The Good the Bad and the Ugly (1966) | Suite of Main Theme, Ecstasy of Gold and The Trio | Ennio Morricone

One of Ennio Morricones most popular scores, containing gunfire, whistling, and yodeling permeate the film. The main theme, resembling the howling of a coyote, is a two-note melody that is a frequent motif, and is used for the three main characters, with a different instrument used for each one: flute for Blondie (Man with No Name), Arghilofono (Ocarina) for Angel Eyes, and human voices for Tuco.

It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most original film scores in history. The film’s famous climax, a three-way Mexican standoff, begins with the melody of “The Ecstasy of Gold” and is followed by “The Triple Duel”. This epic showdown is considered by many film critics to be one of the most electrifying climaxes ever filmed,and the music is an integral component of the drama.

The main theme was a hit in 1968. The soundtrack album was on the charts for more than a year, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard pop album chart and No. 10 on the black album chart.

Director: Sergio Leone
Duration: ca. 11.30 (Main Theme 3.00 / Ecstasy of Gold 3.00 / The Trio 5.30)

Titles also availably separately.

Instrumentation: 2(2.a.picc),2(2.a.eh),2+1bcl,2 – 4,2,3,0 – timp,4perc – hp, pno/synth – strings // SATB (opt. at Ecstasy of Gold)  // Solo Sopran (opt. at Ecstasy of Gold)