SLANCIO MODERATO
Virginia Guastella has been playing and writing for 25 years now. She is 29.
Claudio Trotta has been playing for 30 years now. He is 43.
She, pianist and composer. He, drummer and producer, of ideas. In May 2007 they decide to play together, and to call themselves “Duo Improbabile” (Improbable Duo). Why “Improbable”? Because of the unusual setup, because it is unusual for two musicians from worlds apart to have something in common. For all this to generate artistic results is even more unusual. The combination and the heterogeneous professional experiences are fertile ground for a strong aesthetical empathy. Duo Improbable is a project – a laboratory – that transfigures all different backgrounds (classical, rock, jazz, and fusion, modern and contemporary) through the virtuoso playing of the players, while Virginia Guastella’s pencil absorbed and generated new ideas, giving them the appropriate musical shapes.
“Slancio moderato” (“Moderate rush”) is their first CD. The title comes from Kandinsky’s last painting; where art and reality are once more penetrate each other.
The repertoire is very varied. “L’era del ghiaccio” (“The Ice Age”) is articulated at first through relaxed musical images, within the lento ostinato in 11 and open to the cantabile harmonies in fourths, then getting tighter through the rhythmical grids that expand on the materials in countless disguises, reaching its apex in the percussive songo.
“Ghisa al chiaro di luna” (“Moonlit Cast-iron”) can be considered our “manifesto of improbability”, becoming song through chord chromatism, self-generated ostinato, atonal cadences, prelude to a constant interest for Bach.
“Cuore a – lato” (“Heart on the wings”, but also “Heart, aside”) is the sonic representation of a heart that sets itself aside, sets itself somewhere else, to the right side, and it keeps on beating. It is the tactus of its own flight.
“Marmo fuso” (“Melted marble”) is the symbol of how musical art can fuse what lives in clear-cut bocks, within countours that can be barely scratched.
A fusion is possible, maybe only by switching language.
“Rapsodia in là” (“Rapsody in A”, but also “Rapsody, to that side”) is a chain of events, joined by harmonic affinities and ever-changing stylistic facets.
“Anagramma” (“Anagram”) is wrapped up and suspended in the time of the pianistic writing, finding relief in a circular melodic rhythmicity.
“Chin Chin” is a tribute to Astor Piazzolla.
“Improbable genesi” (“Improbable Genesis” [bonus track]) marked the beginning of Duo Improbabile. A few fragments generate a lively rhythmical winding paying hommage to Bach keyboard while passing through the harmonies of Miles Davis’ “Flamenco sketches”.
CREDITS
Recorded Mixed and Mastered
VDM Studio - Rome
Studio Borgo della Musica - Avezzano
September 2008 - March 2009
Sound Producer and Sound Supervisor: Igor Fiorini
Sound Engineer: Antonio Pulli
Assistant Engineer: Francesco Giurgola
Graphic Artist and photo: Fabio "Geo" Manganelli
Graphic layout: VDM Records
Piano Tuner: Marc Maggio
Technical equipment:
Pyramix by Merging Technologies
DPA microphones
Crane Song by David Hill preamplifiers
TC Electronic Processor
Special thanks: Giuseppe e Aldo Stornelli