This interview was shared by John to the
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to post it here. Thanks John!
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An
Interview with Nora Orlandi
 by John Mansell
(c) 2007
Where and when were you born ?
I was born in Voghera (Lombardia),
Italy on the 28th of June 1933.
What musical education to you have ?
I studied at the academy of music in
Voghera (Conservatorio).
Did you come from a musical family background ?
My mother, Fanny Miriam Campos, was a
great lyric singer.
My father and my brother were merely passionate for music, while
my sister is a singer too. She worked with me as soloist and
vocalist in both my two groups: the 2+2 and the 4+4.
As for my present family, my husband is my most precious
collaborator: he helps me in everything.. . last September we
celebrated 50 years of marriage! I have 2 sons and at least 5
nephews, aged from 7 up to 22.
Coro 4 +4
You
began primarily as a singer in a group with Alessandroni, when
did you decide to form your own singing group ?
To tell the truth the group was mine…
and I gave to Alessandroni the possibility to join! He was one
of my first vocalists. Subsequently I had the pleasure to work
with Massimo Cini, one of my vocalists for 30 years, and also
there is Enzo Gioieni, who I have worked and performed with
since almost the start of my career.
Available soon on CD from Fin de siecle Media
You
have worked with many composer on film scores, who would you say
was the most enjoyable to work with ?
Every composer or performer I have
worked with I have enjoyed collaborating with, my collaborations
have always been undertaken with enthusiasm and positivity,
independently from the composer or the film. Passion is
something you have inside and I merely offered it to everyone
that called me to work.
What was your first film score, and how did you progress from a
performer to a composer ?
In 1953–54, at the age of 20, I
composed my first film score: “Non Vogliamo Morire”.
I really don’t remember the day I became a singer professionally:
it is too far away!
 Do
you conduct all of your own music, or do you sometimes have a
conductor ?
No, on the contrary: my scores have
always been directed by someone else more famous than me... for
example Paolo Ormi and Robbie Poitevin.
Besides I was busy with many other projects, and did not have
enough time available to conduct my own music.
Do you think enough of your music from film has been released
onto LP or CD?
I haven’t never paid much attention to
that matter. Soundtracks are only the 30% of my work, the rest
was compounded by various performances, TV and radio-phonic
shows, advertising spots... Moreover I took part in about 15 San
Remo music Festival’s.
How do you work out your musical ideas, do you utilize a piano
or do you work with a synthesizer ?
I utilize neither a piano nor a
synthesizer. I compose without any instrument and only at the
end I check what I wrote (generally with a piano): only Mozart
could write without checking!
How many times do you normally watch a movie before you start to
get any fixed ideas about where the music will be placed and
what style of music you will employ ?
Most of the times you must ask
expressly to watch the film. Often it is sufficient to watch
some parts of it, only one time, to understand the more suitable
musical style. The music must be a “sound photography”, parallel
to the images, it depends really on each individual project.
How long did you normally get to work on a film score, maybe you
could use THE SWEET BODY OF DEBORAH as an example.?
It depends from the kind of the job… I
don’t exactly remember how much time I got to work on a singular
film score. Perhaps it is too difficult to quantify it because I
could not devote so much time to a sole work. As I have already
said, soundtracks are not my priority, even though they are a
way of artistic expression that I have a particular passion for
myself .
Do you prefer to work on a particular type or genre of movie, or
are you happy working on all types of subject matter?
I am happy working on any type of film,
because it is always a very interesting artistic experience. As
spectator I love very much thrillers... but unfortunately I
haven’t had the opportunity to do many of these.
Have you ever had a score rejected, or have had to do a rush job
on a film after another score had been discarded ?
Thankfully, this has never happened, I
am very fortunate.
What
do you think of the film music of today?
In my opinion the film music of today
is generally good… however, if it is music from yesterday or of
today it is always film music: a “light” entertainment! This
kind of music isn’t a committed artwork, but a “light” artwork
with a specific beauty.
 Would
you say that you were influenced by any composers in particular,
classical or film music composers ?
No, not really. For me to write music
that is influences by another composer would be very much like
plagiarism, of course it is possible for this to be done
unconsciously.
When a soundtrack recording is released on record or compact
disc do you have any input into what music will go onto that
release?
When one of my soundtracks is released
on record or CD, certainly I am very glad, but I’m not
interested to intervene in the track’s selection. Once I
finished my work of music composition I spend my time with other
projects. I’m very busy!
Do you orchestrate all of your scores yourself ?
No, I don’t. It depends by the
situation, the needs…and, most of all, by the time I can spend
in it, so sometimes I work on them myself other times not.
Are you working on anything at the moment ?
Personally I’m busying myself with some
very interesting teaching projects... But I always take into
consideration what people offer to me.
Many thanks to Nora Orlandi.
Also many thanks to Valentina of the press office at BEAT
And Daniele De Gemini, who’s help with this project has been
invaluable.
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