Stefano Mainetti: ALONG TIME, Chamber Music for Cello and Piano

Description

I’d like to capture Maestro Stefano Mainetti in words, much like he captures emotions in his music. I’ll try, following the rhythm of his compositions and the beat of his heart. Stefano begins Adagio, taking time to understand the notes he’ll choose, Moderato when he first glimpses the emerging emotions, and then, once he’s found the theme, he becomes Allegro, Vivace, Vivo! … and as if by magic, those five lines fill and transform into music … Real music.
Pino Insegno

Along Time:
A Musical Journey Through the Ages
by Massimo Privitera
When three exceptional musical minds come together—each bringing a high level of compositional and performance intellect—and instantly ignite that marvellous synergy Goethe termed ‘Elective Affinities’, the result can only be something like ‘Along Time’. This is a journey retracing years gone by, life experiences both personal and professional, and that sublime, intangible art we call Music.
In this instance, it’s Music applied to imagery, as brought to life by Stefano Mainetti—the creator of this album—and the duo of Luca Pincini on cello and Gilda Buttà on piano. They’ve already been the principal interpreters of many of the original soundtracks featured on this CD, and together they stand as leading figures not just in the Italian film music scene, but internationally.
Mainetti, who chose these two extraordinary musicians for this extensive reinterpretation of his works for film, television, and theatre (and more besides), is one of those multi-award-winning composers with a truly significant and eclectic portfolio—over a hundred soundtracks from the 1980s to today. Equally impressive are the credentials of Buttà and Pincini, who have performed and recorded numerous scores for cinema, theatre, television, and pure music projects for luminaries such as, foremost, Ennio Morricone, followed by Nicola Piovani, Luis Bacalov, Franco Piersanti, and many others.
The opening track, “The Testament,” is taken from The Word of Promise, an audiobook project from 2007–2009. Produced by Thomas Nelson Group—the world’s largest distributor of Bibles—in collaboration with Falcon Pictures, it comprises 79 CDs and a DVD. This ‘audio drama’, as the Americans term it, is akin to a serialised production featuring over 600 actors, complete with music and sound effects. It stars Jim Caviezel (who portrayed Christ in Mel Gibson’s film, here again playing Jesus), alongside several Oscar winners in key roles, including Richard Dreyfuss (as Moses), Louis Gossett Jr., Jon Voight, Marisa Tomei, as well as Michael York, Stacy Keach, Terence Stamp, and Luke Perry.
The piano delicately sketches the opening of a leitmotif with pointillist precision, while the cello responds in a heartrending counterpoint, expressing nostalgic lyricism through its strings—touched to evoke a bodily lament of spiritual sorrow and poignant vocalisation. It’s one of those themes that prompts deep reflection, leaving one with no escape from the welling of tears.
Next is “Orgoglio” (“Pride”), sharing its title with the period drama series set in early 20th-century Italy—a notable success on Rai TV from 2004 to 2006, starring the incomparable Elena Sofia Ricci. The soundtrack garnered several awards, including the Cinemusic prize at the Ravello Festival for the best score for Italian television drama in 2005. The leitmotif is steeped in neo-romantic classicism, immediately captivating with its emotionally stirring melody—so memorable you can hum along from the first listen. In the heartfelt unison of cello and piano—always in sublime counterpoint that makes them feel like a full orchestral ensemble rather than just two virtuosic soloists—the piece reaches its lyrical pinnacle. It actually contains both the main theme and the Love Theme, two emotionally refined facets of the same musical narrative.
“Kiki De Montparnasse” is drawn from the 2018 theatre production Follia (“Madness”), directed by Matteo Tarasco and starring Alessia Navarro, originally performed by Buttà and Pincini themselves. Mainetti describes the work thus: “I consider Madness a means to open a door to truth, towards the deepest emotions. […] For me, music is the art of escape… from pain. As Pina Bausch said: ‘Dance, dance… otherwise we are lost.'”
This gently flowing Parisian waltz brings to mind the clear melodies of Nouvelle Vague cinema. The piano lightly traces patterns, lovingly circling the cello, which responds with enchanted admiration. They alternate in a dance of roles, reminiscent of Dante’s verse: “and it seems that from her lips moves a gentle spirit full of love, which speaks to the soul: Sigh.”
