MASSIMO FERRANTE
Populaj Kantoj

fy 8234

8805016823429
Felmay Records
Italia

 

Populaj Kantoj is the title of a small, precious anthology of popular songs of Southern Italy, narrated also in Esperanto in order to express the desire and the utopia of a humanity capable of communicating with one language. With his vigorous and passionate vocal style, Ferrante takes us through traditional songs and social chants from Calabria, Sicily, Apulia and Campania. An album full of ancient but contemporary moods, which has its roots in the historical tradition but elevates gestures and feelings, events and uses of small communities of rural culture in Southern Italy, up to emotions and universal values.

On his fourth CD for our label, MASSIMO FERRANTE keeps on researching and revitalize the musical and social reality of Southern Italy, with particular attention to Calabria, Sicily, Apulia and Campania. Joined by a group of valuable musicians and his faithful twelve string guitar, Ferrante shows again an inimitable voice, muscular and passionate enough to do justice to the songs of the Mediterranean.
Populaj Kantoj is the title of a small, precious anthology of popular songs of Southern Italy, a journey through regions and traditions, narrated also in Esperanto in order to express the desire and the utopia of a humanity capable of communicating with one language.

The crossing of Calabria begins with a song for solo voice, taken from a work by Goffredo Plastino, continues with a song whose verses are attributed to the bandit Mimmo Strafaci, recalls the occupation of the land in Calabria revisiting a song of Otello Profazio, shows a new interpretation of a serenade by Savelli and a lively tarantella from Acre, and recovers an unissued tarantella Calabro-Lucana, collected by MASSIMO FERRANTE in Tortora.

The trip in Sicily includes a Giuseppe Ganduscio’s lullaby better known in the version of Rosa Balistreri, a ballad by Vincenzo Lo Iacono about the massacre of Bronte in 1860, a song that tells of those forced to steal for feeding their children (well known in the interpretation of Nonò Salamone). Also are included another lullaby previously field recorded by ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax and Diego Carpitella and a delicate traditional Christmas song.

The journey continues in Apulia with a tribute to Matteo Salvatore, proposes a version of the famous Tarantella del Gargano, and lands in Campania with verses written by the wives’ committee of FIAT workers in Pomigliano D'Arco, co-written with Angelo De Falco of Zezi group, based on the melody of a song by Edith Piaf. The route ends with a poignant serenade, and finally with a mocking cellar song from Avellino area.

An album full of ancient but contemporary moods, which has its roots in the historical tradition but elevates gestures and feelings, events and uses of small communities of rural culture in Southern Italy, up to emotions and universal values.