TRE MARTELLI
Concerto di Natale

fy 8279

885016827922
Felmay Records
Italia

 

The thirteenth album by Tre Martelli, the historical / seminal group of traditional Piedmontese music, reveals the spirit of their “Christmas Concert”, an annual event that recrerates the atmosphere of the period of Nativity. From Christmas Eve to the Epiphany, a cycle of days and especially nights in which magic and religiosity still at today intercesct amd blend. Between sacred and profane, between heaven and earth, this album traces the Pidmont rites and traditions of the Christmas period through popular music and songs.




The publishing of the thirteenth record from the Tre Martelli, who have been performing for over four decades on the stages of a good part of Europe, aims to reveal, as fully as possible, the true spirit of their "Christmas Concert".
The project, that since 1978 has become an annual event, intends to musically recreate the atmosphere linked to the period of the Nativity: from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany, a cycle of days and especially nights in which magic and religiosity still intersect and sometimes blend.
In the past, the atmosphere of the Christmas holidays in Piedmont was not only characterized by the many religious functions, but also by pagan reminiscences such as the Christmas log, the strennas, the bonfires, the nocturnal vigils (the "vijà"), the performances of popular plays such as “Il pastore Gelindo”, the Nativity scenes, particular foods and by many other local customs of which only partial memories are preserved.
Between sacred and profane, between heaven and earth, this album traces the Piedmont rites and traditions of the Christmas period through popular music and songs.
For its production an extensive research was carried out throughout the Piedmont area and in some neighboring regions such as the Val d’Aosta and Savoy, digging into the most archaic traditions and sometimes recreating songs and traditions that have fallen into oblivion.
We also benefited by the precious advice of esteemed ethnomusicologists such as Gianpiero Boschero (for the Occitan area) and Franco Castelli (for the Alessandria area) and the local research work of the Trouveur Valdotèn and the Badia Corale Val Chisone.
Some lyrics by the poet Giovanni Rapetti (Villa del Foro 1922-Alessandria 2014), set to music by Andrea Sibilio, complete this fascinating journey through the traditions of Piedmont with their epic but never rhetorical impact.

Tre Martelli has been on the scene for over 40 years now.
They are a valuable point of entry to the musical traditions of Piedmont, because, over the years, they have patiently reconstructed the folk music heritage of the region. The quality and accuracy of its field work together with energy and creative maturity of the band’s performances, have engendered enthusiastic audience response and critical acclaim, both at home and abroad with a huge increase in concerts, tours, performances in national TV’s and Radios (B.B.C., R.A.I., etc.), not only in Italy but also in the most part of Europe.
The band’s recorded output has been unanimously acclaimed by specialist international critics writing in the world’s foremost music publications.

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