làssù, dove poesia e musica s’incontrano…

Francesca Breschi e I Violini di Santa Vittoria

ospite Riccardo Tesi

Francesca Breschi, dopo essere stata “a bottega” a fianco di personaggi del calibro di Nicola Piovani, Giovanna Marini, David Riondino, Marco Paolini, Elio De Capitani, Giancarlo Cobelli e tanti altri, dopo trent’anni di lavoro, studio e indagine riprende il filo del discorso su quel repertorio che da sempre le è più congeniale e che si pone sulla linea di confine tra la parola, la costruzione musicale di raffinata semplicità e bellezza, e la musica di tradizione orale.

In questa linea il progetto si apre alla collaborazione con un ensemble particolare come I Violini di Santa Vittoria che attingono in linea di successione diretta la propria peculiare unicità dalla tradizione dell’antico liscio emiliano, musica da ballo affidata in origine solo agli archi.

I Violini, insieme a Francesca, accettano la “sfida” ideale lanciata dalla sensibilità e genialità di Nino Rota, Manos Hadjidakis, Nicola Piovani, Giovanna Marini, Francesco De Gregori, David Riondino e oltre alla propria personale riproposta dei brani di questi grandi autori, si cimentano a loro volta nella composizione di nuovi testi e musiche.

Ad arricchire questo lavoro Francesca ha invitato un musicista che col suo strumento ha fatto conoscere all’estero, e agli italiani stessi, la musica e la canzone popolare e d’autore italiana, uno dei più bravi e sensibili organettisti italiani: Riccardo Tesi.

L’organetto diatonico deve molto a questo grande musicista che ha saputo elevare questo strumento, fino a poco tempo fa relegato alla sola tradizione e considerato a torto dai più “strumento minore”, ad un altissimo livello esecutivo creando un percorso personale di nuova scrittura.

In questo programma Riccardo ci fa regalo di alcune perle della propria sensibilità e del suo virtuosismo e noi gliene siamo immensamente grati…

Based on an idea by Andrea Bonacini and Claudio Carboni

The music of Secondo Casadei

A coproduction of Sheherazade and Biennale del Paesaggio, under the aegis of Riccarda Casadei’s Casadei sonora

sax Claudio Carboni clarinet Michele Marini violin Davide Bizzarri voice e guitar Maurizio Geri accordeon Daniele Donadelli doublebass Felice Del Gaudio – Doublebass

Andrea Bonacini and Claudio Carboni have been committed for years to reclaiming Emilia-Romagna dance music or Liscio, as it is commonly known as. In spite of their different backgrounds and starting points, they found themselves working together on some projects aiming at bringing this tradition back to life and, on behalf of the 2008 Biennale del Paesaggio Festival organized by the Province of Reggio Emilia, they decided to research the music literature by the musician who is said to have begun the “liscio” phenomenon, rightly considered an essential part of Italian folk culture: Secondo Casadei, founding father of the eponymous orchestra. Dropping the deeply-rooted reserves and false commonplaces about this tradition, thanks to the help of the music publisher Casadei Sonora, belonging to Riccarda Casadei, Secondo’s daughter, Claudio Carboni could access the Casadei family archives (including about 1,200 pieces, 1,078 of which recorded) and lay the foundations for this reclaiming project. The ensemble we refer to in this production is the one formed in 1928 that represented an incredible innovation for a Romagna orchestra at the time. Beside a clarinet in C, a violin, a double bass, an accordion and a guitar, a new instrument is introduced directly from the American swing tradition: a saxophone. Therefore, even the repertoire is influenced by new dances from across the pond, foxtrot, one-step… The need for a philologically correct production without creating a concert suitable for village fete dance floors concert led to adopt an attitude towards the past that is both strict and creative even when choosing the musicians to involve in this project. From Tuscany, Claudio Carboni involved Maurizio Geri – a fellow member of Riccardo Tesi’s Banditaliana, a group that has already signed wonderful projects to reclaim significant folk traditions – and Michele Marini, a young clarinet player with a brilliant future ahead of him. From Emilia, Shéhérazade involved Davide Bizzarri, a violinist and founder of the Emilian band I Violini di Santa Vittoria, Daniele Donadelli, a young accordionist who graduated from the local “Merulo” school of music and is already active not only in the classical and dance music repertoires, and a renowned and highly skilled jazz musician who chose Bologna as his adoptive city as Felice del Gaudio to play the double bass.

