FUTURO ANTICO VI - ROMA E LA FESTA DI SAN GIOVANNI

We are at the court of the Popes between 16th and 17th centuries. The "Festa" of "San Giovanni"(St John) is an event still celebrated in St.John in Lateran square in Rome each 24th of May, and it's exactly in that place in 2009 that this project was presented for the first time.

Let's ignore the bad accent. Speaking with roman accent is very uneasy for non-romans and Branduardi's accent is not credible. However, the historical and musical research have found some very interesting forgotten songs.

"Prologo - Le Streghe"(Prologue - The Witches) is the story of a man who falls in love with a witch. It starts as a poetry, then it's only voice and dulcimer. The lyrics are very nice. "If all the witches are like you, I'm no longer afraid, I want to see them". But it ends with an advice: "If you see women walking alone by night don't touch them. When the fox walks alone by night brings the wolf to the trap".

"Coro De Demoni" (Demons' Choir) is an orchestral instrumental. Try to imagine Blackmore's Night playing ancient instruments. This is the difference: it's not reprising and arranging medieval or renaissance music. It's playing it as it was supposedly played at these times.

"Forestieri Alla Ventura" (Strangers To The Fortune) sounds like a jester's or tumbler's song and probably it is as the author is anonymous.

"Gagliarda V" (Galliard V) is a one minute instrumental to which the strings add a very baroque flavor.

It's followed by "Preludio"(Prelude) that's a baroque guitar solo. For lovers of classical guitar.

"Cinta di Rose" (Surrounded by Roses) is a a hymn to beauty and Nature.

"Passacaglia Della Vita" (Passacaglia Of Life) Passacaglia is a genre of composition, slow and sad. "You cheat yourself thinking that the years won't end. We all have to die, life is a dream". So it's more about death than about life. Good for a funeral but the melody is very good.

"Balletto delle Virtu'" (Ballet of Virtues) balances the funeral darkness of the previous song. It's a minuet, not very happy, but very far from the previous deadly song.

"Segui Dolente Core" (Follow Painful Heart) Is a song about a painful love. A non corresponded lover sings about his endless pain. Viola, guitar and voice for a sweet and sour song.

"La vecchia" (The old Woman) is a funny song about a very old woman who is more than 90 years old and sings happy. She doesn't care of her age and lives her life happily. It sounds like a jester's song and has a rhythm very similar to an Irish ballad.

"Corrente V Gagliarda I" is not a single song: Interpret it like "Corrente number 5" followed by "Gagliarda number 1": two instrumentals tied together by the author, the German Kapsperger who was a virtuous of the theorbo.

"Affacciati Uno Poco"(Face A Bit) is a serenade with a strong baroque flavor. A pop song of the 16th Century.

"Tre Sorelle"(Three Sisters) is one of the most interesting songs: Krautrock from Renaissance? I'm joking of course, but this song sounds incredibly modern.

"Damigella" (Young Lady) is another popular song. The Lady of the song is not properly a princess. She is asked to "pour her wine and let her dew fall". It was probably dedicated to a real person.

"L'ultimo Di De Maggio"(The Last Day Of May) announces the end of the album. St. John is celebrated on the 24th so we are one week after. Branduardi is the speaking voice (as in the first song), and the poetry is another story of painful love. On this song Francesca Torelli shows an excellent voice other than being an excellent guitarist and the orchestra director. How can some people be so talented?

However that's not the last song. The album is closed by a "Tarantella". Despite the most known tarantella, this one has a slow tempo and is an excellent instrumental featuring spinet and flute, two instruments very often used during the Renaissance in Rome and Naples. It's only after about 3 minutes that the percussion and the tambourines make it recognizable as a standard tarantella. A complex song made of at least three different sections.

So what to say of this album? As all the "Futuro Antico" collection it hasn't anything prog. It's ancient popular or classical music rediscovered and reinterpreted with the same ancient instruments. Who likes prog-folk with its roots in the past, like the mentioned Blackmore's Night, or even Pentangle, early Clannad or Malicorne will probably like also this.

A very interesting collection from a "cultural" point of view. A non-essential album for the prog world.

An average rating.

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