There's an interesting point in Suibhne's comments. Leone took the idea of the Western and the Mythic West - a West which hardly existed as it's been portrayed in countless "oaters" - and twisted it into a grotesque ironic filmscape populated with exaggerated set pieces. Morricone's music parallels the visuals by doing the same with the soundtrack - taking the conventions of the music in such films and drawing them out with irony and humour. That's my take on them anyway.

So, the question is: can you take an ironic and skewed musical soundscape and subject it to yet more irony...? The Ukulele Orchestra of GB deal in bathos - taking grand statements like Eric Coates' "Dambusters" march and giving it an ironic twist. The great Gerard Hoffnung did the same when arranging the "1812" for recorders and popguns... And very well done it was. The Spaghetti Western Orchestra, as Suibhne has said, are investing Morricone's music with an exaggerated level of irony.

All a bit convoluted perhaps - and the only judgement you can actually make is whether you like it or not. I let my own ears have a listen to it and, well played though it undoubtedly is, to me it was rather over-contrived and inedible - but that's just me...