Technical Rider

pianoforte

la nascita del vino è ogni anno un incontro di melodie inesplorate e profondi ricordi…

La musica d’autore, il movimento creativo che la genera, così la fermentazione di un vino al distacco del frutto, sono insieme momenti di profonda cultura e improvvisazione, conoscenza e slancio espressivo… Il vino e la musica uniti nell’espressione di una civiltà, delle sue radici, della sua arte. Angelo Comisso ci trascina, le sue improvvisazioni sono fermenti sonori, celebrazione di spiriti che muovono nettare di fuoco.

Un esperto enologo, Giovanni Masini, conduce la serata descrivendo i sapori e le fascinazioni dei vini in degustazione e indicando a Angelo Comisso i temi sui quali sviluppare le proprie improvvisazioni.

Angelo Comisso ha partecipato a varie trasmissioni RAI presentando proprie composizioni ed è stato ospite a programmi della Radio Televisione Slovena come solista e leader di una propria Big Band. Si è esibito ai festival del jazz di Rjeka (Slovenia), Zagabria, Varazdin, Bassano del Grappa (Euromeet Jazz Festival) riscuotendo un buon consenso da parte della critica e del pubblico. Collabora con musicisti di fama internazionale tra i quali G. Basso, D. Goykovich, R. Miliardi, G. Trovesi, F. Bearzatti, R. Bonisolo, K. Gregory, D. Yurkovich, J. Thompson, D. Jarh, Roberto Ottaviano e Markus Stockhausen. Ha lavorato come musicista per la Walt Disney negli Stati Uniti. E’ attivo anche nel campo della musica contemporanea facendo parte del Laboratorio Nova Musica di Venezia, Ha suonato in varie manifestazioni di musica contemporanea (Roma, Torino, Venezia, Trieste,…). Ha collaborato in varie produzioni discografiche come leader e sideman. Collabora in veste di pianista e co-compositore con il gruppo internazionale LICHTBLICK con Markus Stockhausen. Da due anni è assistente ai corsi di jazz di Veneto Jazz tenuti in collaborazione con la New School University di New York. Svolge attività didattica in vari istituti musicali, prestando particolare attenzione all’insegnamento dell’improvvisazione jazzistica e non. E’ stato insegnante di musica e responsabile del Music Activity department presso il Collegio del Mondo Unito a Duino (Trieste).

Giovanni Masini è dottore in Scienze Agrarie, orientamento Microbiologia Agraria presso Università di Bologna, Master in Enologia presso Università di Piacenza e Dottore in Viticoltura ed Enologia presso Università di Firenze. Docente per enti di formazione professionale, tiene abitualmente conferenze tra le quali citiamo solo: presso l’Associazione Enologi Enotecnici Italiani, sez. Emilia, tenuta a Modena su: “Ricerca ed innovazione nella produzione dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale”; presso la Vineyard Data Quantification Society (V.D.Q.S.), University of Macedonia Thessaloniki (Greece). Dal 1998 è referente e formatore per le attività di addestramento continuo al controllo qualità e all’analisi sensoriale dell’Albo Assaggiatori di Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia. Svolge attività di assistenza alla produzione enologica e di ricerca applicata, tra cui ultimo progetto in svolgimento relativo alla riscoperta di alcuni vitigni autoctoni della provincia di Reggio Emilia in collaborazione con il Consorzio di Tutela Vini Reggiani.

piano Angelo Comisso tasting Giovanni Masini

“… the making of wine is each year a meeting of unexplored melodies and fond memories…”

Auteur music, the creativity that generates it, and wine fermentation after grapes are harvested are moments of deep culture and improvisation, skills and élan… Wine and music are joined in the expressions of a civilization, its roots, and its art. Angelo Comisso enthrals us with his music, his improvisations are sound ferment, celebration of spirits stirring fire nectars.

A knowledgeable wine expert, Giovanni Masini, leads the event by describing the taste and charm of italian wines presented and suggesting the themes Angelo Comisso can develop his improvisations upon.

