Mario Nascimbene (28 November 1913 – 6 January 2002) was one of the best known Italian film

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

s of the 20th century. His career spanned six decades, during which time he earned several awards for the innovative contents of his composing style. During his career he composed soundtracks for more than 150 films.Mario Nascimbene discography
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Biography

Nascimbene studied composition and orchestral conducting at the "Giuseppe Verdi" Conservatory of Music in Milan under the guidance of Ildebrando Pizzetti, Following graduation he wrote several pieces for

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

and

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

. He was commissioned to write the soundtrack for the film ''"L'amore canta" (Love Song)'', directed in 1941 by Ferdinando Maria Poggioli, and the success of this film opened the doors of an entirely new career for him. He was one of the few composers in Italy whose career was based on his work in the cinema. He was particularly appreciated for the revolutionary innovation of incorporating the sounds of non-orchestral instruments like that of a

jaw harp The Jew's harp, also known as jaw harp, juice harp, or mouth harp, is a lamellophone instrument, consisting of a flexible metal or bamboo tongue or Reed (mouthpiece), reed attached to a frame. Despite the colloquial name, the Jew's harp most like ...

or a

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

, everyday noises (like the tick-tock of a clock, the ring of a bicycle bell or the ticking sound of typewriters in Rome 11:00) in a musical score, with the purpose to underline some particular film scenes. After World War II he developed an artistical partnership with such famous Italian film directors as

Giuseppe De Santis Giuseppe De Santis (11 February 1917 – 16 May 1997) was an Italian film director. One of the most idealistic neorealist filmmakers of the 1940s and 1950s, he wrote and directed films punctuated by ardent cries for social reform. He was ...

and

Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such a ...

. His work found acclaim in the United States, where he was invited to Hollywood to compose the scores for famous films, including '' The Barefoot Contessa'' directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz in 1954, ''

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

'' directed by

Robert Rossen Robert Rossen (March 16, 1908 – February 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter, film director, and producer whose film career spanned almost three decades. His 1949 film '' All the King's Men'' won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor and B ...

in 1956, '' The Vikings'' directed by

Richard Fleischer Richard Owen Fleischer (; December 8, 1916 – March 25, 2006) was an American film director. His career spanned more than four decades, beginning at the height of the Golden Age of Hollywood and lasting through the American New Wave. He was the ...

in 1958, and '' Solomon and Sheba'' directed by

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor ( ; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

in 1959. These scores were conducted by Franco Ferrara, the great conductor and lecturer on conducting at many academies of music around the world.

Awards

During his career, Mario Nascimbene won three Nastro d'Argento for Best Score awards in

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

for Rome 11:00, in

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

for Violent Summer, and

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

for Pronto... c'è una certa Giuliana per te. He was also nominated for a David di Donatello Award in 1990 for his work on Blue dolphin - l'avventura continua. Although he did not win the prize that year, Nascimbene was awarded a "Career David" from the David di Donatello Awards in

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

honouring his lifetime achievements in film music.

Selected film scores

* '' Redemption'' (1943) * '' Captain Demonio'' (1950) * '' Operation Mitra'' (1951) * '' It's Love That's Ruining Me'' (1951) * '' Vacation with a Gangster'' (1951) *'' Rome 11:00'' (1952) * '' The Adventures of Mandrin'' (1952) * '' The Dream of Zorro'' (1952) * '' Too Young for Love'' (1953) *'' Love in the City'' (1953) *'' The Barefoot Contessa'' (1954) * '' Tragic Ballad'' (1954) *''

New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

'' (1955) *''

'' (1956) *''

A Farewell to Arms ''A Farewell to Arms'' is a novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, set during the Italian campaign of World War I. First published in 1929, it is a first-person account of an American, Frederic Henry, serving as a lieutenant () in the a ...

'' (1957) *''

The Quiet American ''The Quiet American'' is a 1955 novel by English author Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam ...

'' (1958) *'' The Vikings'' (1958) *'' Room at the Top'' (1959) *'' Subway in the Sky'' (1959) *'' Solomon and Sheba'' (1959) *'' Violent Summer'' (1959) *'' Scent of Mystery'' (1960) *''

Carthage in Flames ''Carthage in Flames'' () is a 1960 Italian historical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Pierre Brasseur, José Suárez, Daniel Gélin and Anne Heywood. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The film's sets were desi ...

'' (1960) *'' Sons and Lovers'' (1960) *''

Constantine and the Cross ''Constantine and the Cross'' (Italian: ''Costantino il grande'') is a 1961 list of historical drama films, historical drama film about the early career of the emperor Constantine I, Constantine, who first legalized and then adopted Christianit ...

'' (1961) *'' The Bacchantes'' (1961) *'' Romanoff and Juliet'' (1961) *''

Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...

'' (1961) *'' The Story of Joseph and His Brethren'' (1961) *'' The Happy Thieves'' (1961) *'' The Mongols'' (1961) *''

Barabbas According to the New Testament, Barabbas () was a Jewish bandit and rabble-rouser who was imprisoned by the Judaea (Roman province), Roman occupation in Jerusalem, only to be chosen over Jesus by a crowd to be pardoned by Roman governor Pontius ...

'' (1961) *'' Jessica'' (1962) * '' The Changing of the Guard'' (1962) *'' Light in the Piazza'' (1962) *'' Disorder'' (1962) *'' Charge of the Black Lancers'' (1962) * '' Axel Munthe, The Doctor of San Michele'' (1962) *'' The Golden Arrow'' (1962) *'' Swordsman of Siena'' (1962) *'' The Verona Trial'' (1963) *'' The Camp Followers'' (1965) * '' Where the Spies Are'' (1965) *''

One Million Years B.C. ''One Million Years B.C.'' is a 1966 British Adventure film, adventure fantasy film directed by Don Chaffey. The film was produced by Hammer Film Productions and Seven Arts Productions, Seven Arts, and is a remake of the 1940 American fantasy f ...

'' (1966) *'' Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die'' (1966) *'' Doctor Faustus'' (1967) * '' The Vengeance of She'' (1968) *''

Commandos A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opp ...

'' (1968) *'' The Mummy'' (1969) *'' Story of a Woman'' (1970) *''

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth ''When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth'' (titled ''When Dinosaurs Ruled the World'' in the U.K.) is a 1970 British fantasy film from Hammer Films, written and directed by Val Guest, and starring Victoria Vetri. It was produced by Aida Young. This w ...

'' (1970) *'' Creatures the World Forgot'' (1971) *'' Eneide'' (1971) *''

Indian Summer An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Several sources describe a true Indian summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or mor ...

'' (1972) *'' Anno uno'' (1974) *'' The Messiah (1975)

References

External links

*
Mario Nascimbene in ''Epdlp''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nascimbene, Mario 1913 births 2002 deaths Italian film score composers Italian male film score composers Milan Conservatory alumni David di Donatello Career Award winners Nastro d'Argento winners 20th-century Italian musicians 20th-century Italian male musicians