LE ORME

ELP with emotion ?

For me 70s Le Orme is one of the prog bands that come close to the magic of the most legendary and pivotal UK prog formations Yes Genesis, ELP, Pink Floyd and King Crimson, The Prog Big Five. In his amazing book Rocking The Classics the US author Edward Macan writes about femine (warm and mellow) and masculine (more agressive and bombastic) elements in prog, Le Orme delivers that with tender Italian vocals, acoustic guitar, sitar and Mellotron as the femine part, and fiery electric guitar and the sumptuous sound of Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer as the masculine part, evoking lots of tension and dynamics in the music.

In 2005 Le Orme was invited to perform on the annual Nearfest Festival in the USA in order to present their new line up (including original members Aldo Tagliapietra and Michi Di Rossi) and latest album L'Infinito (2004). It turned out to be a legendary gig with Le Orme at their artistic peak and a mouthwatering setlist, wow!

Le Orme starts with songs from L'Infinito and then switched to playing the 'classic 70s tracks'. My highlights.

The instrumental Il Tuono E La Luce features majestic choir-Mellotron samples and then propulsive drum beats, fiery guitar and intense runs on a 'keytar', and the musical brainchild Aldo on a wonderful double-neck.

La Voce Del Silenzio with howling guitar and beautiful work on piano and Hammond.

The very compelling and impressive titletrack with great classical orechestrations, Mellotron choirs and fat synthesizer flights, and finally Aldo on the distinctive sitar in La Ruota Del Cielo.

Una Dolcezza Nuova contains a sumptuous church organ intro, then lush Hammond, along varied piano play and warm vocals.

In Gioco Di Bimba Aldo plays on the 12-string guitar of his double-neck.

A breathtaking version of the mainly instrumental La Porta Chiusa with exciting bombastic keyboards: the vintage Hammond and Moog, and a church organ sound.

Cemento Armato is loaded with excellent soli on violin, the 'keytar' and Hammond.

And finally that epic classic composition that the crowd was waiting for the entire evening: the complete version (9 parts) of the mindlbowing magnum opus Felona E Sorona, carrying you away to Prog Heaven with lots of varied and flowing shifting moods, wonderful dual keyboard work, and a splendid 'grand finale'. I remember a mesmerized crowd, blown away by the absolute highlight in Classic Italian Prog, goose bumps! By the way, that was in 2005, in 2013 Le Orme performed in The Netherlands, near my hometown The Hague, in the prog rock venue De Boerderij, a prog dream came true!

The DVD features the same track list, I am impressed by the beautiful lightshow, the use of several camera positions (including some multi- screen images) and a good sound quality.

THIS CONCERT IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN ITALIAN PROG HISTORY!

While "Uomo Di Pezza" had solidly displayed Le Orme's progressive credentials, the conceptual "Felona E Sorona", their fourth album, went a step further, reaching the band's creative peak. The fanciful story of two planets, Felona and Sorona, opposing and at the same time complementary, contrasting the prosperity and happiness of one with the gloomy despair and sorrow of the other under the supervision of a superior entity, serves as narrative inspiration for the instrumental deployment of a proposal that metaphorically and without stridency or labyrinthine developments conveys the circular concept of life. The extensive and introductory "Sospesi Nell'Incredibile" masterfully describes the coexistence of both planets in the universe, making use of the cosmic keyboards of Antonio Pagliuca accompanied by the percussion of Michi Dei Rossi with a final solo included and by the melodious and welcoming voice of Aldo Tagliapietra in between; while the festive "Felona" with Tagliapietra's luminous and comfortable acoustic development and the sorrowful "Sorona" with Pagliuca's dramatic and thick keyboards, differentiate the two realities. That troubling disparity is observed in the vaporous melancholy of "La Solitudine Di Chi Protegge Il Mondo" and the reflective "L'Equilibrio", and leads to the discontent of Sorona's inhabitants reflected in the tense "Attesa Inerte", dissipating with the light of hope that the mysterious "Ritratto di un Mattino" brings and that "All' infuori Del Tempo" with Tagliapietra's acoustic guitars and Pagliuca's keyboards transforms into happiness for Sorona just when Felona starts the reverse process. The instrumental and overwhelming "Ritorno al Nulla" with the growing drama that the moog and the rest of the keyboards and percussions bring, closes the work epically.

