This is a fine collection of the music Nino Rota composed for the films of Federico Fellini, the two exceptions being Plein Soleil directed by René Clement and The Leopard, Visconti's 1963 masterpiece. Few othercomposers for cinema, apart from Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Dimitri Tiomkin and Elmer Bernstein have attracted critical attention and have created music that has entered a wider public consciousness. Rota is certainly their equal. Purchasers may be disappointed to find that Rota's theme for The Godfather missing. Its inspiration is present in Melodia per Fortunella (1958) but then if you love Rota's music you will surely already own The Godfather soundtrack. This is marvellously varied music, influenced by jazz (Plein Soleil) and pop music (I Vitteloni, La Dolce Vita) at times, by Italian symphonic music (Melodia per Fortunella, La Strada), by cabaret (whenever Katyna Ranieri comes to the microphone) and even circus music (Lo Sceicco Bianco) at others. It is infused with an atmosphere redolent of espresso and grappa but that's a huge part of its attraction. The sound might have been improved upon but, that aside, buy with confidence.