While one has to be grateful (and even enthusiastic) for the Italian re-recording of a few years back (coupled with a new complete recording of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE), there are caveats. The sound lacked warmth (and it frankly sounded a lot of the time as if it was recorded inside a telephone booth) and I understand Maestro Morricone was not asked to contribute. It seems that the orchestrations were reconstructed by ear (e.g. a chase scene from early in the movie is missing the "strangled" trumpet effect). Even though idiomatically the new recording largely met the performance standards of the era, I would still welcome the premiere release of the original tracks. While this would seem to be a project for a European label, the movie was released by Paramount in the English-speaking world, and there may be suitable elements in the Paramount music vaults. (After all, U.S. labels have released GUNS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, THE 5-MAN ARMY and TREASURE OF THE FOUR CROWNS, all movies which emanated from Europe.) Yes, I know of the Italian "bootleg" CDs!
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