Luis Enríquez Bacalov (30 August 1933 – 15 November 2017) was an

Argentine Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...

(naturalized

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

) film composer and musical director. He learned music from Enrique Barenboim, father of

Daniel Barenboim Daniel Moses Barenboim (; born 15 November 1942) is an Argentines, Argentine-Israeli classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin, who also has Spain, Spanish and State of Palestine, Palestinian citizenship. From 1992 until January 2023, Bare ...

- conductor of the Berlin and Chicago orchestras, and from Berta Sujovolsky. He ventured into music for the cinema, and composed now-classic scores for many

Spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

films. In the early 1970s he also collaborated with

Italian progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed "progressive pop", the ...

bands. Bacalov was nominated twice for the

Academy Award for Best Original Score The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by ...

, winning it in 1996 for ''

Il Postino ''Il Postino: The Postman'' (, ; the title used for the original US release) is a 1994 comedy-drama film co-written by and starring Massimo Troisi and directed by English filmmaker Michael Radford. Based on the 1985 novel '' Ardiente pacienci ...

''. Bacalov also composed significant works for

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

and

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

. Before his death, he was the

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogu ...

of the Orchestra della Magna Grecia in

Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Biography

Luis Bacalov was born in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

to a family of Bulgarian Jewish origin. He identified as a

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

but did not practice

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

.Italian television, TG2 Mizar, 08.09.2014,
La musica, il cinema e materia: Il vangelo secondo PPP vis(su)to da Luis E. Bacalov
'' (The Gospels according to

Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...

seen and lived by Luis E. Bacalov), at 00:10:35. See also Giuseppina Manin,
Bacalov in concerto, il tango diventa una messa
' in

Corriere della sera (; ) is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan with an average circulation of 246,278 copies in May 2023. First published on 5 March 1876, is one of Italy's oldest newspapers and is Italy's most read newspaper. Its masthead has remain ...

, 1 October 2000, p. 35. His paternal grandparents were

Banat Bulgarians The Banat Bulgarians ( Banat Bulgarian: ''Palćene'' or ''Banátsći balgare''; common ; ; ), also known as Bulgarian Roman Catholics, Bulgarian Latin Catholics and Bulgarians Paulicians or simply as Paulicians, are a distinct Bulgarian minorit ...

who emigrated to Argentina. His film credits include westerns such as '' Django'', '' A Bullet for the General'', and '' The Grand Duel'', and Italian crime films such as '' Caliber 9'', '' Il Boss'' and '' Mister Scarface''. He also scored

Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and ...

's ''

City of Women ''City of Women'' () is a 1980 fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, who co-wrote it with Bernardino Zapponi and Brunello Rondi. Amid Fellini's characteristic combination of dreamlike, outrageous, and artistic imagery, Marcel ...

'' in 1980. Bacalov was nominated twice for Academy Award for Original Score—music adaptation or treatment— in 1967 for

Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...

's '' The Gospel According to St. Matthew'', and won the

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

for ''

'' in 1996. In the early 1970s, he collaborated with

bands such as New Trolls, on their 1971 album, ''Concerto grosso per i New Trolls'', Osanna, on the band's second album, ''Preludio Tema Variazioni e Canzona'' released in 1972, and Il Rovescio della Medaglia for the 1973 release of their third album, '' Contaminazione''. Bacalov composed significant works for

and

, including ''Misa Tango'' (1997), a work that set a Spanish-language adaptation of the classic liturgical

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

to the

tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Arge ...

rhythms of his native Argentina. The standard Mass text was significantly truncated in accordance with Bacalov's desire that the work appeal to all

Abrahamic faiths The term Abrahamic religions is used to group together monotheistic religions revering the Biblical figure Abraham, namely Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The religions share doctrinal, historical, and geographic overlap that contrasts them wit ...

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

and

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

. All references to

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

— except for the

Lamb of God Lamb of God (; , ) is a Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/John#1:29, John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, " ...

() — have been deleted.

Credo In Christian liturgy, the credo (; Latin for "I believe") is the portion of the Mass where a creed is recited or sung. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Apostles' Creed are the primary creeds used for this purpose. History After the ...