Although Le Orme kept the trio format similar to the referents E,L&P, "Felona E Sorona", one of the cornerstones of Italian progressive rock, follows a path with more melodic components and less grandiloquent structures than those of the British, shining with its own light, and projecting the band to the Anglo-Saxon market by releasing the English version of the album afterwards.

4.5 stars

Moving away from the beat and psychedelic sixties sounds of their discreet debut album "Ad Gloriam", the five-piece turned trio Le Orme tucked themselves into the shelter of the huge shockwave that the effervescent progressive rock movement coming from the British Isles brought with it and released "Collage", their second album and one of the seminal works of the Italian side of the genre. Dazzled by E,L&P's performance at the legendary Isle of Wight festival in 1970, Le Orme, like many Mediterranean bands of that time, took the band led by Keith Emerson as one of their references for the development of their proposal and tinged it with melodic elements of their own.

That sense of epic grandiloquence indebted to Emersonian influences is what starts the album with the instrumental baroque piece of the same name, a demonstration of Antonio Pagliuca's skill on keyboards, with Michi Dei Rossi on percussion as an ideal ally, to which are added the daring reflections in the lyrical voice of Aldo Tagliapietra both in the sombre and changing "Era Inverno" and in the melancholic initial verses in the environmentalist critique of "Cemento Armato", a piece that in between finds the trio building an intense and solid wall of sound, one of the best on the album.

And if the lysergic experimentation of the instrumental "Evasione Totale" plagued by synthesised keyboards brings Le Orme closer to the most psychedelic Pink Floyd, their most personal and peaceful side is exposed in the beautiful fragility of "Immagini" with Tagliapietra's megaphonic voice backed by Pagliuca's celestial keyboard, and in the infinite sadness of "Morte di un Fiore", which concludes the album by fading into the horizon.

"Collage" is an excellent album that, despite not having a profuse diffusion and recognition, helped superlatively to underpin the way for the take-off of Italian progressive rock in the early 70s.

4 stars

After the very good "Collage", Le Orme takes a leap in quality with "Uomo di Pezza", their third album, released in 1972. The band focuses on women's stories that in some cases metaphorically describe harsh dramas of abuse and mental disorders, which are surprisingly compatible with melodies of great sonorous warmth, gentle acoustic developments sprinkled with melancholy and a generous range of keyboards, following the predominant characteristic of Mediterranean bands of the genre, and also stripped of the decibelic contribution usually generated by electric guitars.

The delicate "Una Dolcezza Nuova" with the organs of Antonio Pagliuca, the classical piano of producer Gian Piero Reverberi and a relaxed instrumentation with epic overtones, marks the beginning of the album, which continues under the leadership of Aldo Tagliapietra and his vocal line harmonised with the acoustic character of the melodies, as in the aching ballad "Gioco Di Bimba" with its rhythmic guitar accompanied by harpsichords and mandolins, in the hypnotic half-time of the baroque "Breve Immagine" and Pagliuca's suspenseful mellotron, or in the arpeggiated and watery "Aspettando L'Alba".

And linked to this feeling, the synthesizers claim their share of protagonism, as in the anguished insanity of "Figure di Cartone" and Pagliuca's moog taking over the surrounding atmosphere, and with greater forcefulness in the claustrophobic and mysterious "La Porta Chiusa" and, to conclude the album, in the instrumental and super progressive "Alienazione", a piece structurally influenced by the E,L&P referents with Tagliapietra, Pagliuca and drummer Michi Dei Rossi replicating the schematic pattern of the British trio.

"Uomo di Pezza" is an excellent work that, in spite of barely surpassing the half hour mark, solvently transmits its rough proposal, and places Le Orme on the podium of the most relevant trio of Italian progressive rock, sharing honours with Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Premiata Forneria Marconi.

4/4.5 stars

Review #148!

