Fort Yuma Gold / For a Few Extra Dollars 　　This spaghetti western from 1966, has always been something of a holy grail for collectors, it credit’s the score to be by Gianni Ferrio and Ennio Morricone, many have said it’s a Morricone score with themes by Ferrio others have remarked it’s the other way around, well it turns out it is a predominately Ferrio work with just one theme by Morricone, this is the PENSO A TE theme which is reprised within the score on four occasions, two guitar versions complete with racing snares and accompanying strings, the string section playing against the central theme and Ferrio using them to play out his theme for the movie the two themes complimenting and enhancing one another. Another arrangement of the theme is undertaken in track 11, this time it’s a more dramatic and almost martial sound that is achieved through the use of French horn percussion and guitar and lastly on track 19, bass guitar, horns, lead guitar, choir, solo trumpet and underlying strings combine to give this catchy motif an almost grandiose sound which is reminiscent of the Ferrio’s theme for FIND A PLACE TO DIE. You will probably sit and listen to these four tracks and think “I KNOW THIS TRACK, NOW WHERE HAVE I HEARD IT”. Well, originally this was the catchy guitar laced theme that Morricone utilised in the movie soundtrack for MALAMONDO, but here it takes on a new and fresh lease of life with some excellent arrangements carried out by Ferrio. If I remember correctly in the actual film SANTE FE EXPRESS from Morricone’s SEVEN GUNS FOR THE Mc Gregors was used, but this does not appear on the CD I think because it was owned by another company. The original score by Ferrio is probably one of the composers best contributions to the spaghetti western genre, his stirring and haunting DIAMOND theme opening proceedings and forming the musical backbone of the score. This appealing composition is heard throughout the score with the composer arranging and serving it up in various guises. Along the way we also have a couple of the obligatory saloon pieces, but these don’t seem as annoying as they usually are within other scores, Ferrio giving them a sort of comedy feel with the introduction of almost ragtime sounds and style. Dramatic cues are also in abundance with low strings, threatening percussion and menacing brass taking the lead within these. 　　Ferrio also makes effective use of banjo, timpani, strumming guitar, trumpet and a tolling bell on some of the cues, this is certainly a spaghetti western score to be reckoned with, powerful rhythmic and infectious and one that will be a welcomed addition to any collection. With 19 tracks previously unreleased I can only say that this is a score that comes highly recommended...