“Composing film scores means that the composer must adapt his ideas to the film, the director and the audience.” Ennio Morricone

Filmic is Watershed and St George's brand new festival of film and music running through February and March and focuses on two greats of the music world: legendary composers Ennio Morricone and Michel Legrand.

Phil Johnson, programmer and journalist from St George’s, was fortunate enough to interview Morricone for the Independent on Sunday in 2003 and we thought you might be interested in getting more of an insight into the mind of the man they simply call 'the maestro'.

Morricone is probably best known for his Spaghetti Western scores - in particular, the one he produced through his partnership with director Sergio Leone. Here at Watershed we’ve invited Sir Christopher Frayling to select the best Spaghetti Westerns for your viewing pleasure throughout February. Featuring gunslingers, ponchos, bounty hunters and mean looks galore, all four titles (The Good The Bad and The Ugly, Big Gundown, Death Rides a Horse and Once Upon A Time In the West) have fabulous scores by Morricone. And if that doesn't scratch your Spaghetti Western itch, Sir Christopher will be joining us for a special illustrated talk on Sun 5 Feb where he'll look at the genre's revolutionary use of music.

To help get you into the spaghetti spirit, here’s an interview with Morricone on the eve of his 75th birthday concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2003.

Morricone has scored music for more than 400 films, from sword and sandals epics to Sergio Leone's revolutionary series of Spaghetti westerns, and worked with directors including Pier Paulo Pasolini, Brian DePalma and Pedro Almodovar. Five-times nominated, he has yet to win an Oscar®.

PJ: How did you become a film composer?
EM: Almost by chance. I had just finished my studies at the conservatory in Rome and I needed to work, so I started arranging songs and records and working for TV and radio. After a while Luciano Salce called me for the film Il federale, as I had already worked with him. I composed the music for the film, and that started my career as a composer of film scores. I must say that working for cinema has been a precious experience because it gave me the chance to experiment with my ideas, to listen to them performed by an orchestra and then use them for a precise aim, ie: the film. Generally speaking, I think that a good composer for film must have a complete knowledge of composition and orchestration techniques, but also a wide knowledge of musical styles and languages.

PJ: Some composers find writing for the cinema frustrating. What is your view?
EM: Composing film scores means that the composer must adapt his ideas to the film, the director and the audience. This, of course, limits the composer's freedom, but nevertheless the composer can, and must, find his own freedom within these bounds. He must find a simple reason why he chooses every single note and sound. That is the only way of defending one's identity as a composer and creating a personal style.

PJ: Favourite genre: sword and sandals, western, or political thriller?
EM: I don't have a favourite genre. On the contrary, I believe that a film music composer should compose all kinds of music for all films. I have tried to widen my experiences and in all kinds of music, from ethnic to classic, but I have also tried to keep my personal viewpoint and style for every genre.

PJ: Of all the films you have worked on, what is your favourite score and why?
EM: I was asked this question many times, but I never replied, because there is no music that I love more than the rest. Every time I have composed music for film I always did it giving everything, total creativity. There are, of course, better scores, but I can't say which ones.

PJ: Once upon a time in the UK - how does it grab you?
EM: I have worked in the UK many times. Maybe the most important experience was scoring the music for The Mission. Furthermore, I held two concerts at the Barbican in 2001, where I conducted my music (both film music and "pure" music). That was an extraordinary experience. I love the English audience and the English musicians, they are wonderful. To go back to London, at the Royal Albert Hall, on my birthday, is a very strong emotion.

This interview appeared as ‘Arts Etc: Answer the Questions!: Ennio Morricone: ‘I always give it everything – total creativity’ in the Independent on Sunday, 9 Nov 2003.

Find out about the rest of the great events, screenings and concerts that are part of Filmic.