Who Are Those Composers ~ Francesco De Masi

Francesco De Masi was born in Rome, Italy on January 11 1930. De Masi's father was active in politics and served as Italy's ambassador to Romania, Francesco showed a talent for music in his youth and studied composition at the San Pietro a Maiella Conservatory in Naples, under the guidance of his uncle Achille Longo. De Masi became interested in film music when Longo was asked to compose a soundtrack for a film, and he asked De Masi to be his assistant. De Masi's filmography includes scores for over 200 films and TV series, ranging from Spaghetti westerns such as “Il Pistolero di Arizona” (aka Arizona Colt), “Ammazzali Tutti e Toma Solo” (aka Kill Them All and Come Back Alone), and “C'e Sartana...Vendi la Pistola e Comprati la Bara” (aka Sartana's Coming, Get Your Coffins Ready) and sword and sandal epics to giallo and horror films, such as Lucio Fulci's “Lo squartatore di New York” (The New York Ripper).

De Masi also scored several action films, such as Enzo G. Castellari's Quel “Maledetto treno blindato” (The Inglorious Bastards), but he is best remembered for his work on Spaghetti westerns. Unlike most other composers, De Masi started writing western scores slightly earlier than the genre's most influential musician, Ennio Morricone. As De Masi's music was less influenced by Morricone, his style had a distinctive sound. Many of his songs were performed by the low-voiced member of the I Cantori Moderni choir, Ettore "Raoul" Lovecchio. Though the bulk of his music appeared in Italian or Spanish productions, he wrote the score for the popular Chuck Norris vehicle “Lone Wolf McQuade” and worked with Basil Poledouris on music for the Judd Nelson comedy “Making the Grade”. When not busy with his career in film scoring, De Masi led and conducted several major symphony orchestras in Italy, and was a gifted horn player; his discography includes recordings of major works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.

De Masi was also very interested in classical music. He taught at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, also conducting the conservatory's orchestra. In an interview, De Masi listed Palestrina, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Ravel and Shostakovich as his main classical influences.

De Masi died of cancer at the age of 75 on November 6, 2005.

De MASI, Francesco (aka F. De Masi, Franz Demasi, De Masi, Francis D. Masion, Frank Mason) [1/11/1930, Rome, Lazio, Italy -  11/6/2005, Rome, Lazio, Italy (cancer)] – composer, conductor, arranger, songwriter, musician (horns), married to Misa Gabrini (19??-19??) father of actor Filippo De Masi [1967-    ], married to ? (19??-    ).

The Sign of Zorro – 1962 (co)

The Vengeance of Zorro – 1962 (co)

The Sign of the Coyote* – 1963 (co)

Magnificent Brutes of the West - 1964

The Man of the Cursed Valley* – 1964 (co)

Massacre at Marble City* – 1964 (co)

Two Violent Men - 1964

A Coffin for the Sheriff* – 1965

Fistful of Knuckles* – 1965 (co)

The Last Tomahawk* – 1965 (co)

The Man from Oklahoma* – 1965

The Sign of Zorro – 1965 (co)

The Man from Nowhere* – 1966

Ringo, the Face of Revenge* - 1966

Seven Dollars on the Red* - 1966

Any Gun Can Play* – 1967

15 Scaffolds for a Murderer* – 1967

The Magnificent Texan - 1967

Payment in Blood* – 1967

Rattler Kid - 1967

Seven Pistols for a Massacre* – 1967

Two Crosses at Danger Pass* - 1967

And Then a Time for Killing – 1968

Blood Calls to Blood – 1968

The Cost of Dying* – 1968

Kill Them All and Come Back Alone* – 1968

The Moment to Kill – 1968

Ringo: The Lone Rider* - 1968

Sonora* – 1968

The Wild and the Dirty* - 1968

Amen* – 1969

Sartana’s Here Trade Your Pistols for a Coffin* – 1970

Vendetta at Dawn - 1971

Zorro, Rider of Vengeance - 1971

Kid Vengeance – 1976

Thunder Warrior* - 1983

Manhunt* - 1985

Thunder Warrior III* – 1989

Arizona Road – 1990

·         Available on CD