Franceschini: Songbook and Silver Lion in Venice
October 3, at the 63rd edition of the
Biennale Musica, Tovel’s (aka Matteo Franceschini)
Songbook for rock quartet, amplified ensemble and live electronics, makes its world premiere. Performed by the instrumental groups Icarus Ensemble and Cantus Ensemble, conducted by Francesco Bossaglia. Following the presentation of the
2019 Silver Lion for Music. Venue: Teatro Toniolo, Mestre.
Songbook is the third release in Franceschini’s LIVE project, begun in 2011. The project also includes
The act of touch and
Opus.
We asked Franceschini to tell us something more about the LIVE cycle and
Songbook. Here are excerpts of what he had to say.
LIVE is a borderline project. It brings together my experiences in classical music and electronic rock […]
The use of atypical groups is one of the main esthetic drivers of my music […]
For Songbook, I wanted to combine a rock quartet with a contemporary music ensemble, flirting along the borders of language. I gave a lot of thought to the relationship between the two “groups”, their limits, the influence they had on each other.
One of the main aims of the project, and the entire LIVE triptych, is to unite the complexity, depth and richness of contemporary writing (the “written” page) with the “illuminated” energy […] of a live electro-rock set.
The project is like a live hypnotic concept album, whose creation led me to a personal reflection regarding the ‘historical’ model of the song form. With the aim of coming up with deeper structures, exploring various gestural and perceptual archetypes. […]
Songbook comprises 12 songs. A variegated set. Simplicity is the watchword. A clarity of intent intrinsic to the nature of a single song. […] The repetition of the structures and the recognizable elements in terms of melody, rhythm and harmony become the true generating core of Songbook, inspiring the narrative.
SONGBOOK (2019) - [trailer] from TOVEL (aka Matteo Franceschini) on Vimeo.
Songbook, commissioned by the Venice Biennale and co-produced by the foundation I Teatri Reggio Emilia, will be performed October 5 at the Festival Aperto in Reggio Emilia.
Images: Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia - Photos by A. Avezzù