Italian music maestro Ennio Morricone has won the best original score Academy Award for Quentin Tarantino's American Western mystery film The Hateful Eight at the 2016 Oscars.
"My thoughts go to the other nominees, especially John Williams," said 87-year-old Morricone after receiving the award late on Sunday in Los Angeles. He dedicated the award to his wife Maria.
Morricone managed to beat the industry titan, who scored Star Wars: The Force Awakens, to win his first Oscar in a career spanning seven decades during which he wrote scores for over 70 award-winning films.
"There isn't a great soundtrack without a great movie that inspires it. I want to thank Quentin Tarantino for having chosen me to make this extraordinary (score)," Morricone said.
The Rome-born son of a trumpeter, Morricone won an honorary Academy Award in 2006 and previously won five Oscar nominations including for Roland Joffe's 1986 film The Mission and Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987).
Morricone's most memorable scores included those for director Sergio Leone's spaghetti Westerns" of the 1960s, most famously The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He has also composed over 100 classical works and next month embarks on the last leg of a world tour with his 90-strong orchestra.
Italy's president Sergio Mattarella and premier Matteo Renzi paid tribute to Morricone on Monday.
"Maestro Ennio Morricone's compositions have moved entire generations all over the world and made them dream," Mattarella said in a statement.
"The Oscar is well-deserved recognition that honours the life of a great artist who is devoted to music. I give Maestro Morricone my most deeply felt congratulations and thanks from all of Italy."
"Great maestro, finally! #Morricone #pride #Oscars2016" Renzi wrote on Twitter.
Italian Serie A team also hailed Morricone's win.
"#ASRoma congratulates @MEnnioMorricone Ennio Morricone for his #Oscar for the best original score," it tweeted.
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