Inspired by the fascination of orally-transmitted musical works, we seek and find the matter suited to our intentions in those pieces whose taste and destination are closest to us, be it amid the lines of the musical staves on which a famous nineteenth-century Russian piece is written, amid the notes of a Greek dance or of a fourteenth-century Italian ballad. We seek there those moments of emotion which music alone can transmit, and which demonstrate the invisible weave on which an essential component of our culture is drawn. We all can see our own reflections mirrored in the music of the past, exactly as in the music of another country. It seems precious little, but it is in fact a mind-boggling concept: music can sing and speak, but it does not tell; it strikes us deeply though we cannot know what it is about. Digital and electronic technology have added new possibilities and enlarged the boundaries of the aural universe surrounding us, which becomes increasingly complex. When we employ the clear and unpretentious languages of anonymous tunes, which have survived the close examination of many generations of musicians and listeners alike, we can hazard to transform them without betraying their emotional content. If we want to imagine the sound of a lost musical heritage, such as that of the ancient European tradition, the most plausible hypothesis we have is to adopt and understand the aesthetics of orally-transmitted modal music. The reasons for this approach are manifold – anthropological, historical and aesthetical; however, it is not important to discuss this at length. Rather, we decided to make the journey in the opposite direction, with the aim to confirm, at least, that this path is accessible. We have interpreted works taken from the living oral tradition as if they were pieces of an early musical language whose knowledge is lost forever. In order to do this, we have made use of the most recent technology, shuffling the cards so that the listener could enjoy it. It is not a shallow game, but a serious task, undertaken with respect.
Beyond Borders [Oltre Confine]