, the third and longest text part of a sung Mass, has been reduced to most of its first strophe and part of the second one: "" ("'' I believe in one God, ... Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth''") plus "

Amen Amen (, ; , ; , ; , ) is an Abrahamic declaration of affirmation which is first found in the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently found in the New Testament. It is used in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic practices as a concluding word, or as a respons ...

" at the end. ''Misa Tango'' debuted in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

with

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...

as solo tenor in 2000 and was later recorded by

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

with Plácido Domingo (tenor), Ana María Martínez (

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

) and Héctor Ulises Passarella (''bandoneón''). Its first US performance was on 19 May 2002 at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre (William E. Thomas, Music Director). Bacalov composed ''Cantones de Nuestro Tiempos'' (''Psalms for our Times: The Cambridge Psalms'') (2006), a commissioned work with text from the Psalms of David for baritone and soprano soloists, orchestra and chorus. It had its world premiere in spring 2006, also at Sanders Theatre, performed by th
Cambridge Community Chorus
(William E. Thomas, Music Director). Two of his songs, " The Grand Duel (Parte Prima)" and " The Summertime Killer", were used in

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...

's film ''

Kill Bill ''Kill Bill: Volume 1'' is a 2003 American martial arts action film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Uma Thurman as the Bride, who swears revenge on a group of assassins ( Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox and Michael ...

'' (2003). Tarantino also used three Bacalov songs from the Spaghetti western era in his 2012 movie ''

Django Unchained ''Django Unchained'' ( ) is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Tarantino's A Band Apart and Columbia Pictures, it stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry W ...

'': "Django" and "La Corsa (2nd Version)" originally from '' Django'' (1966), and "Lo Chiamavano King" from '' His Name Was King''. Bacalov was the first to write a triple-concerto for bandoneón,

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

and

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

: ''Tango Music with Symphonic Proportions''. From 2005 to his death, he was the principal director of Orchestra della Magna Grecia in

, southern

. He was considered a brilliant pianist throughout his life. He died in

from an ischemic stroke on 15 November 2017 at the age of 84.

Selected filmography

*'' The Empty Canvas'' (1963) *'' The Gospel According to St. Matthew'' (1964) *'' Questa volta parliamo di uomini'' (1965) *'' OSS 77 – Operazione fior di loto'' (1965) *'' Kiss the Other Sheik'' (1965) *'' Django'' (1966) *'' La strega in amore'' (1966) *'' Sugar Colt'' (1966) *'' A Bullet for the General'' (1966) *'' A Rose for Everyone'' (1967) *'' Catch as Catch Can'' (1967) *''

We Still Kill the Old Way We Still Kill the Old Way may refer to: * We Still Kill the Old Way (1967 film), an Italian crime film * We Still Kill the Old Way (2014 film), a British crime drama film * "We Still Kill the Old Way, a song by Lostprophets from '' Start Somethin ...

'' (1967) *'' Ghosts – Italian Style'' (1967) *'' The Protagonists'' (1968) *'' The Vatican Affair'' (1968) *'' The Black Sheep'' (1968) *'' Appointment in Beirut'' (1968) *''

In the Name of the Father ''In the Name of the Father'' is a 1993 biographical crime drama film co-written and directed by Jim Sheridan. It is based on the true story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings that killed fo ...

'' (1969) *'' The Price of Power'' (1969) *''

L'amica ''L'amica'' is a 1969 Italy, Italian film. It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti. Plot Cast *Lisa Gastoni: Lisa Marchesi *Gabriele Ferzetti: Mario Marchesi *Elsa Martinelli: Carla Nervi *Jean Sorel: Franco Raimondi *Frank Wolff (actor), Frank Wolff: ...