Of all The most-recognised RPI records, this is the proggiest. Crazy technical, rapidly changing in mood, style, signature, and tempo, and highly conceptual, this makes for what ought to be a quintessential prog album. And by golly, it is! The concept is about two planets that orbit each other, one the beautiful Felona, and one the dark, under shadowed Sorona. The album consists of nine tracks, each amazing in their own way. The first is 'Sospesi Nell'Incredibile', which translates in English to "in between''. It's a mini-suite of sorts, an interstellar journey through heavy synth- and percussion-led passages of pure prog concentrate. The second is the first of many interludes in this album, entitled 'Felona', a beautiful (fittingly) one-minute acoustic ballad with a slow build to blow one away. The third track: 'La Solitudine Di Chi Protegge Il Mondo' (The Loneliness of Those Who Protect the World'), a somber, short, and beautiful song, but not an interlude, per se, wonderfully leads into the next track: the much heavier' L'Equilbrio', or "the balance". This feels like a fusion of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and Tangerine Dream, more on the ELP side. Extremely intense; short but good. 'Sorona', the fifth track and second interlude on this album, an electro-acoustic belt-out for the vocalist that aptly captures the pain Sorona experiences. 'Attesa Inerte' is a Hammond-led synthy groovefest, and unfortunately one of my least favorite songs on this album. 'Ritratto Di Un Mattino', or 'portrait of a morning' is a step back into the amazing. It begins slow, melodic, empty, then in a seemingly triumphant transition (I don't know, I can't understand the lyrics as they're sung in Italian), builds into a proggy, technically impressive, yet altogether beautiful ensemble segment, where every instrument gets to play. The song finishes with piano and leads into the soothing guitar intro of 'All'infuori Del Tempo', or "outside/out of time", is a bit more happy, but the lack of the heavy drums that you hear on the rest of the albums brings the song down. 'Ritorno Al Nulla', in English "return to nothing/naught", is the unintentionally melodramatic, yet still wonderful closing to the album. It is extremely high-octane, drum-heavy and technical.Something to make a proghead smile. Overall, this is a wonderful album. I'm appalled at myself for not reviewing this sooner ? this is stellar! In my research, I found a few cool coincidences and fun facts surrounding this album, like: in Malagasy (the national language of Madagascar), Felona means 'felon', and Sorona means 'sacrifice'. Also, (this shouldn't surprise anyone, but it's news to me, but) Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator wrote and translated the lyrics for the English version of this album, which I might just give a spin next. To wrap it up, this was a great record. Definitely worth any progger's time, and possibly a mainstay in my extensive catalogue of 'come-back-to-later' records. A new favorite in the RPI subgenre. Prog on.

The return of a legend! Rather a project initiated by Enrico VESCO, faithful collaborator of the Venetian group for almost thirty years who brought together Michi DEI ROSSI and Tony PAGLIUCA to try to bring together all the important musicians in the musical history of LE ORME (except one..... ..) for what will probably be the last album of the transalpine group but also the first double album of unreleased songs in its entire history.

A special and moving quote for the participation in this album of a musician from LE ORME who has been missing for thirty years: Germano SERAFIN. A rendition of him recorded at the time appears on the album.

Main question; Was it useful to publish a box set of 3 CDs since around ten titles are not real and new LE ORME? The five titles composed by Tony PAGLIUCA will add nothing to the glory of the group, only one being sufficiently "classy" to feature in a worthy place in the Ormes repertoire. The initial idea was certainly good, its implementation is much less so. We're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater, that's not the goal, simply a simple album with unreleased tracks would have been more than sufficient in my opinion.

So let's talk about the first CD called "Il Leone e la Bandera" and where we find the best of what is offered to us. After the "Ouverture", we move on to one of the pearls of the project with "Acqua di Luna" where we meet Luca SPARAGNA the new singer who has the privilege of replacing and making us forget Aldo...Question sound recording and mixing, no doubt we are there. ''Ferro e Fuoco" is much more energetic but nevertheless listenable. Bis repeat of the second title with "Lucciole di Vetro" by pure LE ORME with an astonishing keyboard score (piano and organ) by Michele BON and a magnificent singing by Luca in the terminal part, overall the honor is safe.

