the composers most varied, it also is one that sounds as if it contains more synthetic than symphonic, but this adds to the impact and also the entertainment value when listening to it away from the movie. There are rich and vibrant pieces and also Latin flavoured passages scattered throughout the soundtrack as well as vocal performances and jazz orientated tracks performed by an easy sounding trumpet which is punctuated by piano as in YO ME PINTO or accompanied by strings in the impressively rich and emotive, FRIDITA (Adagio for trumpet and strings) classical guitar performances also bring much to the overall sound of the score, as in the track MEXICAN LANDSCAPE. It is a score that is filled with such a wealth of thematic properties, the composer being highly inventive in his approach to the subject matter. There are delicate musical poems such as HOW FAR I. LL FLY, CHILDREN WE WONT HAVE and PEONY, with apprehensive but touching compositions that include, EACH TIME I WAS BORN. and upbeat pieces such as WALKING IN MEXICO and BROKEN HEART TANGO.

No matter which way you view film music or music in film, there is very little doubt that Maestro Remo Anzovino is a master at his craft and I for one look forward to more from him.   MMI/JOHN MANSELL(C) 2019. 

TALKING TO COMPOSER REMO ANZOVINO.

 

 

What musical training did you undertake?
I started learning piano in my childhood, later on as a teenager I studied harmony, ensemble and jazz moving then to counterpoint. I started music composition when I was 11 years old. I have always studied privately and I keep studying every day.

What is your main instrument when it comes to working out your musical ideas for a project?
My internal ear and the paper when I compose music. Piano and sampler come only afterwards. The beginning of the process is when I listen to the music inside of myself envisioning the sounds and the structure.

 

 

Was it always writing music for film that you wanted to do, or was this something that developed as your career moved forward?
I have a long lasting relationship with narrative and moving images. I set on music my first silent film when I was 26 at the Cineteca of Bologna in 2002. Before that I created music for several commercials, the very first one when I was 18. At that time, I was also working on music composition for theatres.
From 2006 on, I started developing a proper recording career and I believe composing film soundtracks came as a natural consequence of the experiences gained through the time that have shaped my style.

 

 

Do you have any memories of the first time that you engaged with music
of any kind?

 

As mentioned earlier music has never been just a hobby. Music has been with and within me ever since I was a child. I made my first money out of music. To be honest, I have no memories of my life ever been without it!

 

I recently listened to three of your scores for movies that focused upon, VAN GOGH, MONET and PICASSO. How did you become involved on these and were they scored very close together?

I was involved in scoring Hitler Versus Picasso and the Others from the producer Didi Gnocchi (3d Produzioni) with whom I previously worked for some television projects. She co-produced Hitler versus Picasso with Nexo Digital as distributor. From that moment on we started an ongoing partnership collaborating particularly with the CEO Franco Di Sarro. I composed the 3 scores one after the other since all the films were released in 2018, one every two months in approximately six months.
What size orchestra did you utilise for the scores and what percentage of the ensemble was samples or electronic?
My scores always involve musicians. My team is made up of people who get along and of high expertise. For string instruments we have developed a special technique that mixes pieces played by musicians for every section of the orchestra and samples. This combination makes the sound tenser and more modern without giving up to the kind of expressiveness only musicians can add. Brass instrument, woods, percussions and string instruments are rigorously played by musicians. Piano pieces are of course played by me. I like using electronics in expressive and analogue fashion.

 
You have composed music for the theatre and also worked on music for silent movies, when writing music for a silent movie do you find you have more freedom because of the absence of dialogue and sound effects etc?
I have always imagined a silent film with screenplay and sounds To me, silent films are just films. Therefore it was a matter of commentating them musically rather than making didactic choices or a simple accompaniment. This requires a greater preparation on the film and a greater respect of the narrative. I cannot stand the idea of extemporizing music especially for a silent film. In fact, a greater rigor is expected. Obviously there is no chance to discuss the music with the filmmaker and thus you need to convey modern emotions and feeling from a film shot almost a century ago.

 

I love the music for all three of the scores I mentioned for films about great painters, did you perform on the soundtracks?
Thank you. And yes, I did play the piano (as I always do) in my soundtracks. Not only the piano but also some analogue instruments such as Roland Juno 60 and Korg MS20. Also, together with my team I supervise the planning.

