Written by Javier Romero, CNNAmy Woodyatt, CNNRome
Ennio Morricone, Oscar-winning film composer, has died at the age of 91, his lawyer told CNN on Monday.
He died at dawn in a Rome hospital after falling and breaking his leg, said his lawyer, Giorgio Assumma.
Morricone is internationally renowned as the composer behind melodies that can be recognized directly from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.”
The Italian composer is famous for his tension-filled Western spaghetti scores, and won it
Academy Award for its soundtrack for Quentin Tarantino “The Hateful Eight” in 2016, after five previous nominations and the 2007 Honorary Award that recognized his lifetime achievement.
This Rome-born composer scored more than 500 films, and was a winner and nominee for various BAFTA and Golden Globes awards, and was a recipient of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Although arguably famous for creating music for Westerners, the composer also developed soundtracks for cinematic classic films including “The Mission” and “Cinema Paradiso.”
Composer Ennio Morricone posed with Oscar for Best Original Score, for “The Hateful Eight.” Credit: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
Morricone requested a private burial, Assumma said.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte paid homage to the composer on Monday, writing on Twitter: “We will always remember, with unlimited gratitude, the artistic genius of Maestro #EnnioMorricone Maestro.”
“It makes us dream, move, reflect, write impressive notes that will remain unforgettable in the history of music and film,” he added.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed his condolences to the family of “honorable” artists.
“Both a good and popular musician, he has left a deep mark in the history of music in the second part of the 20th century,” he said. “Through his soundtrack, he has contributed greatly in spreading and strengthening Italian prestige throughout the world.”
