Morando Morandini, Milano, 11 febb. MMIV                                 < click per l’originale

Caro Giovanni,

L’altra sera al Rondinelle di Sesto t’ho detto, dopo il primo tempo, che ero rimasto sbalordito. Non era un’iperbole. Era tanto tempo che non assistevo a un concerto così emozionante, coinvolgente, persino sorprendente. Così fisico. Ho cominciato a capire - (non) sono (che) un critico che spesso al cinema deve vedere un film per la seconda o terza volta per ascoltare/sentire la musica - chi sei e che cosa vali. Questo tuo concerto/spettacolo “arriva al cuore”, mi ha detto la gentile assessora alla cultura che mi ha accompagnato al dernier metro. Aggiungo io: arriva anche alla pancia. Sei un eclettico sincretista che riesce a mescolare - e spesso fondere nel tuo crogiuolo - l’est, l’ovest e il sud (il nord, non mi sembra), il jazz, il rock, la musica afro-americana e quella tzigana e le risonanze e dissonanze postmoderne. E  che lavoro di squadra. E che solisti. La Minetti mi ha incantato, inquietato e soggiogato, il poliCerino è un funambolo picassiano che può fare di tutto con i suoi strumenti, specialmente col sax, e la sdutta Mancini è un’attrice con la grinta. Ho un debole però per la Longoni che fa l’amore col suo violino.... Meritereste un grande teatro a Milano o a Roma e una settimana di repliche almeno. Perdonami ‘sta sbrodolata. Sai che mi hai fatto venir voglia di rivedere i film di Soldini soltanto per ascoltarne le musica? In fondo questo vostro “Brucio nel vento” è una rivincita sul cinema e le sue schiavitù. E’ una liberazone dal cinema. Sei lo Spartaco di te stesso. Ciao   

Morando

David Kerman, July 27, 2003

Hi, GV: Hope you have been well. I’m still in Israel, but travelling between the states for work/music.

I recently had a 13,000 word editorial published in an American magazine, exposing what I believe is the problematic nature of today’s Progressive Rock Music.

In the article I argue that other forms of music are not subject to the same amount of “emotional” attachment to the ‘sound’ by their appreciators, and have included the following statement about your recording as part of my case:

“In another realm, much to purists’ chagrin, the innovative use of computer has made headway with an unlikely partner, the Flamenco Guitar. (Lagos, Venosta and Mariani’s “Metamorphoses”). Through the radical implementation of software, the basic sound of nylon strings becomes something different, as is alluded to the title, and besides changing timbre, is made to undergo previously unknown changes in tuning, tempo and cadence. This brings about an entire re-inventory of styling, although it could be argued that in this instance the change was not as much ACCEPTED as it was sought after. In any event, it brings the Flamenco Guitar into a new dimension, because those who were experimenting with it were not expecting or seeking out derivative results”.

In an experimental sense, Gio, the very spirit which you and your confeds embraced helped to change an already accepted form into something “other” (or perhaps “beyond”): it’s intended styling. I believe if other types of contemporary music would approach their work equally as intrepidly, the state of modern music would be able to see some sort of advancement via the implementation of experimentation.

I hope to see you again soon, I’m not in Italy as often as in the past, but hope we can keep in touch.

Many Best Wishes,

Yours in Music,

David

David Moss, Berlin, April 3, 2010

ABOUT YOUR MUSIC Mr. Venosta:

1. A. as usual, totally amazing!!   yoo are still a fucking genius
   

2. B. but a “smoother” genius...
   

3. C. of the 3 CDs. the “Cosa voglio di più” is definitely my favourite example of YOU and your work:
   

-- weird giovanni-esque Country/Rockabilly guitars

-- great, amazing sparse, open but moving GROOVES (tr. 1 especially)

-- funny rockabilly piano - you? on tr. 2

-- on tr. 3 - what a completely weird-ass melody and bass-line going together -- REALLY YOU!!

-- tr. 14/15 really gorgeous shivery strings (synthed?)

-- tr. 21 - so slow, amazing - you are da Maestro!

-- this CD is sonically subversive, yet with a “mainstream” superstructure, that listeners never know they are being subconsciously radicalized - WONDERFUL!

