Eventually Romer discovered the correct instrumental seasoning: a bit of accordion, a little mandolin, a lot of acoustic guitar and pizzicato strings — just enough to hint at the locale and the period .
The composer took inspiration from a playlist Casarosa gave him that consisted of classic Italian film music as well as folk and pop music from the era.
Italian colors were only a part of Romer’s assignment.
“Each kid has their own theme,” notes Romer.
Luca’s meddlesome parents are voiced by a bass clarinet and tuba.
Romer first saw a “rough animatic” of the film, “all drawings, no animation,” in late 2019, prior to the pandemic, and he began composing in July 2020.
The song is a cover of Gene McDaniels’ 1963 “It’s a Lonely Town .” Mina’s recording, released the same year, appealed to the director as “a wonderfully melancholic song that felt right” for the moments after the characters’ goodbyes.
The composer, an old-school rock ’n’ roller, had never owned a nylon-stringed classical guitar but bought one for “Luca.” He plays many of the guitar and accordion parts in the score.