Luis Enríquez Bacalov
Encyclopedia
Luis Enríquez Bacalov is a prolific Argentine
, naturalized Italian, composer
of film score
s. Early on in his career, he composed scores for Spaghetti Western
films. In the early 1970s, he collaborated with Italian progressive rock
bands. Bacalov has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Original Score, winning it in 1996 for Il Postino
. Bacalov has composed significant works for chorus
and orchestra
. Presently he is the artistic director of the Orchestra della Magna Grecia in Taranto
, Italy
.
, Argentina on 30 March 1933. Early on in his career, he composed scores for Spaghetti Western
films, including Django
, Storm Rider
, also known as Il Grande Duello, and The Price of Power
.
Bacalov has been nominated twice for Academy Award for Original Score—music adaptation or treatment— in 1967 for The Gospel According to St. Matthew
, and winning the award
for Il Postino
in 1996.
In the early 1970s, he collaborated with Italian progressive rock
bands such as New Trolls
, on their 1971 album, Concerto grosso per i New Trolls, Osanna
, on the band's second album, Preludio Tema Variazioni e Canzona releaased in 1972, and Il Rovescio della Medaglia
for the 1973 release of their third album, Contaminazione.
In recent years, Bacalov has also composed significant works for chorus
and orchestra
, including his Misa Tango, a work setting a Spanish-language adaptation of the classic liturgical Mass
to the tango
rhythms of his native Argentina. The standard Mass text has been significantly truncated in accordance with Bacalov's desire that the work appeal to those of all Abrahamic faiths
: Christian
s, Muslims
and Jews
. All references to Christ
— except for the Lamb of God
— have been deleted. Credo
, the third and longest text part of a sung Mass, has been reduced to its first strophe and part of the second one: "" (" I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth") plus "Amen
" at the end. Misa Tango debuted in Rome
with Plácido Domingo
as solo tenor in 2000 and was later recorded by Deutsche Grammophon
with Plácido Domingo (tenor), Ana María Martínez
(mezzo-soprano) and Héctor Ulises Passarella (bandoneón).
Bacalov recently composed Cantones de Nuestro Tiempos (Psalms for our Times: The Cambridge Psalms), a commissioned work with text from the Psalms of David for baritone and soprano soloists, orchestra and chorus, which had its world premiere at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in spring 2006 by the Cambridge Community Chorus (William E. Thomas, Music Director). Two of his songs, "The Grand Duel (Parte Prima)
" and "Summertime Killer", were used in Quentin Tarantino's
film Kill Bill
.
Bacalov was the first to write a triple-concerto for bandoneón
, piano
, soprano and symphony orchestra: Tango Music with Symphonic Proportions.
Presently he is the artistic director of Orchestra della Magna Grecia in Taranto
, Italy
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, naturalized Italian, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s. Early on in his career, he composed scores for Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
films. In the early 1970s, he collaborated with Italian progressive rock
Italian progressive rock
The Italian progressive rock scene was born in the early 70s, mostly inspired by the progressive movement in Britain, but with certain features of its own that makes some sources mention it as a separate musical genre....
bands. Bacalov has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Original Score, winning it in 1996 for Il Postino
Il Postino
Il Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
. Bacalov has composed significant works for chorus
Chorus
-Musical:* Choir, a vocal ensemble* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound; signal processors design to simulate the effect* Refrain or chorus of a song, pre-chorus may refer to bridge...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. Presently he is the artistic director of the Orchestra della Magna Grecia in Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Life and career
Luis Enríquez Bacalov was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina on 30 March 1933. Early on in his career, he composed scores for Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
films, including Django
Django (film)
Django is a 1966 Italian spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Franco Nero in the eponymous role. The film earned a reputation as being one of the most violent films ever made up to that point and was subsequently refused a certificate in Britain until 1993, when it was...
, Storm Rider
Storm Rider
Storm Rider , aka The Grand Duel is an Italian/German French Monacan international co-production Spaghetti Western directed by Giancarlo Santi, who had previously worked as Sergio Leone's assistant director on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West...
, also known as Il Grande Duello, and The Price of Power
The Price of Power
The Price of Power is an Spanish-Italian Spaghetti Western directed by Tonino Valerii.-Political references:The film has many political overtures, most notably drawing similarities between the assassinations of two American presidents James Garfield and John F. Kennedy...
.
Bacalov has been nominated twice for Academy Award for Original Score—music adaptation or treatment— in 1967 for The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (film)
The Gospel According to St. Matthew is a 1964 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. It is a retelling of the story of Jesus Christ, from the Nativity through the Resurrection....
