ZITELLO Vincenzo
Et Vice Versa

Fy 8051


Dunya Records
Italia

 

The long awaited reissue of VINCENZO ZITELLO's first recording, made in 1986 on cassette, under the title Frammenti d'Aura Amorosa is now finally available. It's a highly interesting document that permits us a luminous glimpse not only of the early work of one of Italy's most original and versatile instrumentalists but also of the directions that quality music in the country was taking 16 years ago.
ZITELLO had come from long and arduous years of study of the Celtic harp to which he was seeking a personal approach, far from mere revivalism of the dreamy atmospheres of Breton culture. But even this began to pall after a while and so he decided to dedicate himself to writing his own original pieces, pieces which took inspiration from a wider range of music while at the same time consolidating on his own past experience and which highlighted ZITELLO's singular style.
And so was born a new ZITELLO (that many would somewhat unjustly categorise as New Age) capable of blending virtuoso playing with an intuitive lyricism. An almost unique case in Italy of the mid 80s, where the desire to mix from a vast palate of sounds had yet to take root. Listening again closely to Et Vice Versa, one is struck immediately by the originality of a work that has not only stood the test of time, but which in its untimeliness is as enjoyably contemporary as ever. On this album ZITELLO begins the sonic adventure that would lead to his discovery of music from all over the world. Applying to them his usual scholarly precision he would go on to produce work of exceptional quality.
The eight tracks of Et Vice Versa (two of which are completely new) recount musical stories that are both vibrant and reflective, ethereal and sanguine, songs whose melancholy is infused with great intensity and joie de vivre. ZITELLO's acoustic and electric harps coalesce and intertwine, describing arcs of great emotive power in a dense, tightly woven dialogue that permits the ear not a moment's rest. Et Vice Versa saw ZITELLO expand his own background and cultural horizons and pursue a creative path that would also permit him to develop his playing technique. In his music the union of tradition and modernity achieves a perfect synthesis that brings out the unsuspected potentials of the Celtic harp, one of Europe's oldest instruments. VINCENZO ZITELLO has studied with Alan Stivell and other renowned Breton musicians. He has also worked with some of the most important artists on the Italian musical scene including Franco Battiato, Ivano Fossati, Tosca and Alice.