<P> Giovanni `` Nino '' Rota ( 3 December 1911 -- 10 April 1979 ) was an Italian composer , pianist , conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores , notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti . He also composed the music for two of Franco Zeffirelli 's Shakespeare films , and for the first two films of Francis Ford Coppola 's Godfather trilogy , receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) . </P>
<P> Giovanni `` Nino '' Rota ( 3 December 1911 -- 10 April 1979 ) was an Italian composer , pianist , conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores , notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti . He also composed the music for two of Franco Zeffirelli 's Shakespeare films , and for the first two films of Francis Ford Coppola 's Godfather trilogy , receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) . </P>
who wrote the musical score for the godfather
who wrote the musical score for the godfather
Giovanni `` Nino '' Rota
Giovanni `` Nino '' Rota