"L'alba della Partenza" is a successful combination of "Verita Nascoste" (the title track) and an Emersonian piano, and then this vocal phrasing which delights me, well done Luca SPARAGNA! The following piece "Rosa dei Venti" is in the same version except the choirs in the second part which make it passionate and exciting, I would even say captivating...The concluding instrumental track "Caigo" closes this album in style , flooded with the protean keyboards of Michele BON who proves her immense talents as an instrumentalist and joins Mr. SPARAGNA at the top of the bill for this album which honestly could stand on its own, but I am not a marketing specialist!

A good point for the iconography which recalls on the one hand the Venetian origins of the members of LE ORME, on the other hand the jacket of the cover of "Felona e Sorona" from 2016. Conclusion the first disc alone is worth an 8.5 but the rest barely reaches 7 (being nice) so an average of 7.5.

Le Orme's 1973 album "Felona e Sorona" is a masterpiece of Italian progressive rock and an absolute must-listen for any fan of the genre. From start to finish, this album takes the listener on a journey through a mystical world of soaring melodies, intricate harmonies, and complex instrumentation. Along with a fantastic concept.

The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful "Sospesi nell'incredibile," featuring ethereal vocals and a lush keyboard arrangement. One of the best tracks the band ever wrote. The following track, "Felona," is a true highlight of the album, showcasing the band's incredible innovative songwriting. The interplay between the bass guitar and keyboards is simply breathtaking here and throughout the album., while the intricate time signatures and shifting dynamics keep the listener engaged throughout.

Other highlights of the album include the dreamy "La solitudine di chi protegge il mondo," which features beautiful vocal harmonies and a memorable melody, and the song "Ritorno al nulla," which builds to a stunning crescendo with its driving rhythm and searing solos.

The track L'Equilbrio is another standout moment on the album. the song is able to create many moods and emotions and pull the listener in. The keyboards are also amazing on this track. Some great vocals too.

Overall, "Felona e Sorona" is a triumph of progressive rock music. Le Orme's virtuosic musicianship, intricate compositions, and thoughtful lyrics make this album a true masterpiece. The band's arrangements of the keyboards and beautiful vocals adds a unique and ethereal quality to the music, creating a sound that is both otherworldly and deeply moving.

While the album may not be as well-known as some of the other classic progressive rock albums of the era, it is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the genre. If you're a fan of bands like Yes, Genesis, or other Italian prog bands, then "Felona e Sorona" is an absolute must-have for your collection.

In conclusion, Le Orme's "Felona e Sorona" is a five-star album that deserves a place in any serious prog lover's collection. From start to finish, the album is a stunning showcase of the band's incredible talent and creativity, and remains a timeless classic of Italian progressive rock. Highly recommended!

The same Le Orme sense of melody and structure delivered via modern instruments (and some old) and recording techniques--with two keyboard players taking the place of 1970s wizard Antonio Pagliuca.

