La Tarantella: Antidotum Tarantulae [Import] Review

I heard this recording in a shop on a Friday evening a couple of years ago. I listened for a couple of minutes and I bought it then and there. This is a very unusual Early Music recording.

Instead of the usual polite and rather staid Tarantellas we often hear on recordings of Italian folk music today, this is wild and untamed music, much more suited to dancing tarantula venom out of one's system!

Christina Pluhar's L'Arpeggiata ensemble includes: three singers, 2 Baroque harps, theorbo, 4 Baroque guitars, 2 archlutes, colascione (a kind of lute), 3 "chitarra battente", psaltery, lirone, viola da gamba, cornamuse and percussion. The sounds are very rich and colourful.

The singers, Marco Beasley, Lucilla Galeazzi and Alfio Antico, sing with great verve and "naturalness" - Marco Beasley, for instance, is a tenor, but he doesn't let himself get too bogged down by his Classical technique here. This is music with a Folk origin and everyone concerned with this recording seems to have kept that in mind. The result is full of energy, colour (as I said) and rhythmical energy.

I cannot describe the music on display here, it defies description. However, take my word for it, this is a great recording and I think you will find it as fascinating as it is entertaining.

Click Here to see more reviews about: La Tarantella: Antidotum Tarantulae



Buy cheap La Tarantella: Antidotum Tarantulae now

Vol. 2 Omerta, Onuri E Sangu Review

When I first played this CD through, I did not like it near as much as Vol 1 Il Canto di Malavita. The song selection seemed weaker and the singers less polished than on the first compilation. So often does a follow-up to a surprise hit fail to live up to the listener's expectations, that I nearly resigned myself to putting this on the shelf and letting it collect dust.
Instead, I took a different tack and decided to listen with new ears as though I'd never heard the first volume. Once I'd done that, I found a lot about Omerta, Onuri e Sangu to enjoy.
To begin with, the music here is earthy and raw. It reminds me a lot of the folk music of many lands. I can hear strains of Greek, Spanish, Arab, and even Argentine musical influences as it plays through. My favorites are Ninna Nanna Malandrineddu, a mother's song urging her son to vengeance; Tira La Pinna, the mournful gypsy-influenced song of a condemned man; A Casanza, a rollicking guitar-driven tarantella that relates the story of a prison power struggle; La Me Galera, the story of a wrongfully imprisoned man that has an Argentine feel to the music; and Si Gira e Si Revolta, the melancholy story of a man rotting in his cell and yearning for freedom.
About the only negative here is that there are too many short pieces and "parlati" which clutter up the CD and give one the impression it is longer than it is.
If you liked Il Canto di Malavita, then come to this with an open mind and give it a chance, too. If you have heard neither "Il Canto..." nor this CD, then buy them both and try to listen without comparing them. You will be glad you did.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Vol. 2 Omerta, Onuri E Sangu

Product Description:
Volume 2 is a continuation of a musical journey through achapter of Southern Italian cultural history that is asdark as it is fascinating. 22 tracks. PIAS America. 2003.

Buy cheap Vol. 2 Omerta, Onuri E Sangu now

The Rough Guide to the Music of Italy Review

Please don't pay attention to Cassondra!She may have traveled extensively in Italy, but she obviously doesn't know anything about Italian music!Everything on this CD is Italian, not at all Spanish!If there is a slight similarity between some Italian folk music and Spanish folk it may be because much of Italy was dominated by Aragon for many years.But this music IS Italian, no mistake about it.I wonder, does Cassondra think that these Italian musicians went to Spain and copied the music especially for this CD?
This CD features a variety of Italian musical styles.The CD opens with a taranella, you can't get any more Italian than that!But who would have thought a taranetlla would sound so good with a saxaphone?The musical journey winds through the penninsula and islands of Italy with a wonderful mix of songs and tunes played using traditional instruments with the occasional addition of a contemporary instrument and arrangement.The songs are sung in various dialects.The musicians highlighted are respected in their field.The songs range from whimsical to bawdy to melancholic.
I highly recommend this CD to anyone who wants an overview to contemporary Italian roots music.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Rough Guide to the Music of Italy