'' (1969) *'' Lonely Hearts'' (1970) *'' La supertestimone'' (1971) *'' The Designated Victim'' (1971) *'' His Name Was King'' (1971) *'' Roma Bene'' (1971) *'' Caliber 9'' (1972) *'' It Can Be Done Amigo'' (1972) *'' The Grand Duel'' (1972) *'' The Summertime Killer'' (1972) *'' Il Boss'' (1973) *'' The Man Called Noon'' (1973) *'' The Police Serve the Citizens?'' (1973) *'' Stateline Motel'' (1973) *''

La seduzione ''La seduzione'', internationally released as ''Seduction'', is a 1973 Italy, Italian erotic film, directed by Fernando Di Leo and based on the novel ''Graziella'' by Ercole Patti. Plot After many years working as a journalist in France, Giuseppe ...

'' (1973) *'' Shoot First, Die Later'' (1974) *'' Loaded Guns'' (1975) *'' Kidnap Syndicate'' (1975) *'' L'Uomo Che Sfidò L'Organizzazione'' (1975) *'' Colpita da improvviso benessere'' (1976) *''

The Sicilian Cross ''Street People'' (, also known as ''The Executors'' and ''The Sicilian Cross'') is an Italian crime-action film directed in 1976 by Maurizio Lucidi. It was written, among others, by the '' French Connection'' 's screenwriter, Ernest Tidyman. It ...

'' (1976) *'' Nick the Sting'' (1976) *'' Mister Scarface'' (1976) *'' The Last Round'' (1976) *'' Blood and Diamonds'' (1978) *''

'' (1980) *'' Entre Nous'' (1983) *''

La maschera ''The Mask'' () is a 1988 Italian romance film directed by Fiorella Infascelli. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. Cast * Helena Bonham Carter as Iris * Michael Maloney as Leonardo * Feodor Cha ...

'' (1988) *''

'' (1996) *'' Stella's Favor'' (1996) *''

The Truce ''The Truce'' (), titled ''The Reawakening'' in the US, is a book by the Italian author Primo Levi. It is the sequel to ''If This Is a Man'' and describes the author's experiences from the liberation of Auschwitz ( Monowitz), which was a concent ...

'' (1997) *'' Polish Wedding'' (1998) *'' Milonga'' (1999) *'' Secret of the Andes'' (1999) *''

Children of the Century ''Children of the Century'' () is a 1999 French biographical drama film co-written and directed by Diane Kurys. It is based on the tumultuous love affair between two French literary icons of the 19th century, novelist George Sand (Juliette Binoche ...

'' (1999) *'' Almost America'' (2001) *'' Assassination Tango'' (2002) *'' The Dust Factory'' (2004) *'' Hidden Moon'' (2012)

Discography

Studio albums

* 1968 ''We Still Kill the Old Way (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' ( LP;

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

) * 1971 ''Pitturamusica'' (LP;

Generalmusic Generalmusic was an Italian musical instrument manufacturing company focusing on digital and acoustic pianos, synthesizers and music workstations. The company produced three lines: a musical instrument series called GEM, a various studio equipm ...

) * 1972 ''Paesaggi'' (LP; Generalmusic) * 1973 ''La Seduzione'' (LP; Cetra) * 1975 ''Desbandes'' by

Gato Barbieri Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...

and Luis Bacalov (LP; Vista) * 1979 ''Sincretic 1'' by Luis Bacalov and Giovanni Tommaso * 1980 ''La cité des femmes'' (LP; Général Music France) * 1984 ''Le Juge'' (CD; Ltd; Music Box Records) * 1985 ''Le Transfuge'' (CD; Ltd; Music Box Records) * 1985 ''Django (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' (Intermezzo, Generalmusic) * 1986 ''Quién Sabe? (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' (Intermezzo, Generalmusic) * 1992 ''Il Prezzo del potere (Original Soundtrack)'' ( CD; CAM) * 1993 ''Luis Bacalov Plays Nino Rota'' (CD; CAM) * 1994 ''The Postman'' (''Il Postino'') (CD; Miramax Records) * 1994 ''Anni Ribelli (Original Soundtrack)'' (CD; CAM) * 1995 ''A ciascuno il suo'' / ''Una questione d'onore'' (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RE; Point Records * 1995 ''La più grande rapina del west'' / ''L'oro dei bravados'' (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RE, Ltd.; GDM Music) * 1995 ''Il grande duello'' / ''Si può fare... amigo'' (Original Soundtracks) (CD; Point Records) * 1995 ''Ricatto alla Mala'' / ''La polizia è al servizio del cittadino?'' (Original Soundtracks) (CD; Point Records) * 1996 ''Il Vangelo secondo Matteo'' (Original Soundtrack) (CD, RE,

