Sacred intensity and poetic stillness define Fratello Sole Sorella Luna, one of Riz Ortolani’s most beguiling works for the screen. Composed for Franco Zeffirelli’s film, Ortolani’s score is a masterclass in narrative musicality, interweaving Italian folk fragments and ecclesiastical motifs with sumptuous orchestral textures. Where the film charts the spiritual transformation of Francis of Assisi, the music reflects a journey equally steeped in humility and radiance. Every motif feels meticulously crafted – strings carry the gentlest ascensions, woodwinds breathe like hillside breezes, and the arrangements illuminate both pastoral simplicity and moments of profound spiritual awe.
From the sacred choral passages to the lulling instrumental themes, Ortolani conjures a sonic landscape that is at once cinematic and devotional. Notably, the recent Contempo Records reissue includes a previously unreleased live rendition of the main theme, performed by Claudio Baglioni, paired with video footage of the maestro conducting orchestra and choir in Florence’s Basilica di Santa Croce – a vivid testament to the score’s ongoing resonance and its power to transform setting and audience alike.
The album has been remastered for clarity, its sound lovingly restored under the guidance of Roberto Zamori. Whether in its original vinyl or modern editions, listeners are invited into a sanctuary of sound, wherein Ortolani’s orchestrations trace both the solemnity and joy at the heart of Zeffirelli’s vision. Fratello Sole Sorella Luna stands among the essential treasures of Italian soundtrack art, a beckoning hymn to hope, humility, and the search for light.
