ROME - Beloved by generations of Italian directors from Vittorio De Sica to Pupi Avati, adored by Quentin Tarantino which included some of his songs on the soundtracks of "Inglorious Basterds" and "Django Unchained." Music and cinema mourn the loss of the great Riz Ortolani, wizards of film music, the author of the cult issues such as the "Over", died in Rome this evening from the consequences of bronchitis. Four score and seven years brought to the big, Riz, as everyone called him, worked until the last, the author, among other things, the soundtrack of A Marriage, the TV movie by Pupi Avati aired a few days ago shown on RAI 1.Born in Pesaro, the youngest of six brothers, Rizziero Ortolani (his real name) had graduated in flute at age 19 and in his early twenties had entered Rai as an arranger of radio orchestras. In 1954 he signed his first radio show, "Occhio Magico" as a conductor. His work for the cinema kicks off in the early 1960s with the soundtrack of a documentary, "Mondo Cane", whose main theme, "More," sung by his wife Katyna Ranieri earned him an Oscar nomination for best score in 1964.
Since then, there have been collaborations with American studios (MGM, United Artists, Universal) and Italian with big-name directors, as well as De Sica, Dino Risi, Franco Zeffirelli. Particularly a long and fruitful artistic partnerships with Damiano Damiani and especially with Pupi Avati with whom he made 25 films since 1980, virtually the entire production of the director of Emilia, who now mourns him. "A life together - he says - with him I learned how nice it is to follow a classic song with the score in hand." Passionate and sophisticated connoisseur of jazz, as well as symphonic and operatic music, a tireless worker, Ortolani leaves a huge production of work.
Among his more than 300 scores, there are various themes that have become cult, from 'Africa Addio ' to 'Brother Sun Sister Moon', up to 'The Octopus'. Not forgetting of course, the music written for Avati from ''Ma quando arrivano le ragazze', 'Il papà di Giovanna', fino a 'Una sconfinata giovinezza'. He was given many awards: 2 Golden Globes, 2 Oscar nominations, a Grammy Award and five David di Donatello. A few months ago, in October, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Festival of the soundtrack of Ghent," a beautiful evening - had commented with ANSA - Brussels Symphony Orchestra has performed very well my music."
Beware of the young , along with his beloved wife Katyna , with whom he has lived a life of fellowship and work so solid that it has become proverbial (would celebrate in a few days 50 years of marriage) had given birth to in 2007 in Pesaro Riz Ortolani Foundation to promote music through scholarships, seminars, debates , concerts and exhibitions. Hospitalized for surgery, he died from the consequences of bronchitis. He leaves two sons, Enrico and Rizia. The funeral will be held in Rome, Saturday at 15 in the Church of the Artists of the Piazza del Popolo.
ORTOLANI, Riz (Riziero Ortolani)
Born: 3/25/1926, Pesaro, Marche, Italy
Died: 1/23/2014, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Riz Ortolani's westerns - composer:
Gunfight at High Noon - 1963
Ride and Kill – 1963 [as Oscar Rice]
Shatterhand - 1963
Seven from Texas - 1964
Freispruch für Old Shatterhand (TV) - 1965
Glory Guys - 1965
Glory Guys - 1965
Beyond the Law - 1967
Day of Anger - 1967
Kill and Pray – 1967 [as Roger Higgins]
Night of the Serpent – 1969O'Cangaciero - 1970
Madron – 1970
The Unholy Four- 1970
The Hunting Party – 1971
Massacre at Fort Holman – 1972Where the Bullets Fly - 1972