Are there other E of G versions...

[iceman]

Hi,
    Are there any other live versions of Ecstacy of Gold not including Ragacci and Metallica out there somewhere, maybe some versions of his live concerts where he used a different soprano.........I find Ragacci a little to abrasive, abrupt and sharp.... I have heard other versions of OUATITW that are much sweeter and smoother..more soothing. But I would love to hear other versions of E of G.....
Edda's is the ultimate version....so smooth and flowing and basically faultless...


ICE

[Groggy]

I find Ragacci a little to abrasive, abrupt and sharp

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so.

[iceman]

FOUND ONE...in Warsaw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgkojku1LZ4

Now I find this better than suzzana, but still not in Edda's league....

ICE

[drinkanddestroy]

I find Rigacci absolutely awful. I never watch any of the performances with her; she is that bad that she ruins the entire show. I can't possibly understand why Morricone performs with her.

[drinkanddestroy]

I have seen one performance with a soprano who is in Edda's league https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf_KXyMaoB8  it is Carla Mafioletti, with Andre Reiu's orchestra, in a performance of Once Upon a Time in the West that is so awesome, sometimes I think I may prefer this to the original; it is that amazing.

Reiu uses violins for the opening bars, rather than the plucking used (with I am not sure what instrument) in the original; I think musically, that may be nicer. (Though I wonder if Morricone specifically used the plucking as a metaphor for what the song represents: how the West started with a few brave souls, and built up slowly, slowly, till it reached a crescendo that is Edda's soaring voice. Perhaps the plucking is meant to symbolize the slow beginnings of the growth of the West, before reaching the crescendo. Who knows.)

 There is a wonderful moment at 3:32 where the camera zooms in one woman in the audience who is moved to tears. I know just what she feels like. This is an absolutely spectacular performance.

Enjoy 

drinkanddestroy--W

(I'll stop signing everything with the W soon; I promise. I just find it really funny, I can't control myself  )

[archangel]

hello.
the  best i've heard, is by David Bakker.
recorded in an amphitheater in Athens.
prolly 10years ago. (VHS)
the soprano was excellent, but this was Jill's America, not E of G.
some info on E of G:
a large orchestra seems to weight it down too much.
the EM original had a smaller ensemble. the tempo and rhythm spot on (orchestras can be sloppy)
most would have been session players. different attitude.
it shows on all the dollars music.
a recording sound stage - different to a concert hall. drier, cleaner sound.
a few takes would have been done, and the best bits edited together in post. (most orch records are done this way.)
Edda? at the time of recording was the best for this job, pitch and timing - almost perfect.
most of the other don't get the quick bits right at all, but it is a hard thing to sing.
best,
john.