500. D.“Estômago was my 2nd choice:
     

-- your general mix of electro/acoustic sounds is eccentric /personal, and odd - but it really works

-- tr. 1 Tema Nonato - YEAH - when the drums come in at 4:30!! and was that a real group of voices???

-- tr. 3 pretty weird sax quartet -- don’t usually hear “that” sound in movies

-- tr. 9 -- holy shit!  made me flashback to “Dr. Zhivago” - wow nice!

5. E.“Giorni e nuvole” was my least favorite:
   

and that surprised me, because the Sound/mix  was incredibly good, beautiful studio/production here - BUT!

-- for my ears you are GENRE-trapped and movie-music entrapped in this one  -- the ethnic music “prison” is too  maximum security for anyone - no composer could stay with his really personal ideas here

-- BUT STILL, by track 4, Venosta-viewpoints are starting to be heard.

-- and all the really slow tunes/pulses are wonderfully relaxed, loose, swinging ...

-- my god, you are a GROOVE-MEISTER!!

-- trs. 5/9/12 -- I personally love the pseudo-Baroque mix/sound here in tr. 5, which gets a cubist twist in tr. 9 and 12 -- beautiful moods!

-- tr. 10 -- MANNNNN -- I can’t believe how delicate and sensitive  YOU CAN BE!!!

-- no really, it’s sweetly, warmly human

-- BUT, all in all, too controlled by you and by, I believe, forces outside you.

So let me go back to A:

-- as usual, totally amazing!!  you are still a fucking genius, and I love you for it!

ciao and love

david

...and some fantastic review

Mike King on “Losing the orthodox path” by Musci/Venosta/Mariani (Victo, 1997):

“Although several friends swear by the various Musci/Venosta records for ReR Megacorp, what I’d previoulsy heard of their work left me with mixed thoughts, as their music seemed unfinished and at times unengaging.

Not so with Victo’s releases of a new studio recording with additional member Massimo Mariani and 10 guest musicians. Between them, a wide range of “western” and “ethinc” instruments are employed, certainly too numerous to mention here. Beyond these, one must consider also a moltitude of samples extracted from an eclectic range of recordings. The booklet notes includes a basic guide for the sound sources ans studio processes used for the eight compositions. For example, La Morra features (among others): electric guitar treated through hard-disk recording, tubes, fake mute trumpet, samples of dolphin call, sample loop of percussion from upper Egypt, samples from Turkish sufi chants. Furthermore, we are told to “listen to this music extremely loud”, which is good advice indeed. However, the review’s problem remains: how does one describe such a supremely crafted tapestry of sound and composition when there is such a rich canvas of details to appreciate it? As a homage to ancient music, Musci, Venosta and Mariani blend a powerful undercurrent of otherwordly intrigue and mysticism throughout their structures, resulting in an emotionally engaging experience unlike any other CD recording I’ve encountered. Unlike Biota, for example, most of the real-time palying is placed alongside and distinctly from the computer world, creating both a stimulating, dynamic and crossover references. Like Biota, there is much originality to reward both close and repeat listenings. This isn’t jazz, nor improvised; in their words, “Losing the orthodox path” is a homage to ancient music, but through an electro-acoustic approach. Our jazz and/or rock souls do the rest”.

Massimo Biliorsi  (La Voce del Campo), “Agata e la tempesta” (CAM, 2004):

