The name of Francesco De Masi has appeared on many film credits.  Although this gifted Italian composer has scored some two-hundred-plus movies he has not really received the recognition that he deserves.

He has placed his own unmistakable stamp on each individual project.  De Masi’s music may not be as grandiose and operatic in its construction and overall sound as the works of Ennio Morricone, but his scores have the ability to enhance, support, and perfectly complement the action on screen without being overpowering or intrusive.

Born in 1930, Francedo De Masi studied composition at San Pietro a Maiella in Naples, and it was while he was studying that he first became involved with music for film.  “While I was studying in Naples, I became very attracted to film music.  My teacher Achille Lango, who was also my uncle, had been asked to compose some music for a film, and he asked me to accompany him to Rome to act as his assistant.  It was while working with him on this sound track that I decided that I really wanted to make a career for myself in movie music composition.  So I left Naples and moved to Rome.  In 1951 I scored my first film, a documentary entitled ‘Fiat Pans’.”

Between 1951 and 1958 De Masi scored numerous documentary-type films.  “I remember a particular series of documentaries by director Folco Quilici, which were about Polynesia.  He asked me to score a movie called ‘Dagli appennini alle ande’.  I actually went on location with the crew to Argentina.  I stayed there for about 8 months where I collected documentation, etc. on local music.  This was very useful to me when I began to compose the music for the movie.”

ARIZONA COLT

During the ’60s and early ’70s, many westerns were produced in Italy, and it is probably during this time period that most collectors of film music began to notice the work of the Italian composers Ennio Morricone, Bruno Nicolai, Carlo Rustichelli, Nico Fidenco, Gianni Ferrio, and Francesco De Masi.  They were all composers that became very busy in a genre that was to be dubbed later ‘the spaghetti western’.  Many composers involved in this genre often worked together; they played in each other’s orchestras or used the same soloists, and so on.  Franceso De Masi worked with fellow composer Alessandro Alessandroni on many occasions and co-wrote with Allessandroni his now-famous “Arizona Colt” theme.  “I began my collaboration with Alessandro Alessandroni in 1965.  I proposed him to work with me on the theme for ‘Arizona Colt’.  This was the beginning of a long friendship.  Working with a musician like Alessandroni is always very interesting and most certainly stimulating.”

Most Italian westerns were quite low-budget movies, so how much time was he given to score one of these westerns?  “Let’s just say the ideal time to score a film is always twice as much as what you are given, and this is for all genres, not just the westerns.  I think it took me about three weeks to do the score for ‘Arizona Colt’.”

Recently there has been a trend towards releasing older Italian scores onto the compact disc format.  De Masi is represented on two recent albums: “Arizona Colt” and a compilation which includes cues from three westerns.  I asked the composer if he felt that enough of his music was available on record.  “There have been many records released, but having composed some 211 film scores and hundreds of soundtracks for documentaries, I think that there are still some that maybe would be of interest to collectors.  I refer to some of the scores I realized with excellent jazz soloists and also some works that I composed for TV.”

There are many scores by De Masi that contain theme songs.  Was this something that was his idea or was he asked to include a song by particular producers or directors?  “I can say that I definitely contributed to the trend of having a song as main titles of westerns that I scored.  I can’t remember any director actually requesting me to include a song.  I always thought that the main theme would be easier to recognize and remembered if presented as a song.”

Francesco De Masi has been involved with music for the cinema for over 40 years, and he has worked on many types of movies.  Was there any particular type of film that he felt happier in than others?  “Let’s say that I am allergic to stupid and vulgar films.  I don’t really have preferences for any film genre; on the contrary, I think it’s very interesting to find each time the best solutions to any requirement arising from the different genres of film.”

The scores of Franceso De Masi have a particular sound, which is instantly recognizable to any collectors who are familiar with Italian film music.  Did the composer orchestrate his own work?  “I normally do take care of the orchestration of my scores.  I’m used to writing in a very big way, almost as a complete score, at first in a rough version.  Sometimes due to lack of time I may use an orchestrator, but he has to only do a final draft of all my indications on the rough version.”

THE NEW GENERATION

During the 40 years that De Masi has worked within the film industry, many composers have come out of Italy.  What was the composer’s opinion of the new generation of Italian film composers?  “Excluding very few cases of well-prepared young composers, the line-up of new composers that are working in the cinema is a little distressing.  Most of them lack a good technical knowledge, and they lack knowledge of the basic techniques of actually scoring a film.  These people are just improvising the job; they have little experience and lack any imagination and courage.  They are reluctant to experiment or try something new.”

