A review by JAMES SOUTHALL

The quantity of Ennio Morricone's output has declined somewhat over the last few years.  He is in his late 70s, after all.  To be honest, the quality has probably diminished as well.  Not too much - there is still much to be discovered in each of his works - but after a remarkable run of tremendous music produced during the late 1990s into the early part of this decade, the composer gave the impression of having lost a little bit of steam.  2005 has confirmed that the composer is back to his very best, with some wonderful scores; the first was Il Cuore nel Pozzo, written for Alberto Negrin's Italian tv movie about Tito's ruthless, abhorrent ethnic cleansing in Eastern Europe during the second world war.

The score is full of emotion and full of wonderful themes.  "Lei con lui" is vaguely reminiscent of the composer's lilting, gorgeous theme for Malena; "Suona l'armonica", as its name suggests, features a solo harmonica and is quite exquisite.  "Abbandono delle case" introduces darker music, though it remains steadfastly melodic, always with a hint of hope trying to push through; and the hope manifests itself further in "Un giorno sara", a magnificent piece anchored by a heartmelting violin solo.  The innocent, childlike "Suona un bambino" offers a different perspective on the horrors of war, but its sheer simplicity somehow makes it very powerful given the seriousness of the music which surrounds it.

"Passaggio a Sud" is a folksy piece, with what is a somewhat resigned and downbeat melody being presented in an arrangement which is full of optimism; it's a wonderful device.  This mood is suddenly and dramatically shifted in the tense, twelve-minute "Orrori", which is the first track of the score where Morricone lets the music lose all sense of hope; it is powerful stuff.  The following track, "Sperduti", is also long, and this time Morricone uses the harmonica to give an edgy, uneasy feel.  The music is more a reflection of horror than the complete bleakness of the previous track.  Finally, the album ends with hope returning in the titular final track; the harmonica again takes the central role, but this time playing the score's main theme with an underlying hint of warmth.  

Il cuore nel pozzo is a magnificent score from Morricone: each of the fourteen tracks seems to bring something new, and each is entirely satisfying.  The composer seems to have something fresh to say all the time, and this is a real return to form.  It couldn't come more highly recommended for Morricone fans - it is a frequently sombre but frequently beautiful portrayal of the human experience of tragedy.

Tracks

1. Il cuore nel pozzo (2:59)
2. Marcia Balcanica (2:02)
3. Lei con lui (2:24)
4. Suona l'armonica (3:11)
5. Abbandono delle case (3:14)
6. Un giorno sara (3:53)
7. Una viola in fiore (2:44)
8. Suona un bambino (3:24)
9. Passaggio a Sud (3:31)
10. Balcani per fuggire (3:21)
11. Orrori (11:38)
12. Sperduti (6:56)
13. Balcani per fuggire (2:19)
14. Il cuore nel pozzo (2:57)