, and winning the award
Academy Award for Original Music Score
The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
for Il Postino
Il Postino
Il Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford. The film was originally released in the U.S. as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title...
in 1996.
In the early 1970s, he collaborated with Italian progressive rock
Italian progressive rock
The Italian progressive rock scene was born in the early 70s, mostly inspired by the progressive movement in Britain, but with certain features of its own that makes some sources mention it as a separate musical genre....
bands such as New Trolls
New Trolls
New Trolls are an Italian progressive rock band, known for their fusion of rock and classical music. Their history is filled with line-up changes, band name changes and struggles between band members.-History:...
, on their 1971 album, Concerto grosso per i New Trolls, Osanna
Osanna
Osanna are an Italian psychedelic rock/progressive rock band.The group originated in the Vomero neighborhood of Naples with the union of Lino Vairetti , Danilo Rustici , Massimo Guarino , Lello Brandi , from the first line-up of the band Città Frontale, and Elio D'Anna , former member of the Showmen...
, on the band's second album, Preludio Tema Variazioni e Canzona releaased in 1972, and Il Rovescio della Medaglia
Il Rovescio della Medaglia
Il Rovescio della Medaglia, or RDM, were an Italian hard rock and symphonic rock band. They are most famous for their symphonic rock masterpiece Contaminazione, released in 1973. It contained four pieces from Bach's Well-tempered Clavier seamlessly integrated with RDM's own music, which often was...
for the 1973 release of their third album, Contaminazione.
In recent years, Bacalov has also composed significant works for chorus
Chorus
-Musical:* Choir, a vocal ensemble* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound; signal processors design to simulate the effect* Refrain or chorus of a song, pre-chorus may refer to bridge...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, including his Misa Tango, a work setting a Spanish-language adaptation of the classic liturgical Mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
to the tango
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
rhythms of his native Argentina. The standard Mass text has been significantly truncated in accordance with Bacalov's desire that the work appeal to those of all Abrahamic faiths
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
: Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
s, Muslims
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and Jews
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. All references to Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
— except for the Lamb of God
Lamb of God
The title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
— have been deleted. Credo
Credo
A credo |Latin]] for "I Believe") is a statement of belief, commonly used for religious belief, such as the Apostles' Creed. The term especially refers to the use of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the Mass, either as text, Gregorian chant, or other musical settings of the...
, the third and longest text part of a sung Mass, has been reduced to its first strophe and part of the second one: "" (" I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth") plus "Amen
Amen
The word amen is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Its use in Judaism dates back to its earliest texts. It has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word for prayers and hymns. In Islam, it is the standard ending to Dua and the...
" at the end. Misa Tango debuted in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
as solo tenor in 2000 and was later recorded by Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
with Plácido Domingo (tenor), Ana María Martínez
Ana María Martínez
Ana María Martínez is a Grammy award–winning operatic soprano from Puerto Rico. "The most beautiful voice of Latin America", [Martínez] "requires ranking among the top lyric sopranos of the day...[with] immaculate musicality underpinning every utterance." -Early life:Ana María Martínez was born...
(mezzo-soprano) and Héctor Ulises Passarella (bandoneón).
Bacalov recently composed Cantones de Nuestro Tiempos (Psalms for our Times: The Cambridge Psalms), a commissioned work with text from the Psalms of David for baritone and soprano soloists, orchestra and chorus, which had its world premiere at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in spring 2006 by the Cambridge Community Chorus (William E. Thomas, Music Director). Two of his songs, "The Grand Duel (Parte Prima)
Storm Rider
Storm Rider , aka The Grand Duel is an Italian/German French Monacan international co-production Spaghetti Western directed by Giancarlo Santi, who had previously worked as Sergio Leone's assistant director on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West...
" and "Summertime Killer", were used in Quentin Tarantino's
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
film Kill Bill
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
.
Bacalov was the first to write a triple-concerto for bandoneón
Bandoneón
The bandoneón is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It plays an essential role in the orquesta típica, the tango orchestra...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, soprano and symphony orchestra: Tango Music with Symphonic Proportions.
Presently he is the artistic director of Orchestra della Magna Grecia in Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Studio albums
- 1968 We Still Kill the Old Way (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (LPLP recordThe LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
; United ArtistsUnited Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
) - 1971 Pitturamusica (LP; GeneralmusicGeneralmusicGeneralmusic is an Italian musical instrument manufacturing company focusing on digital and acoustic pianos, synthesizers and arranger workstations...