Besides his music for movies, Francesco De Masi is very interested in the classics.  He teaches at the Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory in Rome, and is also the permanent conductor of the Santa Cecilia Symphony Orchestra.  “I have just returned from a tour in the United States and Canada, where I acted as director for symphonic music and opera.  Furthermore, I compose symphonic and chamber music, which has been released on CD by Edi-Pan Records [the late Bruno Nicolai’s record company] and Pentaflowers.”

Does he still work in the cinema?  “I still work for cinema, but only if the film is good.  Also, the conditions have to be right to produce a good score; by this I mean that I am not interested in working with inadequate means, such as keyboards, synthesizers, computers, and so on, unless they are part of a real orchestra.”

As a composer of film music and as a director of an orchestra performing classical music and opera, De Masi has come into contact with works of many composers over the years.  Have there been any that have influenced him at all?  “There are certainly been many composers who influenced me and the way that I compose.  From Palestrina to Stockhausen, everyone has stimulated me.  I was always very interested in the harmonic world of Ravel, in the counterpoint style of Hindemith, but also in the theme construction of Shostakovich.  These would be my influences for my symphonic-style music.  My jazz style, I would have to say, was influenced by Stan Kenton and later by all his followers of the California school.  I must admit, however, that my encounter with the great composer Angelo Franceso Lavagnino was crucial for the technical aspects of scoring a film.  I studied with him at the Accademia Chigiana of Siena and was his assistant for some years.  I learnt all the necessary elements of this job, from the initial setting to the development, all with absolute accuracy, which is the only way in my opinion to obtain good results.”

WORKING WITH SYNTHESIZERS

In recent years, film composers have turned to synthesizers, computers, and so on to write scores.  I asked Mr. De Masi how he composed his music: at a piano, or did he use a synthesizer?  “Normally, I work sitting at the piano, but only because it’s higher than my desk and therefore more comfortable for writing.  I use the piano on very rare occasions.  I prefer to imagine the music without any sound suggestions.  I am of the opinion that the music must be found from within ourselves, and not produced by artificial means and absolutely not by means of synthesizers.”  Many Italian composers have at times used pseudonyms; had he ever turned down a film or composed under another name?  “In unpleasant situations I always refused to be compromised; for example, the films typical of the 1970s based on strip-tease shows and various vulgar situations.  I turned them down.  Unfortunately, due to publishing agreements I could not prevent some films being scored with my pre-existing music.  In such cases I scored the film under the name of Frank Mason.”

He has just returned from a tour in the USA and Canada, where he acted as musical director for the orchestra, performing classical pieces.  Would this be something that he would like to do with his own film music?  “Up until now I have never performed entire concerts of my own film music, but I do occasionally insert some of my pieces into the program of the symphonic concerts that I am directing.  I do know that other composers or orchestral directors in Italy and abroad sometimes include some of my material in their programs.”

In Italian cinema music is a vitally important part of the movie; often scores are composed in advance of any footage being shot, as in the Morricone/Leone collaboration.  I asked Francesco De Masi when did he prefer to become involved on a film, and how did he begin the scoring process – main title through end title in chronological order?  “I think it is desirable for the composer to be involved as early as possible on a film.  I would say right back to the writing of the screenplay; being involved before the screenplay gives the composer an insight and an idea of where music should be placed to give a greater contribution to the film.  This actually happens very rarely; most of the films that I have scored, I have begun work on during the principal photography stage, or even when the film is already finished.  When I see the film for the first time it’s quite an emotional experience.  It’s at this stage that I receive most of the suggestions and indications that will later allow me to realize the complete score.  As to what order I may score a movie in, I try to compose the main theme first, together with the complementary themes, like particular themes for certain characters.  After this basic groundwork is completed,  I prefer to proceed in chronological order so that the score follows the development of the film.”

De Masi has conducted film scores for other composers; for example, he conducted the score “Making the Grade” by Basil Poledouris.  “The collaboration with Poledouris on ‘Making the Grade’ came from the fact that Basil was in Rome recording the score, but for some reason he was unable to conduct himself.  So the contractor – a good friend of mine called Donato Salone – asked me to conduct.  I have very nice recollections of Basil Poledouris; I consider him an excellent composer.”