- Vento - 1. "Danza Del Vento - Part I (3:36) classic Le Orme melodies and structures with excellent modern drumming. Aldo only delivers a narrator's intro here. (8.75/10) 2. "Il Vento, Il Cielo E La Notte" (7:16) gentle, sparsely decorated opening with Aldo singing in his higher registers turns heavier with drums and seering guitar solo at the end of the second minute. I love the clarity with which each instrument/track is rendered. Quite reminiscent of some of Tony Banks' more romantic songs. (13.25/15) 3. "Danza Del Vento - Part II" (1:29) repeat of the main theme from the previous two songs with full band and dominating electric guitar solo. (4.25/5) - Terra - 4. "Danza Della Terra" (2:22) feels like a continuation with slight variation on the main theme and textures of the previous suite. Cool effect of bass and drum hits paired up percussively. Hammond solo. Obviously a introductory piece. Again, I am impressed with this drummer and the sound used to capture his kit. (4.5/5) 5. "Risveglio" (3:59) not-Aldo (?) singing about "terra" over arpeggiated multi-level weave of keyboards and "guitars". Very simple structure, like a ballad. (8.667/10) 6. "Canto Di Preghiera" (1:59) solo choir sounds like a monastic chant--until the electric piano comes in--and then bass and drums. Cool. (4.5/5) 7. "Lord Of Dance" (2:52) very ELP sounding opening as band takes off at a fast pace while synths solo. Singing in English! (4.5/5) - Pioggia 8. "Danza Della Pioggia" (2:38) saccharine solo "piano" opens this one for rain. It's as pretty as any 1970s film love theme. Unfortunately, the keyboard sounds used are a bit dated (cheap computer-rendered piano sound). (4.5/5) 9. "Dove Tutto E'! (4:40) sitar, percussion and Aldo open this one. Violin takes bridge between verses and then sticks around, continuing its melodic delivery. More percussives precede a sitar solo. When full band finally joins in and congeals beneath the sitar it's quite nice--like a George Harrison jam. (9/10) 10. "Luce Dorata" (1:29)~ "church" organ beneath Aldo's plaintive voice. Arp synth replaces Aldo for a very church- like finale. (4.33/5) - Fuoco - 11. "Danza Del Fuoco" (2:41) 1960s lounge jazz organ with piano-led jazz combo. Very 60s-sounding. Nice! (4.5/5) 12. "Il Respiro" (2:21) Not a fan of this vocal section where the music goes kind of rockabilly. (4/5) 13. "Danza Del Vento - Part III" (3:38) sounds like a Vangelis opening but then everything breaks into a celebratory dance. The whole rhythm track here throws me off. (4.25/5). 14. "Risveglio - Reprise" (1:27) an emotional reprise, as titled. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 42:27

Modern drums and mature, sophisticated composition skills make Le Orme a continued force in the RPI world. Plus, with such a variety of sounds and styles I can't help but give these guys some credit.

B/four stars; a very nice product from some old masters (with young recruits).

Whenever I go record collecting, I usually go for album I've heard before. It's usually the safer option for me, however, on occasion I get a record that I never even once heard before, making me experience something totally new. And at a record store the other day, I decided to indulge a bit, try something entirely new, fresh, and something I have never heard before, and I wanted to get more into Italian Prog, so I figured this album would be the perfect fit for me. I did not know what to expect, but I had a feeling I'd like it, and I did.

Let's start with what I like about this album. I really dig how tight the sound is. It's super crisp and nice. The songs aren't too long but not too short, and they take their time to truly make for great music. The album also flows pretty well, it sort of makes every song feel like they are in one giant suite of music. The vocals are also pretty good too, and with the combination of the instrumentation, especially the drums. The drums are snappy and gets a great beat down for all the songs. I do not feel like my time is being wasted with how tightly knit these tunes are, and they truly show their worth with their playing style. They definitely have an established sound going on and I am all for it. It makes me kinda want to listen to more of their albums. It wastes zero time establishing itself and cementing itself a great Prog record.

But, it has it's fair share of issues. For one, the songs while good, do not feel like they progress or improve on themselves, in fact they kinda sound the same. While that isn't the worst thing, but it doesn't do the album justice. Plus, when the songs get weird, they are more annoying then interesting, heck sometimes they feel like spoofs of the Prog rock genre as a whole, and not that good Thick As A Brick kind, instead just dumb teasing that just make for kind of a poor time.

So this album is pretty good. I am glad I picked it up at the record shop. It is fairly good, but definitely requires improvement in a good chunk of areas. I definitely liked this release though, and definitely would recommend for a good listen for anyone new or old to progressive rock.

I wasn't expecting to see this compilation in PA, especially as I consider it more of an "object" for Le Orme devotees. I try to explain: in the "Quintet" phase Le Orme are simply an Italian Beat/ Psychedelic band that engages something progressive but only to try to differentiate from the other bands that were operating in Italy at the time. Many of the ideas that are exposed in music have aged too badly and are tied too much to a period of the late 60's where I listened to better things even between bands of their own subgenre. What strikes me positively, however, is the quest to stand out despite having no real idea where the music was heading. As is known, in fact, it was only with the trip to the "Isle of Wight Festival" in 1970 that the band realized what the international scene was proposing and what their new verb will be. In their first two albums ("Ad Gloriam" and "L'aurora delle Orme") there is only the germ of what Le Orme will be later on. Which is fundamental for the birth of the Italian progressive. But which, in a more international sense, is not memorable.