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

) * 1997 ''Concerto Premio Rota 1996 (CD, RM; CAM) * 1997 ''La tregua'' ("''The Truce''") (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD; CAM) * 1999 ''Milonga'' (Original Soundtrack) (CD; RCA) * 2000 ''Lo chiamavano King...'' / ''Monta in sella!! Figlio di...'' / ''Partirono preti, tornarono... curati'' (Original Soundtracks) (CD, RM, Ltd.; Screen Trax) * 2003 ''Sugar Colt'' (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD; GDM Music) * 2007 ''Per amore'' by

Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone ( , ; 10 November 19286 July 2020) was an Italian composer, Orchestration, orchestrator, conductor, trumpeter, and pianist who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 film score, scores for cinema and televisi ...

and Luis Bacalov (Colonna Sonora Originale) (CD, RE, RM; GDM Music) * 2007 '' I quattro del pater noster'' (Original Soundtrack) (CD, R; Verita Note * 2008 ''A qualsiasi prezzo'' (CD; Verita Note) * 2010 ''Coup de foudre'' (CD, Ltd.; Quartet Records) * 2010 ''Lo Scatenato / La Pecora / Nera'' (CD; Verita Note) * 2010 ''Summertime Killer'' (The Complete Original Soundtrack in Full Stereo) (CD, RE, RM, Ltd.; Quartet)

Extended plays

* 1965 ''Una questione d'onore'' (

Dischi Ricordi Dischi Ricordi was an Italian record company founded on by and Franco Crepax (brother of Guido Crepax), active from 1958 to 1994. History Dischi Ricordi had its seat in Milan (Via Giovanni Berchet, 2). In 1994, the company was bought by B ...

SRL 10-412) * 1973 ''The Summertime Killer'' (Seven Seas Music FM-1044S) * 2002 ''In Lounge'' (Giaguaro Records GRC 005)

Singles

* "Django" ( Franco Migliacci, Robert Mellin, Luis Bacalov) (1966 Django Dischi Parade PRC 5001 – Seven Seas Music HIT-1376; 1967 7", as "Django" / "Django-Thema", Vogue Schallplatten DV 14626) * "Sugar Colt" (1966 Dischi Parade PRC 5007; 1967 7" Zafiro) * "A ciascuno il suo" (1967 7" Dischi Parade PRC 5029) * "Lo scatenato" / "Se chiudi gli occhi" (from ''Lo scatenato'') (1967 7" Dischi Parade PRC 5047) * "Run and Run Like a Play" / "Country Lovers" (from ''The Summertime Killers'') (1972 7" Delta Italiana ZD 50221) * "Fandango" (from ''L'uomo che sfidò l'organizzazione'') (1975 7"

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

3668) * "Il lungo viaggio" / "Memorie" (from ''Il lungo viaggio'') (1975 7"

TBBO 1179) * "Che ce voj fà / Carrefour (from ''Colpita da improvviso benessere'') (1976 7" RCA TBBO 1187) * "Che fare?" (1979 7"

GMN 5005) * "A Suitcase Full of Memories" / "Mélodie pour un réve" (from ''Le jeune marié'') (1983 7" Général Music France 801.045) * "In Lounge" (2002 7" Giaguaro Records)

References

External links

Luis Bacalov official site https://luisbacalov.com * * *
Luis Enriquez Bacalov at ''Epdlp''
(Spanish) *Two excerpts of Bacalov's ''Misa Tango'' sung by th

*Two excerpts sung by th

, including "Misa Tango" and "Cantos Para Neustros Tiempos: The Cambridge Psalms" {{DEFAULTSORT:Bacalov, Luis Enriquez 1933 births 2017 deaths Argentine composers Argentine film score composers Argentine Jews Argentine people of Bulgarian descent Argentine people of Bulgarian-Jewish descent Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Nastro d'Argento winners Composers from Buenos Aires Spaghetti Western composers