The Whistler of the World celebrates 90 Years

The world-renowned Italian musician-composer, Alessandro Alessandroni, master of many instruments, and prolific creator of music, celebrated his 90th birthday among friends in Swakopmund the past week.

The namib times had the privilege to be invited to the delightful gathering, which turned out to be a vibrant get –together, graced by music of many local artists, and by the passionate Maestro himself. The Maestro did not know of all the groups who were lined up to make his birthday a music fest and he was deeply touched

Alessandro Alessandroni is the man behind the haunting whistling tunes in many beloved Western Spaghetti films, like A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly…..…. He has been playing the mandolin since his 13th year, and still spends 6-8 hours per day playing, composing music, or painting, as he is also an avid visual artist.

The Maestro, who has already written music for more than 40 films worldwide, has a wide interest in and love for music. He has a jazz group that performs regularly…Currently, he is working on a piece for the Swakopmunder Muzikwoche, or Swakopmund Music Week in December….

Looking back on nine decades, Alessandro Alessandroni is thankful…for his good health, for the very special woman in his life, for his son in America, and for the fact that -as he put it – he has been paid for amusing himself his whole career long…

Maestro Alessandroni has remained a humble man, although through his music he has had the world at his feet for decades. He says his wife, the acclaimed photographer, Margaret Courtney-Clarke, has been his rock, and has given him wings….she has freed him of all the administrative chores, giving him time to focus on his music.

Margaret organised a handful of great surprises for Maestro Alessandroni at his birthday – the Marimba Band , the Mascato Youth Choir, and the Trio Feminale ensemble, all contributing to the celebration of a legend through music…

Alessandro Alessandroni was the impetus behind the excitement and contagious the Maestro’s webpage one is welcomed by a quote Italian film music critic, Roberto Zamori, describes Allessandroni, as “a man of extraordinary temperament, humanity and simplicity.
He says Italian composers owe a lot to the work of the great Whistler…Not just for the “Spaghetti Western Sound – a genuine and classic legend of Italian cinema in the 60’s and 70’s – but also for the sonic and musical influence of many scores…”