CONTRAPPUNTI

I know that most people prefers Felona e Sorona, but I've always thought this is the real masterpiece by Le Orme. When I bought it, I had already fallen in love with their music for some years, most of all because of the enchanting contrast between their strong rock (even if classical oriented) sound and Aldo Tagliapietra's delicate, almost fragile voice. Felona e Sorona was a real surprise to me, but this one... my god! "Contrappunti" may be regarded as a little patchy, as each song seems to be a different episode and stiles tend to vary sensibly, but they are all great songs. And I deliberately use the word "songs" as this is another point for the Italian band: they never forgot that song should always be the basic format for rock, and music by Le Orme is still fully listenable today, avoiding the critics of being "pretentious". "Contrappunti" stands out as a demonstration of strong discipline, the work of a band which wanted to face classical musi not only by "ripping" its tunes (as for instance ELP used to do), but also to deepen into its structures and use them for creating new stuff. The instrumental title/opening track is an astounding example: a counterpoint with a balanced and precise piling up of recurring themes with a complex but also straight forward rhythm structure. Toni Pagliuca is not Keith Emerson, he can't go so far, but I really think that ELP never played something so daring as a composition. The other instrumental pieces are as well charming: "Aliante", with its synth layers and mechanical rhytm patterns, can even remind of what - in the same year 1974 - the Kraftwek in Germany were experimenting, while "Notturno", with its gloomy synthesized hue on folk melodies, really reminds you of an autumn/winter night in Northern Italy. The other songs are almost the most beautiful pieces in progressive rock, and Italian music as well. The delicate ballad "Frutto Acerbo" deals with precocious sexual experiences, and is pure melancholy powered by poetic lyrics ("E d'estate a sera via di corsa all'osteria / per ripetere a mio padre "La minestra è fredda" / Nel silenzio verso casa la sua mano triste" i.e. "On summer nights I rushed to the pub / to repeat to him "Your soup is getting cold" / In the silence on our way home, his sad hand). "India" features an unusual structure, forerunning the typical "new wave" sound, but with more melody, and a very interesting investigation of sound through synthesizers. "Maggio" is a joyous epic celebrating Mayday, a holiday which in Italy (and many other countries) is dedicated to the workers. An introduction "à-la ELP" leads to a lively song, with very good melodies and a good interplay. But the real masterpiece is "La Fabbricante D'Angeli" (i.e., The Angel Maker). This song, in 1974, was strictly censored by the Italian State Radio and TV because its wonderful lyrics deal with illegal abortion, seen through the eyes of a "Mammana" (an old woman able to make abortions). Its music is amazing, an unforgettable organ introduction, than an animated song with a typical instrumental tune as a refrain and a marvellous counterpoint (again!) between a muted harpiscord and a lute instead of heavy riff. A masterpiece inside a masterpiece. I think I'll always go mad at this album.