Product Description:
From high in the Alps to the Calabrian coast, the traditionalmusic of Italy is as varied as its landscape. This Rough Guide offers aglimpse of the country's rich musical heritage, from the mysterioussounding 'a tenore' singing style of Sardinia to the tarantellas of Naplesin the south.
Artists include: Daniel Sepe, Tenores Di Bitti, Riccardo Tesi, La Macina,Banda Ionica, Cantovivo and Totore Chessa

Buy cheap The Rough Guide to the Music of Italy now

La Musica della Mafia: Il Canto di Malavita Review

A rare glimpse into the dying world of the Calabrian mafia, this CD is endlessly fascinating to those of us who grew up in Sicilian or Southern Italian households and heard stories similar to those in the songs of honor, revenge and sacrifice. Of course knowing the dialect will help any listener appreciate the full meaning of the lyrics, but even those unfamiliar with those terms that appear in almost every song, such as'sango' for blood or 'onore' for honor, can appreciate the wonderful contrast between the harshness of the lyrics and the melody of the songs. The counterpoint and complexity contained in these songs reflect the complex societies from which they come, raw, real and emotionally honest.

Click Here to see more reviews about: La Musica della Mafia: Il Canto di Malavita

Product Description:
A controversial album of Mafia songs banned in Italy, LaMusica Della Mafia, on the German-based Piasa label,features 18 songs of 'blood, honor and discretion'. Therecord is not glorifying or romanticizing anything. Thesongs are part of history and the words are based on codesthat are 100 years old. Several songs are laments based onwords written by Mafia members in prison and the CDincludes two recordings by Fred Scotti, the only Italiansinger bold enough ever to perform Mafia songs in public.2002.

Buy cheap La Musica della Mafia: Il Canto di Malavita now

The World of Italian Hits of the 50's [Import] Review

I wrote this same review for the 1960s version of this compilation. It holds true here.

Be warned. Most of the songs on this set are not the original recordings.

There are a few vintage cuts by Marino Marini and Adriano Celentano but the rest appear to be re-recorded in the 1990s. However, most of the new versions are fairly tastefully arranged and performed. That is totally OK, becausewhat leaps to mind is that most of these re-recorded songs sound like they are straight out of the Italian-language section of a fakebook of any band that has played at an Italian-American wedding in the past 40 years. And for that reason, ther is a lot of charm. In short, it makes no difference if they are not the originals. These songs are part of the Italian national heritage. Calling Martin Scorsese...here is your next soundtrack!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The World of Italian Hits of the 50's [Import]



Buy cheap The World of Italian Hits of the 50's [Import] now

Italian Treasury: Calabria Review

This isn't the typical "world music" collection. It is a selction of recordings by ethnomusicologist (did you know there WAS such a job?) Alan Lomax from 1954-55, documenting the music of small Italian villages, musical forms that have vanished forever.
The performances lack polish and finesse, naturally. Much of the cd is more like an auditory documentary than anything else. For example, the opening track "Swordfishermen's Calls," are exactly that - two male voices, shouting melodically over a long distance. This isn't the happy accordian music you hear at the Olive Garden, to say the least.The variety of the music is striking, containg a capella, tarantela, lullabies, accordians, bagpipes and melodies of surprising complexity.The vocals are a bit rough, sometimes - the Italians like to sing loud, apparently, and some of the singers go flat when they do.
The liner notes are extensive and contain English translations. Highly recommended, if you're looking for something truly authentic, a historical document rather than professional renditions of old folk songs.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Italian Treasury: Calabria



Buy cheap Italian Treasury: Calabria now

Italian Treasury: Folk Music & Song of Italy Review

OK. If you are into it, this is realy authentic folk playing and singing. Recorded in 1954 (excelently restored!), gives an overview of many Italian regions, not excluding minorities (Albanians of Calabria and Slavs of Venezia-Giulia), with the traditional music performed by local artists.
Most impressive moment: A capella Calabrian song recorded on a fishing ship, while the crew (20 half-naked, (so the notes say!),fishermen) is raising an undersea net. It is a bawdy song, but strangely beautiful. You can hear squeaking and squeeling of the capstain throughout the song.
Full notes, all texts and translations, and history. Bravo!
No cheap commercial stuff, my friends, but real life material...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Italian Treasury: Folk Music & Song of Italy



Buy cheap Italian Treasury: Folk Music & Song of Italy now