Aria della battaglia, one of Claudio Ambrosini’s most recent compositions, makes its world premiere in Padova, Italy, this October 11. Courtesy of the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, conducted by Giordano Bellincampi.

Ambrosini had this to say about this new piece:
 
[…]
When Marco Angius (editor’s note: OPV musical and artistic director) called me to commission a new piece for the anniversary of Armistice Day and the end of World War I, I gladly agreed. The end of any war is, by instinct, something to love. It’s only right to celebrate the event, but it’s also a good time to reflect. One way is to turn back and look at the past. Of course, we don’t have to go all the way back to Cain and Abel, unless it’s to show how the Bible, right from the beginning, focuses on conflict and bloodshed, even among brothers. We can stop this flashback at the Renaissance, one of Italy’s most steadfast periods, especially in Venice and its holdings. Where Annibale Padovano worked. By the way, he too composed a “battle”; and the genre was also explored by other musicians, like Andrea Gabrieli. Padovano’s was a more close-up view. In terms of color, he’s more Ruzante, as opposed to Goldoni. As far as imagery goes, how can we not think of Paolo Uccello? I looked at what was supposed to be the last war from a certain perspective. I was passionate,yet detached. This allowed me to reflect on how much has happened since then. Five hundred years ago, war was described in such a way that sounds would immediately be associated with halberds and heraldry, knights and squires aristocratically surveying the battlefield in victory. To us moderns, especially in a year like 2018, peace is a joy to be shared. Imagine that happiness lived over and over again.

Aria della battaglia was commissioned by the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto.

Photo: Neno Brusegan