Angelo Comisso has participated in several RAI (Italian national radio-television) shows presenting his own compositions, has been a guest as a solo player and a leader of his own Big Band in Slovene Radio Television. Has participated in Rjieka Jazz Festival (Slovenia), Zagreb and Varazdin (Croatia), Bassano del Grappa (Euromeet jazz festival) arising consent both from the side of critics and the public. He works with musicians of international fame such as G.Basso, D.Goykovich, R.Miliardi, G.Trovesi, F.Bearzatti, K.Gregory, D.Yurkovich, J.Thompson, D.Jarh, R.Ottaviano. Has worked as a musician for Walt Disney in United States. He’s active also in the field of contemporary music taking part in the ensemble Laboratorio Nova Musica of Venice. Has played in various contemporary music proclamations (Rome, Turin, Venice) Now takes the leadership of his own piano jazz trio, with which he has obtained the first prize in international music competition of Val Tidone (PC). He contributed to several discography productions as a leader and sideman. He plays in duo-trio formations with the German trumpet player Markus Stockhausen, participating to various European festivals and at the moment involved in the realization of a CD. Collaborates as a pianist and co-composer with the JAZZENCE, an international group (with seat in Wien) that is working to unite various artistic disciplines (musi, visual arts, dance, theatre, poetry). For two years he has been an assistant in the Veneto jazz courses hold in collaboration with New School University of New York. Takes part in didactic activity in music institutions, paying special attention to teach improvisation (in Jazz music and non). He has been a teacher of Music and the responsible for the Music Activity Department in United World College in Duino (Trieste, Italy).

Giovanni Masini graduated in Agriculture, specializing in agricultural microbiology, and then made winemaking his field of work. He holds conferences, among which “Ricerca ed innovazione nella produzione dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale” (Research and innovation in the production of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar) at the Associazione Enologi Enotecnici Italiani (Italian Wine Growers and Makers Association), section Emilia, in Modena on 15 May, 1995; “Techniques de la vigne et du vin” (Wine growing and making) at the Vineyard Data Quantification Society (V.D.Q.S.), University of Macedonia Thessaloniki (Greece), on 4 October, 1997; ”The ancient fermentation of Concentrated must”, “Organic wine and environmental health”, in cooperation with University of Bologna, Faculty of Agriculture, and the University of Verona, Faculty of Economics; the series of conferences “Produzioni vitivinicole con metodi biologici” (Organic wine growing and making), organized by the Province of Reggio Emilia in April-May, 1998. Moreover, he held courses such as “Addestramento all’Analisi Sensoriale dell’Aceto Balsamico” (Training to the Sensory Analysis of Balsamic Vinegar) in cooperation with Ella Pagliarini, Associate Professor of Sensory Analysis at the University of Milan, Department of Food Science, Technology and Microbiology, the post-graduate course “Addetto specializzato di cantina” (Winery skilled personnel) at the vocational training school Agriform Reggio Emilia, “Aspetti tecnologici e gestionali per la qualificazione delle aziende vinicole” (Technology and management in wine-making) in cooperation with the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino. He coordinated the activities of “AMALTEA”, Provincial centre of Food Education, in cooperation with Reggio Emilia Board of Education and the Local Health Unit, and of the regional project “Fattorie Aperte” (Open Farms) – a project to promote and support farms and holiday farms – in cooperation with the Council for Agriculture of the Province of Reggio. Since 1998, he is the sole reference for the training courses for quality control and sensory analysis of the Association of the Producers of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia. A partner in the agency FoQuS, he is a consultant in the field of food industry compliance with health rules and process improvement. He is in charge of controls on quality and environmental sustainability systems in Emilia-Romagna wineries. He is a director of the Association of the Producers of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia and member of the Committee for the Protected Designation of Origin Certification of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia within the certification body P.A.I. Product Autentication Inspectorate Limited, London, UK.

I Violini di Santa Vittoria con Riccardo Tesi e Claudio Carboni

Roberto Caselli

A project designed by Andrea Bonacini. Music by Arnaldo Bagnoli, Davide Bizzarri, Riccardo Tesi and Claudio Carboni. Arrangements by Davide Bizzarri. Musical consulting Riccardo Tesi and Claudio Carboni.

