TROVAJOLI, ARMANDO

(1917-)

Musician and composer. After learning to play the violin at home as a child, Trovajoli graduated in piano at the Conservatory of Saint Cecilia in Rome before undertaking further studies in composition under Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. He was, however, most attracted to jazz, and by the age of 20 was playing with some of the best Italian jazz ensembles of the period. After the war he continued his career as a jazz pianist and had occasion to perform with such internationally renowned musicians as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and Django Reinhardt. In the early 1950s he began an extensive series of recordings while at the same time working withPiero Piccioni, presenting regular jazz programs on national radio.

Although already introduced to composing for film by Lavagnino himself, Trovajoli's first real foray into music for cinema was the song "El Negro Zumbon," whichSilvana Manganosang inAlberto Lattuada'sAnna(1951) and which subsequently became a huge international hit when released as a single.From this point on, Trovajoli's crowded career alternated between performing and directing music himself, writing highly popular musical revues such as the legendaryRugantino(1962), and composing the soundtrack of literally hundreds of films. He worked at various times with practically all the major directors (with the notable exeption ofFederico Fellini), includingVittorio De Sica, for whom he scoredLa ciociara(Two Women, 1960),Ieri, oggi, domani(Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 1963), andMatrimonio all'italiana(Marriage Italian Style, 1964), andGiuseppe De Santis, with whom he collaborated on the war epicItaliani brava gente(Attack and Retreat, 1964). He established an especially close relationship with bothDino Risi, for whom he scored over 30 films, and withEttore Scola, contributing the music to all of Scola's films and winning theNastro d'argentoforUna giornata particolare(A Special Day, 1977) andLa famiglia(The Family, 1987) and theDavid di DonatelloforBallando ballando(also known asLe Bal, 1983). At the same time he also embraced all the popular genres, writing the music for everything fromTotoandpeplumfilms tohorrorandWesternall'italianamovies.

With over 300 film scores to his credit, Trovajoli continues to be one of Italy's most acclaimed film composers. His international popularity was underscored by Quentin Tarantino's decision to incorporate a section of Trovajoli's score for thespaghetti WesternI lunghi giorni della vendetta(Long Days of Vengeance, 1966) in hisKill Bill, Vol. I(2003).