) - 1972 Paesaggi (LP; Generalmusic)
- 1975 Desbandes by Gato BarbieriGato BarbieriLeandro Barbieri , better known as Gato Barbieri , is an Argentinean jazz tenor saxophonist and composer who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and from his latin jazz recordings in the 1970s.-Biography:Born to a family of musicians, Barbieri began playing music...
and Luis Bacalov (LP; Vista) - 1979 Sincretic 1 by Luis Bacalov and Giovanni Tommaso
- 1980 La cité des femmes (LP; Général Music France)
- 1984 Le Juge (LP; Général Music France)
- 1985 Django (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Intermezzo, Generalmusic)
- 1986 Quién Sabe? (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Intermezzo, Generalmusic)
- 1992 Il Prezzo del potere (Original Soundtrack) (ompact Disc|CD; CAM)
- 1993 Luis Bacalov Plays Nino Rota (CD; CAM)
- 1994 The Postman (Il Postino) (CD; Miramax Records)
- 1994 Anni Ribelli (Original Soundtrack) (CD; CAM)
- 1995 A ciascuno il suo / Una questione d'onore (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RE; Point Records
- 1995 La più grande rapina del west / L'oro dei bravados (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RE, Ltd.; GDM Music)
- 1995 Il grande duello / Si può fare... amigo (Original Soundtracks) (CD; Point Records)
- 1995 Ricatto alla Mala / La polizia è al servizio del cittadino? (Original Soundtracks) (CD; Point Records)
- 1996 Il Vangelo secondo Matteo (Original Soundtrack) (CD, RE, RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
) - 1997 Concerto Premio Rota 1996 (CD, RM; CAM)
- 1997 La tregua ("The Truce") (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD; CAM)
- 1999 Milonga (Original Soundtrack) (CD; RCA)
- 2000 Lo chiamavano King... / Monta in sella!! Figlio di... / Partirono preti, tornarono... curati (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RM, Ltd.; Screen Trax)
- 2003 Sugar Colt (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD; GDM Music)
- 2007 Per amore by Ennio MorriconeEnnio MorriconeEnnio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
and Luis Bacalov (Colonna Sonora Originale) (CD, RE, RM; GDM Music) - 2007 I quattro del Pater Noster (Original Soundtrack) (CD, R; Verita Note
- 2008 A qualsiasi prezzo (CD; Verita Note)
- 2010 Coup de foudre (CD, Ltd.; Quartet Records))
- 2010 Lo Scatenato / La Pecora / Nera (CD; Verita Note)
- 2010 Summertime Killer (The Complete Original Soundtrack In Full Stereo) (CD, RE, RM, Ltd.; Quartet)
Extended plays
- 1965 Una questione d'onore (Dischi Ricordi SRL 10-412)
- 1973 The Summertime Killer (Seven Seas Music FM-1044S)
- 2002 In Lounge (Giaguaro Records GRC 005)
Singles
- "Django" (Franco Migliacci, Robert Mellin, Luis Bacalov) (1966 Django Dischi Parade PRC 5001 – Seven Seas Music HIT-1376; 1967 7", as "Django" / "Django-Thema", Vogue Schallplatten DV 14626)
- "Sugar Colt" (1966 Dischi Parade PRC 5007; 1967 7" Zafiro)
- "A ciascuno il suo" (1967 7" Dischi Parade PRC 5029)
- "Lo scatenato" / "Se chiudi gli occhi" (from Lo scatenato) (1967 7" Dischi Parade PRC 5047)
- "Run and Run Like a Play" / "Country Lovers" (from The Summertime Killers) (1972 7" Delta Italiana ZD 50221)
- "Fandango" (from L'uomo che sfidò l'organizzazione) (1975 7" CBSCBS RecordsCBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
3668) - "Il lungo viaggio" / "Memorie" (from Il lungo viaggio) (1975 7" RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
TBBO 1179) - "Che ce voj fà / Carrefour (from Colpita da improvviso benessere) (1976 7" RCA TBBO 1187)
- "Che fare?" (1979 7" GeneralmusicGeneralmusicGeneralmusic is an Italian musical instrument manufacturing company focusing on digital and acoustic pianos, synthesizers and arranger workstations...
GMN 5005) - "A Suitcase Full of Memories" / "Mélodie pour un réve" (from Le jeune marié) (1983 7" Général Music France 801.045)
- "In Lounge" (2002 7" Giaguaro Records)
Bootleg and unauthorized
- 2003 Appears on: Kill Bill Vol. 1 Unreleased Tracks [Various Artists]
- 2009 Appears on: Bicycle, Bicycle, Bicycle, I Want to Ride My Bicycle Mixtape!!! [Various Artists]
External links
- Two excerpts of Bacalov's Misa Tango sung by the Ensemble vocal de Villars-sur-Glâne, a Swiss choir