“La dolce ala della giovinezza” (“Sweet Bird of Youth”) comes from the 2021 stage production directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi—a romantic drama underscored by a main theme that carries the scent of 1940s noir. It’s an underscore that urgently demands attention yet remains emotionally detached, made even darker and more conspiratorial by the suspended piano and the cello’s tense strains. Buttà focuses on delicate pianissimos filled with rarefied air, while Pincini’s cello hints at the leitmotif from the shadows, subtly brought to life by the piano.
The haunting “Come pietra paziente” (“Like a Patient Stone”), from Matteo Tarasco’s 2021 play of the same name, sees cello and piano entwined in an embrace that’s far from comforting—highlighting gripping narratives that, as the piece unfolds, dissolve into an increasingly piercing romantic melody.
“Follia” from the aforementioned theatrical work begins with a complex, Bach-inspired cello passage, embodying that “state of mental alienation caused by abandoning all criteria of judgement,” as ‘madness’ is defined in our dictionaries. The piano enters with minimalist offbeats, increasingly determined to heighten the aforementioned state. With an exquisitely delicate touch, barely grazing the keys, it sketches a theme that feels mystical, distant in both time and space (of the mind). It’s a melody that opens up the concept of sensory transcendence of the human soul, especially as the cello joins in, clarifying a state that seems like eternal darkness but is, in fact, infinite light.
“Timing,” from the 2008 short film 15 Seconds directed by Gianluca Petrazzi and produced by Raoul Bova and Chiara Giordano—a poignant piece advocating against the death penalty—features a theme that’s both gently singable and achingly desolate. Rich in pop nuances, the two musicians elevate it with grace, careful not to slip into overly sentimental performance, thus highlighting the touching nature of the heartfelt composition.
“Rendering Revolution” stems from an innovative project Mainetti presented at the MAXXI in 2017. Utilising digital technology, it fused original music, video, dance, and painting to create Rendering Revolution, an “augmented” musical experience. The leitmotif, performed here solely by Pincini through overdubbing, is a tango seemingly echoing Piazzolla’s style. It offers a performance brimming with joyful and thoughtful interplay—the cello plucks strings and taps the soundboard to provide the characteristic rhythm of Argentine dance—sweet, elegant, and truly danceable, like a dragonfly playfully skimming over water.
“Frida Kahlo,” from Alessandro Prete’s 2016 theatrical project of the same name, presents an intimately sorrowful theme. The cello becomes its most intense voice, with the piano as a worthy companion. A restrained tenderness cautiously unfolds in this performance, which concludes on a subtle uplift.
“The Seventh Dream” from Follia introduces a new variation on the Parisian theme: bright, joyful, and playfully swirling like an old carousel where adults and children spin in carefree delight.
“Alexandra Del Lago” from Pizzi’s Sweet Bird of Youth carries a modern noir vibe. The piano undulates in an increasingly mysterious progression, while the cello employs pizzicato and occasionally draws out strident tones near the bridge—even engaging in tense counterpoint—making for a striking stylistic expression.
“The Shooter” is the main theme from the 1995 action film Shooter – Attentato a Praga, starring Dolph Lundgren and directed by Ted Kotcheff (known for Rambo). Here, it’s reinterpreted with dynamic flair befitting an action piece of its kind, yet with a nod to the composition and style typical of 1970s American crime films—especially evident in the escalating interplay between the two instruments.
Then comes the only piece not connected to visual media, “Tango per Maria,” which Mainetti wrote for his daughter Maria in 2004. It’s a swirling piece that embodies a father’s infinite love for his daughter—implying enduring protection and constant presence, yet also granting her the freedom to soar into life with all its awaiting inconsistencies and joys.
The album concludes with the playful virtuosity of “L’Assassino è quello con le scarpe gialle” (“The Killer Wears Yellow Shoes”), from the 1995 comedic thriller directed by Filippo Ottoni and starring the comedy troupe Premiata Ditta (Roberto Ciufoli, Francesca Draghetti, Tiziana Foschi, and Pino Insegno). It’s a mocking, jazz-infused rhythm filled with melodic nuances reminiscent of 1950s and ’60s TV detective themes, with a nod to classic French cinema and a cheeky reference to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”