Ennio Morricone, Italian composer most famous for Westerns, dies aged 91

Ennio Morricone, whose scores for movies such as "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "The Mission" and "Cinema Paradiso" made him one of the world's most famous and prolific screen composers, has died, ANSA news agency said on Monday (July 06). He was 91.

ANSA said Morricone, who won two Oscars and dozens of others awards including Golden Globes, Grammys and BAFTAs, broke his femur some days ago and died during the night in a clinic in Rome.

His last Oscar was in 2016 for best original score for Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight."

Morricone wrote for hundreds of films, television programs, popular songs and orchestras, but it was his friendship with Italian director Sergio Leone that brought him fame, with scores for Spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood in the 1960s.

They include the so-called "Dollars Trilogy" - "A Fistful of Dollars," "For a Few Dollars More," and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

Morricone used unconventional instruments such as the Jew's harp, amplified harmonica, mariachi trumpets, cor anglais and the ocarina - an ancient Chinese instrument shaped like an egg.

The music was accompanied by real sounds such as whistling, cracking of whips, gunshots and sounds inspired by wild animals including coyotes.

He always tried to shake off the association with the Spaghetti Westerns, reminding people, particularly outside Italy, that he had a very creative and productive life before and after the films he made with Leone.