The Italian Golden Age: Sonor Music Editions' Library Records from the 60s to 80s

Does the following quote by composer and producer Adrian Younge from a New York Times article resonate with you, looking at the catalog of Sonor Music Editions?

Where do you think that experimentalism in Italian library music originates from? As that seems evidently more present and distinctive than in, say, UK library music.

LF: "I think that experimentalism is the real benchmark of Italian library music creativity, in general. Writing this music on commission, the Italian composers had so much liberty and fun in composing background music. They were free to experiment with sounds and to get inspiration from the musical trends that were going on at the time.

The combination of these two elements is what made Italian library music so special and highly regarded in the world. Our heritage derives from this touch of genius: to experiment and create unusual and killer sounds that could work on images. Italian composers have been pure avant-gardists in adding music to films and television."

In a recent article by The Guardian, you say the release of Ennio Morricone’s I Due Evasi Di Sing Sing (Two Escape from Sing Sing) is "one of the high points" for Sonor. Can you name any of Sonor’s records on Tracklib you consider to be high points as well, and why?

LF: "Having the opportunity of managing and administering I Marc 4’s music means a lot to us, too. All the library music collectors and fans that I know grew up listening to I Marc 4, and their songs are just legendary. Their music has been synchronized in films and it has been sampled numerous times, such as by Just Blaze."

The story also highlights finding an eight-track cartridge at a flea market, and the two-year quest to trace down the rightsholders. Are there any memories or anecdotal stories related to that—in the words of that article—"detective job"?

Andrea Galtieri (co-founder of Sonor Music Editions): "Finding the tape was a stroke of luck! I had already found Paolo Ormi’s P.O.X. Sound Vol. 2 about twenty years ago. The songs were very similar to an RCA single ("Cocco Secco" b/w "No No No") and the session had to be the same. I searched for it for years and years with no great results, until a seller put the tape up for sale. Nobody knew him—I was sure of it and it was an epic moment! I took it to Rome for the analog transfer. Together with Lorenzo we immediately realized that it was necessary to make the music known. That was so beautiful."

Lorenzo Fabrizi: "We have been doing this 'detective job' for about ten years since we started Sonor Music Editions. We both dig and search for these rare and original Italian library recordings, so we combined the passion we have as ‘researchers’ with great opportunities to find, acquire, and work with obscure and unknown music."

Last year, producer Oh No released OFFAIR: Dr. No’s Lost Beach, almost entirely based on Sonor Music Editions samples. What’s it like for you to hear the originals in such a completely new context?

LF: "It’s insane! Oh No is an incredible and talented artist, We couldn’t believe our ears when we listened to the beats for the first time. We were stunned about the album— which is also going to be released on vinyl very soon, by the way."

Lastly, to quote Adrian Younge one more time: do you see Sonor Music Editions as part of that ‘full circle’ through sampling?