Gianni Ferrio (16 November 1924 – 21 October 2013) was an Italian composer, conductor and music arranger.

Gianni Ferrio
Born(1924-11-16)16 November 1924
Vicenza, Italy.
Died21 October 2013(2013-10-21) (aged 88)
Rome, Italy
Occupation(s)composer, conductor and music arranger
SpouseAlba Arnova

Life and career

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Born in Vicenza, Ferrio studied at the conservatories of Vicenza and Venice.[1] Starting in the late 1950s, he was active as a composer of film scores. He composed some 120 soundtracks, mostly for Spaghetti Westerns and commedie sexy all'italiana films.[1] His piece "One Silver Dollar", the main theme to Giorgio Ferroni's Blood for a Silver Dollar (1965), was later included in the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.[2] Ferrio is also well known for his work in pop music, particularly for his collaboration with Mina, for whom he composed hit songs such as "Parole parole" and wrote arrangements and orchestrations for many songs and albums.[3][4] The last collaboration with Mina was on her 2012 album 12 (American Song Book), for which Ferrio provided the string arrangements.

Ferrio served as conductor for the Sanremo Music Festival in 1959 and 1962, for the Eurovision Song Contest 1965,[5] and for several Italian TV shows.[1]

Ferrio was married to ballerina and film actress Alba Arnova.[6]

Selected filmography

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Gianni Ferrio (2008)

References

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  1. ^ a b c Enrico Deregibus (2010-10-08). Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana. Giunti Editore, 2010. p. 189. ISBN 978-8809756250.
  2. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Original Soundtrack Inglourious Basterds". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Dora Giannetti (1998). Divina Mina. Dalai editore, 1998. pp. 43–44, 61–62. ISBN 8886471726.
  4. ^ Ezio Guaitamacchi (2009). Mille canzoni che ci hanno cambiato la vita. Rizzoli, 2009. ISBN 978-8817033923.
  5. ^ "Eurovision Songfest Honors Go To French Teener France Gall". Billboard Vol. 77, No. 14. April 1965.
  6. ^ Enrico Lancia, Fabio Melelli (2005). Le straniere del nostro cinema. Gremese Editore, 2005. p. 89. ISBN 8884403502.
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Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest conductor
1965
Succeeded by