Sounds Like Love

The lyrics to most pop songs, classical art songs and folk songs are about love, in one form or another. But how does wordless music convey love and its nuances? With this question in mind, we sifted through our vintage catalogue and handpicked film, library music and pop-song instrumentals that express various emotions of love, from happiness and joy to longing and regret.

So, here’s our musical Valentine to you: a selection of romantic instrumental themes recorded between 1964-1982 and written by the likes of Piero Umiliani, Alessandro Alessandroni, Fabio Fabor Borgazzi, Berto Pisano, and more. If music be the food of love, play on! 

The musical palette ranges from the spaghetti-western overtones of Pisano’s ‘Canto Notturno’ to the eighties sound of Blonksteiner’s ‘Impossible Love’. In terms of mood, we have the serene orchestration of Basilivan-Borgazzi’s ‘Dopo La Pioggia’ and the Elvis-esque tenderness of Gemmiti’s ‘La Strada dell’Amore’, but also the nostalgic solo harp of Borgazzi’s ‘Romance’ and the smooth, heart-breaking jazz of Umiliani’s ‘Ricordandoti’ (the saxophone is a powerful instrument, right? Especially when played by Gianni Basso, one of the greatest Italian jazz musicians of the mid-to-late 900s). 

Be seduced by the wistful downtempo groove of Umiliani’s ‘Nostalgia’, the mellow sexiness of Alessandroni’s ‘Tema di Susie’, and the passionate rhythm of Borgazzi’s ‘Rosso Bolero’.  Let the elegant strings of Pisano’s ‘Love Life of a Couple’ caress your soul and the delicate wordless vocals of Savina’s ‘Every Night’ warm your heart. You’ll find yourself daydreaming of romantic sunset walks (Cestana’s ‘Seaside’, Rocchi’s ‘Psychoromantica’),  joyful Saturday afternoons (Umiliani’s ‘Il Tuo Volto’), and sweet infatuation (Battisti D’Amario’s ‘Para Encantarte’). After all, love and music are the greatest forms of magic, aren’t they?