Press Release from Quartet:
Quartet Records, in collaboration with Errekappa Edizioni and the Riz Ortolani estate, celebrates the centenary of Maestro Riz Ortolani with a special 2-CD set that showcases three scores focused on Mafia and gangster movies that had long been eagerly awaited by his fans.
Among Riz Ortolani’s most remarkable contributions to the world of Italian crime cinema are his scores for THE VALACHI PAPERS (1972), BANDITI A MILANO (1968) and IO HO PAURA (1977). Although each soundtrack reflects a different facet of the poliziottesco and gangster genres, all three display Ortolani’s extraordinary ability to combine dramatic intensity with sophisticated musical writing.
For THE VALACHI PAPERS, directed by Terence Young and starring Charles Bronson and Lino Ventura, Ortolani crafted a powerful and elegant score that captures both the brutality and tragic dimension of organized crime, blending sweeping orchestral passages with darker, tension-filled material. In BANDITI A MILANO, directed by Carlo Lizzani and starring Tomas Milian and Gian Maria Volonté, his music mirrors the film’s raw realism and urban violence through dynamic rhythms and urgent orchestral textures, creating one of the defining musical statements of late-1960s Italian crime cinema. Finally, IO HO PAURA, directed by Damiano Damiani and staring Volonté and Mario Adorf, reveals a more mature and introspective approach, balancing suspense, melancholy and psychological depth in a score that perfectly complements Damiani’s politically charged thriller.
Together, these works confirm Riz Ortolani as one of the most versatile and distinctive voices in European film music, capable of elevating genre cinema through melody, atmosphere and dramatic sophistication.
This album has been produced by Claudio Fuiano from the original elements courtesy of the Ortolaniestate, restored and mastered by Chris Malone. The package includes an in-depth essay by film music specialist Miguel Ángel Ordóñez.