 

 

Your music is so rich in melody and thematic properties, what is your opinion of the film scores of today compared with those from the 1960’s and before this?
The great revolution was made by Bernard Hermann with Hitchcock and Ennio Morricone with Sergio Leone. Before that, I believe we all agree that music was just a secondary or teaching aspect except for few instances. This is a result of the use of music in silent films: to cover the noises of the first projectors.
Nowadays I think it is important for cinema the relationship with composers who know how to deal with the orchestra and who have a solid basic preparation along with the ability to modernize sounds through technology and electronics.
The soundtracks offer interesting combinations, it allows you to be bold on new solutions and a new way. Today’s landscape is filled with great composers who are looking for new paths.

 

 

Do you conduct your film scores, or do you use a conductor so that you may monitor things from the recording booth?
I usually conduct film scores supported by my assistant the Maestro Federico Mecozzi. While one conducts the other supervises in recording booth with the sound technician Cristian Bonato.

 

 

How long is it after first seeing a project that you begin to form ideas about what style of music you will write and where the music would be best placed to serve the movie?
The ideal time range is one month for preparation, 20 days for composing and then approximately two weeks for studio recording. Let’s say that two full months is a decent time. Being involved in the project during the screenplay preparation and before the film is shot is even better. Music provides the meaning images cannot express, what goes beyond images.

 

When you are writing a score, do you orchestrate as you are writing or is this something that comes after the initial composition?
The orchestration strictly follow the composition. While I create the music for a specific scene I have already in mind the orchestration that will appear in the trailer I will send out. I am obviously talking about an orchestral piece.

 

I know that your Brother is also musical, but do you come from a family background that is musical?

 
Our parents do not play any instrument, however they were and are demanding listeners when it comes to music and this environment has surely had an impact on us.

 

 

Have you given concerts of any of your music?
As mentioned I was primarily focused on developing a discographic career and then soundtracks composition. This arrangement is very stimulating. Composing an instrumental music album such as “Nocturne” for Sony Classical is a valuable example of what it means to me making an album. It is my film, I am the filmmaker, the screenwriter and my music should allow every listener to envision his/her own film. This requires a different approach and a composing technique which is completely different compared to the one used for soundtrack composition. When you write for the images you need to create music that perfectly matches the scenes while keeping its own strength and uniqueness even without the images. It is a challenge since the protagonist is the always the film with its own time and requirements.

 

I think a musician can work for a film only if he loves the cinema deeply and knows its basic language. I feel comfortable in doing this because I work as if the music was not mine, I love cinema to the point that I personally strive for finding the most suitable solutions for the film. In my concerts I always put some themes from soundtracks that I rearrange in different forms to make it even more autonomous in the relationship with the audience.

 

 

What composers would you say have influenced you or better still inspired you?
I am personally fond of music of the Renaissance and I think of authors such as Palestrina, Marenzio, De Victoria, Gabrielli not because of aesthetic reasons but rather because of an integrity in the composition. I look for a counterpoint language in my music.

As for films I love deeply Pino Donaggio soundtracks for Brian De Palma, John Zorn film works or Brian Eno world in Ambient 1, Music for Films and the recent Music for Installations. Moving to  “wall of sound” important models are Hans Zimmer and Thomas Newman. For melodic hints I look at Nino Rota, especially in his cinematographic works.  For string instruments Riz Ortolani. And again, Ennio Morricone and Bernard Hermann.

 

You collaborated with trumpet player Roy Paci on the score for the documentary FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, TRIBUTE TO MUHAMMAD ALI. which I think sounds very retro Italian film score as in Piero Piccioni or Gianni Ferrio, was this a collaboration as in writing together or was it a performing collaboration?

The music of Tribute to Muhammad Ali is entirely mine. I asked Roy Paci to produce the soundtrack because I needed a black sound and Roy was definitely the perfect match. We wrote together the opening credits track called “Take Another Jab” and we add two pieces from Roy.  I composed the remaining part but it was great to see how Roy “dressed” my music. The funeral theme “I’m Not Leaving” is an example of what it means to create a theme and then entrust another gifted player. Such is Roy’s experience and sensibility.

 

What is next for you?

 

I just finished two scores. One is for the film “Gaugin in Tahiti. Paradise Lost” that is going to be broadcasted late March. It is a sound trip in the history of Paul Gaugin who gave up everything to move to Tahiti where he eventually found a lost paradise. The other one is for “Il Ladro di Cardellini”, an excellent Neapolitan comedy.

As for the very next future I will be committed on other soundtracks and busy travelling around for concerts. I had an amazing time last November in London where I played at the Purcell Room in the London Southbank Centre for the London Jazz Festival. It was my first concert in UK and it was a great experience. Hope to come back very soon!