The two-note call and the reverb guitar conjure up the open space of the desert in just a few notes in what might be Morricone’s best-known theme. Not as minimalist as his earlier soundtracks – brass and choirs weight in sparingly – he makes small pieces into near-symphonies, with motifs for each of the major characters, using them to illustrate the tensions and conflicts onscreen. Ultimately, though, it’s the main theme that captures the open, sprawling spirit of the film with the long, haunting whistle drifting over the plains.