Quartet Records, in collaboration with EMI Music Publishing, proudly presents a meticulously remastered reissue of Ennio Morricone's impressive, epic score for Gillo Pontecorvo's ambitious, slavery-condemning 1969 production Queimada (aka Burn!), starring Marlon Brando. This definitive release represents the culmination of decades of restoration efforts, bringing one of Morricone's most politically charged and emotionally powerful scores to audiophile-quality presentation. The film tells the story of a British mercenary who in 1844 helped the slaves of an Antilles island colony revolt and gain independence from Portugal, but later returned to hunt down a local rebel leader and former protégé. This complex narrative of colonialism, revolution, and betrayal provided Morricone with a canvas for one of his most socially conscious compositions.
Following their critically acclaimed collaboration on The Battle of Algiers, the reunion between Ennio Morricone and Gillo Pontecorvo was eagerly anticipated by critics and audiences alike. The composer rose magnificently to the occasion, writing a monumental score anchored by the freedom hymn "Aboliçao" - a stirring Luba-mass that functions as both a call to liberation and a lament for the oppressed. This central piece exemplifies Morricone's ability to create music that transcends mere film scoring to become a statement of human dignity and resistance. The music of Queimada is characterized by its rich textures, dramatic contrasts, and a masterful fusion of European, African, and Latin American musical elements. Rather than falling into decorative folklore, Morricone created a deeply emotional and politically resonant score that authentically captures the cultural complexity of its colonial setting. His orchestration combines traditional symphony orchestra and choir with organ, tribal percussion, electric guitars, and Hammond organ, generating a fascinating hybrid soundscape that was revolutionary for its time and remains compelling today.
The score's release history reflects the turbulent nature of film music preservation. In 1969, only a 45-rpm single was released in Italy and France featuring the hit "Aboliçao." The complete score remained unavailable until 1971, when United Artists Records issued it in the United States and Japan. The CD era brought various incomplete and compromised editions, beginning with a peculiar nine-cue selection from ViviMusic that paired excerpts with unrelated spaghetti western themes. The path to a definitive release was long and challenging. GDM issued a first expanded edition of 26 cues in 2001, followed by what seemed to be the complete 31-cue score in 2012. This Quartet Records reissue builds upon that foundation, supervised by Dániel Winkler and Claudio Fuiano, and completely restored, edited and remastered by Chris Malone from the original master tapes.
This restoration represents a significant achievement in film music preservation. Chris Malone's remastering work reveals previously unheard details in Morricone's complex orchestrations while maintaining the raw emotional power that makes this score so compelling. The enhanced audio quality allows listeners to fully appreciate the subtle interplay between Western classical traditions and non-European musical elements that gives Queimada its distinctive character. The package includes comprehensive liner notes by Miguel Ángel Órdóñez, providing essential context for both the film's production and its place within Morricone's vast catalog. These notes illuminate the score's political dimensions and its significance as a work of artistic resistance against colonial oppression.
More than half a century after its creation, Morricone's score for Queimada remains startlingly relevant, its themes of liberation, betrayal, and the cyclical nature of oppression resonating with contemporary global struggles. This definitive reissue ensures that one of cinema's most powerful musical statements about freedom and human dignity will continue to inspire and provoke future generations.
