MOSMA 2020 – Thursday 10/9 – And film music returned to Malaga with Morricone
As if it were a tasting menu from an important restaurant, MOSMA presented us last night with a 10-course musical menu, each one more varied and exquisite than the previous one.
Having the opportunity to listen again a live orchestra for the first time in many months, playing film music, and being this nothing more and nothing less than the music of Maestro Ennio Morricone, brought back wonderful feelings that we were beginning to forget.
As Joan Martorell said, who introduced the concert and was in charge of conducting the Orquesta Sinfónica de Málaga with tenacity and precision… ‘How can you reinterpret something that is already perfect in its original version?’ Well, you do it as it was done yesterday at the Teatro Cervantes in Malaga: with a lot of dedication, effort, and much love. And I am not only talking about the dedication of the musicians and composers, who joined forces to create a great evening, but of all the team that made it possible against all odds (aka coronavirus and other adverse elements of various kinds), making it possible for us to enjoy a great concert last night.
Without wanting to make a detailed article of the whole evening (that will come later, with more time), and to mention some of the pieces we heard, we could highlight the start of the concert reimagining ‘The Dollar Trilogy’ and the ‘Ecstasy of Gold’ by a very committed orchestra, offering the classic sounds of the Far West created by Morricone, seasoned with a touch of piano by Sergio de la Puente. ‘Malena’ took on a special warmth with the sweetness of a soprano saxophone, reimagined by Eneko Vadillo. ‘Sahara’ by Joan Martorell began with a very melodic tuba accompanied by the orchestra, and ended with a soprano who brought the song to a climax with her voice. The three movements of Carles Cases for ‘Cinema Paradiso’, ‘Novecento’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, were very faithful to their original version and the longest ones of the concert, lasting almost half an hour. Isabel Royan‘s delicious and sublime reimagining of ‘The Mission’ began with a playful flute, which gave way to the main theme replacing the role of the oboe, to transport us once again to musical heights that only maestros like Morricone can reach. ‘Le professionnel’ by the Ferrando brothers allowed us to intuit the main theme, but impregnated with the best ‘Bond’ touch we can imagine; with orchestra, drums and a soprano who tested the full power of her voice. And to finish, a very choral ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’, where electric guitars, harmonica, and all the ‘orchestral artillery’, closed the evening leaving the public wanting more.
Perhaps the only problem that can be told about the concert was the saturation of sounds in some cases, or the problem of balance in others, where some soloist instruments or the voices did not stand out as they should and remained under the radar. However, this did not diminish the quality or interest of the concert. As far as we know, the entire concert has been recorded with the intention of publishing it soon.
We are sure that, if Maestro Ennio Morricone could listen to the reimaginations that were presented to us last night, would have been very pleased -and we all know of his reputation for being quite demanding-. We, at least, could not ask or expect a better start for MOSMA 2020.
Article and pictures by Gorka Oteiza
