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This story began in 1973 when Museo Rosenbach recorded their magnificent debut album Zarathustra that still is one of the boldest and most beautiful work in Classic Italian Prog and in contemporary music in general. And now nearly forty years later this new Italian band Il Tempio delle Clessidre (name taken from one song on the Zarathustra suite) performs the Zarathustra album in its entirety and most importantly and luckily, they perform it with respect to the original feel with original (obviously true analog sound I guess) and don´t try to change it to today´s "standards" in any way, with exception of some jamming that features nice Moog soloing from the great Elisa Montaldo on Superuomo. She´s also a great vocalist and is another lead voice on the Zarathustra, with Stefano "Lupo" Califi the original vocalist in Museo Rosenbach. And yet the sound is their very own, it´s just a bit different in colour. Actually their performance of Zarathustra is so mature in everything that I couldn´t have had believed to expect. If an inexperienced listener doesn´t know Museo Rosenbach ever existed he/she would be completely fooled by Elisa & boys as playing their very own music, they are that good. Bravo ! What a nice surprise. The band gives the very best and Zarathustra revisited is a superb performance and does honor and does justice to legendary band Museo Rosenbach.

Il Tempio delle Clessidre is an incredible debut album and for me is like a continuation to the Zarathustra epic, in a way. It represents the softer, female side of the subject, of course thanks to Elisa´s compositions and performance. Don´t get me wrong, it is far from mellow or dull passages. On the contrary, it contains some very heavy moments, like all great music does. The music of both Rosenbach and Clessidre have the power, grandeur and, most importantly emotion as the best Italian (prog) music always is so very special of. Clessidre is a bold evidence that RPI is very alive and kicking, so to speak. Because music is foremost and most importantly emotion, in the positive sense and that´s the essence of all .

Oh yes, the second part of the show features they own songs from the superb eponymous first album. Elisa Montaldo is the main composer and I just can´t stop admiring her enthusiasm for classic Italian prog that is so clear in her compositions. She is the most important female instrumentalist and writer in Prog of today. There are many good prog bands in modern Italian scene but Clessidre is very hard to surpass, both musically and as a performing unit. They are unique in modern Italian rock and in Prog Rock in general, they create a universe of their very own. There are not so many bands lead by a female, particularly in Prog and especially in Italian scene. Incredible young woman she is..... With the vocalist of Museo Rosenbach, Stefano "Lupo" Califi and the lovely lady Elisa this is a magical line-up.

Needles to say there´s no single dull moment. This is a fine document of a very special band in modern prog, namely the "Lupo" Califi era Clessidre. Alongside the Italian Prog Exhibition (4 DVD set from 2010) and the triumphant return of Alphataurus the Dove later that year, this is the very best DVD release in modern prog rock music so far, obviously a very hard job for any band to make better, particularly musically. Il Tempio delle Clessidre nicely represents the New Generation of Italian Prog and reigns supreme.

Another nice surprise, their very first live show, in Genova they hometown in 2009 with very good sound & picture quality is in the second disc.

Italian is the perfect language for symphonic progressive music, it just suits beautifully. And it´s so great to see the veteran proghead enjoying performing with his young companions who respect and prefer the origins of progressive rock, the symphonic way. They seem to understand that it´s only the music who is the true protagonist. No dull solos or other pompous and self indulgent moments, but a bit of rock theater and drama to fit this fantastic musical experience. This is a perfect union of the old & the new. This is a victory to new Italian Prog and today´s rock music itself. Rock is interesting again and so fun although their music is very serious. This all is so wonderful and extraordinary beautiful. Thank you so much, Elisa & boys.

Grazie !

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