L’Osteria del Fojonco is a charming disc. A very valuable anthology of popular dances ennobled by a blended group of inspired musicians, under the name and traditional aegis of Arnaldo Bagnoli and his music. One can sense in that being musicians Violins of Santa Vittoria don’t quit feeling the weight of a conflict between classical and popular music they should become artists with a high degree of agreement and an enviable style, not common. Pupi Avati

“Osteria del Fojonco” is a disc without gender, without any “file under”; it might be on the shelf of classical music, folk and contemporary music, anywhere it wouldn’t make a bad impression Franco Zanetti (Rockol. August 18, 2009)

The project’s life is today; elegant and enthusiastic. There are the age settled between preindustrial polkas and mazurkas, the shadow of Giuseppe Verdi and secular holidays in the country (feste laiche dei paesi). The music is sinful tango and ancient peasant socialism. A mythical and faraway land, not less than the Sahara, in which there’s a little oasis in the middle of the desertification of the music. Pier Andrea Canei (Il Sole 24 ore. September 6, 2009)

… Interesting work in which is the blend of something that today is considered cultured style, even that at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth century was more than ever heritage of the people. Roberto Caselli (JAM October 2009)

This is a new chapter in the story of the Violins of Santa Vittoria.

Having witnessed the tradition of violinists laborers of this small village in northern Reggio, the Violins of Santa Vittoria try to display an artistic self. For those who doesn’t know the story, we want to clarify that these are the origins of couple dance music as simply we call it today.

By speaking of couple dance music, the path is mined: there is always the risk of offering a hand in restoring an image easy ironic, like this music has today. Once it was different.

In the early decades of last century in Italy this new genre entirely replaced the old unplugged dance and opened a new musical experience related to professional dance connected and ‘lascivious’. Since the will of being joined with this past and especially with the family Bagnoli, landmark of the entire project in the history of the music, the Violins of Santa Vittoria try to explore new sounds thanks to the invaluable assistance of Riccardo Tesi and Claudio Carboni.

The aim of Riccardo Tesi and Claudio Carboni is to give to the music project the required new look: by now their careers have this meaning: they achieve a good ensamble watching music tradition without dogma, with clever attention in being both musicians who live today and will give boost to music’s future. This artistic experience hasn’t, therefore, an antiquarian vocation, but less a folk aim: this is such a music that wants to live in its time and has the ambition to follow the path back to the genre by saving it from the oblivion.

Osteria del Fojonco debuted October 4, 2007 at the Teatro Comunale di Bagnolo in Piano (RE), has just performed in several stages throughout the peninsula: we like to remember the Festival Paleariza in Bova Superiore (RC), the concert season of the Teatro di Carpi, The “Other Sound Festival” by the Teatro Comunale di Modena, the exhibition “Sound by Earth” in Sant’Agata de ‘Goti (BN), the Festival of “Water and Lands” in the province of Brescia, the exhibition “The Floating Opera” by the Municipal Theater of Casalmaggiore.

a project by Andrea Bonacini screenplay by Orfeo Bossini conducted by Davide Bizzarri

violins Davide Bizzarri Orfeo Bossini Roberto Mattioli viola Gigi Andreoli doublebass Filippo Pedol

Pictures Foto di gruppo

A Bit of History…

In the late 18th century, dances typical of the Germanic and Slavic countries spread in the Emilia-Romagna countryside. Austrian occupation favoured the spreading of polkas, mazurkas and waltzes in the Po Valley, soon merging with local music. The result is a new and well-liked kind of music, which is still deeply rooted in local culture and is known as “ballo liscio”; its function has always been to dance and entertain. An original kind of music developed from the mid-1800s in and around the village of Santa Vittoria (in the Municipality of Gualtieri – province of Reggio Emilia): local dance music is characterised by the use of string instruments only. The Concert of Violins – this was originally the name of the bands playing this music – is re-proposed in its original form: the string quintet.

The Ensemble The ensemble includes three violins, a viola and a double bass, as it is typical of Santa Vittoria string quintets whose sounds are unique and unusual.

The scores used can be dated from the 1930s to the 1950s, though some of the music was composed earlier, some as early as the 1800s, and belonged to the repertoire of the many Concerts of Violins present in Santa Vittoria.

The CD “Concerto Bagnoli” was released in 2002 after a long and thorough research study started in 1999, and includes waltzes, mazurkas, polkas, one steps and tangos composed by members of the Bagnoli family.