“Con questa prova artistica e discografica, il compositore Giovanni Venosta entra a pieno diritto nella ristretta lista dei migliori compositori italiani per il cinema. E con questo secco e perentorio commento si potrebbe anche chiudere qui la recensione di “Agata e la tempesta”, nuova colonna sonora di Venosta per il film di Soldini, edita dalla Cam e distribuita nel nostro paese dalla Sony Music. Ci troviamo infatti davanti a ben ventitre tracce fresche e brillanti, variegate, di felice ispirazione, nel segno di un connubio che ha avuto una sterzata verso un cinema ben godibile, di grande fascino, senza trascurare la malinconia-allegria delle cose. Così le musiche: c’è tanta carnalità, c’è tanta Italia di provincia in queste partiture di sicuro fascino e questo dal primo più superficiale ascolto. Finalmente un disco che mette d’accordo impegno e grande coinvolgimento anche emotivo. Passano con disinvoltura le tracce musicali di Giovanni Venosta: ecco l’Italia di argini e fiumi, che passano come allegre e colorate biciclette, nel mezzo ci sono queste composizioni, che sembrano essere le figlie predilette delle melodie per la serie anni cinquanta di Camillo e Peppone. Certo, le melodie si sono trasformate, ma più che loro sono cambiati gli arrangiamenti, il modo di porgere ironia e malinconia, in un gioco tipicamente nostro di raccontare le storie, anche attraverso la magia immortale della musica. Da “Agata e i suoi fratelli” passando da “Quel treno per Cicognara”, con la gustosa citazione anni sessanta della “mondiale” More del maestro Ortolani. Un disco imperdibile, da gustare al pari di un gelato in riva al mare, con un tramonto che va sul rosso, proprio come gli accenti musicali di Venosta. Gran bel disco, raro, costruito con cura ma da ascoltare in ogni possibile situazione. L’ideale sarebbe poterselo gustare dentro una vecchia Autobianchi Bianchina cabriolet perché questo disco non corre ma riesce a vedere tutte le cose che lo circondano. Un lavoro a cinque stelle che è fortunatamente mal databile, mal collocabile, fuori da ogni epoca, da ogni moda.”

Bryan Sale (Sound Choice) on “Water messages on desert sand” by Musci/Venosta (ReR, 1987):

“An album of deep charm that’s unlike anything I remember hearing. Musci and Venosta play various acoustic (piano, steel and acoustic guitar) and electronic (keyboards and tapework) instruments. Helping out are other musicians on percussion and various reeds, sometimes in the form of wind ensembles of different sizes. At times these arrangements with their Satie-like voicings and humorous to reflective moments bring the French group ZNR to mind. They’re really lovely, simple, direct and somehow unchallengeable. Intermixed throughout this records are tapes of music and vocalists from all over the world, mostly third world countries: Iran, Mongolia, Algeria, Pakistan as well as China, Ethiopia and so on. All of these are rich in ethnicity, lke a chant from a magic ceremony of Sanhyang or a tape-loop of Pygmy girls chanting as they gather mushrooms. Sometimes these tapes are treated. Often though, they are used in their original state and music is performed around it. This record is very absorbing. There’s a timeless quality to the music on this record. I could listen it ten years from now and I don’t believe it would the least bit dated.

da Alias - il manifesto, “Brucio nel vento” (Virgin, 2002):

Silvio Soldini narra, riapre il senso dell’amore eterno, della “malattia” del cuore in una società che non rimanda certo ai clamori germanici o alle smanie vocalistiche italiche. In “Brucio nel vento” la passione è il motore di un’immobile realtà dove la musica di Giovanni Venosta tende a recuperare un pathos antico in un suono d’archi, in una dolcezza dei piccoli gesti, con una scrittura armonicamente coinvolgente senza tendere al tema romantico dominante nelle storie d’amore. Venosta è attento a riscoprire tutte le atmosfere sospese, i francesismi indispensabili per raccogliere gli sguardi e le poche parole narrate più che dette. E’ un comporre scevro da manierismi e incline al frutto della memoria, di quella memoria che rimane immutata negli anni e nei momenti vissuti e recuperati. Nel cd anche temi che non si trovano nel film nonché le indispensabili canzoni narranti.

giudizio: immenso.

John Gill (Vox) on “Messages and portraits” by Musci/Venosta (ReR, 1992):

This startling collection is an essential purchase for anyone interested in the Byrne/Eno/Gabriel axis. Drwan from two earlier Musci/Venosta albums, this knocks “Bush od ghosts” and Gabriel’s “Passion” soundtrack into a cocked hat, and could make Holger Czukay look to his laurels.

Italian studio mischief-makers Musci and Venosta juggle an astonishing range of World Music sources, treating and replaying them as different musics. Notions of origin and authenticity become irrelevant in this trans-global sound mèlée. Voices and instruments cross borders: African rhythms reappear as salsa, sampled Lutoslawski accompanies spooky Residential jungle drums. They delight in forgery; shameless jokey “Japanese” vocals, the applause from ELP’s “Welcome back my friends...” live LP. I fear their depraved sense of humour extends even further in the boggling annotations to this dazzling compilation. Crazed post-modernism, perhaps, but with heart and soul.

Vote: 9.