The climax of a unique musical journey which began two years prior with A Fistful of Dollars, this soundtrack features as its main theme the flute riff (which personifies Clint Eastwood, aka “The Good”) which has gone down in the annals of history of film music. In order to direct him in the concept for this score, Sergio Leone explained to Ennio Morricone that the three title characters were in fact one (joined by their mutual thirst for gold). Thus, the composer decided to use the same musical motif for each of the three characters - limited to two notes - and using a different tone for each of them. A recorder for The Good, an ocarina for The Ugly (Lee Van Cleef), and human voices imitating the cry of a coyote for The Bad (Eli Wallach). Simple but terribly effective. A bridge was added to the heart of this memorable theme consisting of a dialogue between two trumpet players in a cavalry style. This soundtrack is also famous for the theme named The Ecstasy of Gold, which accompanies Tuco’s frantic search among the graves for the one which conceals the treasure. After the piano and English horn introduction, Morricone creates a crescendo making use of all sections and, above all, the voice of Edda Dell’Orso. It finishes with a musical grand finale which evokes Tuco’s ecstasy upon having found the grave in question. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz