PERGOLESI | SAN GUGLIELMO D’AQUITANIA
“In the unfolding of the whole work, and also in the recitatives, we always find a feverish impulse, an inner instability from which historical element emerges tirelessly, this capacity to philologically restore the conflictual dimension, to render a drama that goes beyond the mere representative entity, as if the Neapolitan conductor and harpsichordist wanted, with the full participation of voices and orchestral accompaniment, to depict with the sounds the pressing of history and its influences on human being. This inner “electricity” that lurks in the vein of the entire work is also evident in a “softening” figure as it can be the comic role embodied by Captain Cuosemo (played by Mario Sollazzo with an excellent performance), whose “estranged” dimension, exquisitely “human”, instead of representing the typical “element of rupture”, embodies the social layer, the political and economic issue (to put it with the Marxian conceptions) of his living time, thus transforming its comedy into a dramatic allusion.”
Andrea Bedetti | www.musicvoice.it
“Nello svolgersi di tutta l’opera, e ciò anche nei recitativi, vi è sempre una febbrile pulsione, un’instabilità interiore dalla quale emerge instancabilmente questo elemento storico, questa capacità di restituire filologicamente la dimensione conflittuale, di rendere una drammaticità che esula dalla semplice entità rappresentativa, quasi che il direttore e clavicembalista napoletano abbia voluto, con la piena compartecipazione delle voci e dell’accompagnamento orchestrale, raffigurare con i suoni l’incalzare della storia e delle sue influenze sull’uomo. Questa febbricità, questa “elettricità” interiore che si annida nel filone di tutta l’opera va a intervenire anche in una figura “stemperante” come può esserlo il ruolo comico incarnato dal Capitano Cuosemo (reso dallo stesso Mario Sollazzo con un’ottima resa “attoriale”), la cui dimensione “estraniante”, squisitamente “umana”, invece di rappresentare il tipico “elemento di rottura”, incarna lo strato sociale, la questione politica ed economica (per dirla con le concezioni marxiane) del tempo che vive, trasformando così la sua comicità in un’allusione drammatica.
La lettura in questione del San Guglielmo di Pergolesi assume un contorno che non solo va ben oltre i confini restrittivi e “stilistici” di un oratorio, ma anche e soprattutto di un “dramma sacro”, la cui “verticalità” spirituale, o quantomeno religiosa, viene compendiata da una necessità “orizzontale”, in cui persino le figure di San Guglielmo, dell’Angelo, di San Bernardo, del Demonio, proprio sull’esempio di ciò che è stato detto sugli eventi storici, culturali e sociali di cui fu al centro Napoli tra il finire del Seicento e la prima metà del Settecento, assumono una valenza “carnale”, in cui la consistenza antropomorfica cede il passo a un’antropologia caratteriale, data per l’appunto dalla proiezione “orizzontale” all’interno della quale si muovono i personaggi e si svolgono le azioni.
Oltre al già citato Sollazzo, nel ruolo di direttore, clavicembalista e Capitano Cuosemo, la prova offerta dagli elementi dell’ensemble Alraune risponde pienamente alle necessità espressive richieste da questo tipo di lettura, in cui la coesione esecutiva si deve sposare con la dimensione individuale dei vari strumenti che, di volta in volta, devono raffigurare sonicamente la psicologia, l’esistenziale dei personaggi chiamati sulla scena dell’ascolto.”
Andrea Bedetti | www.musicvoice.it
“One is quickly conquered by an irresistible dramatic power, inserting the air in the heat of the action, with many striking innovations. The main asset was the Ensemble Alraune, richly coloured, under the baton of Mario Sollazzo, who also plays the role of Cuosemo, in Neapolitan dialect: always funny”.
Francois Lehel | OPERA magazine
“On est vite conquis par une irrésistible puissance dramatique, insérant les airs dans le feu de l’action, avec maintes innovations frappantes. Le principal atout s’avérant l’Ensemble Alraune, richement coloré, sous la baguette de Mario Sollazzo, qui assure aussi le rôle de Cuosemo, basse bouffe, en dialecte napolitain: toujours drôle”.
Francois Lehel | OPERA magazine
“Mario Sollazzo and the beautiful ensemble Alraune record the first success (1731) of Pergolesi, a sacred drama where the confusion of genres reigns upon all. See the extreme disparity of the soloists, between the grandiloquence “seria” of Carla Nahadi Babelegoto, the triviality “buffa” of male secondary roles and the oratorian fervor of Monica Piccinini.”
Diapason
“Mario Sollazzo et le bel ensemble Alraune gravent le premier succes (1731) de Pergolèse, un dramme sacrè où regne la confusion des genres. Voyez l’extreme disparitè des solistes, entre la grandiloquence seria de Carla Nahadi Babelegoto, la trivialitè buffa des roles secondaires masculins et la ferveur oratorienne de Monica Piccinini”.
Diapason
“The comic bass character of Captain Cuòsemo is the most distinctive ‘light relief’ of the piece, with Mario Sollazzo’s voice almost defiantly non-operatic but highly effective in the role. If you can cope with this Baroque genre’s usual swathes of recitative and male roles written for high or female voices – all convincingly acted and sung here – then the whole thing can be counted as royally entertaining.
You know you are in for a treat from the start, with an opening sinfonia full of drive and energy, the musicians of Ensemble Alraune sounding superb. The singers are all excellent, and the recording has a vibrant ‘live’ feel, with a sense that risks are being taken. The production is red-blooded and captivating, and all of the singers are excellent both in terms of vocal colour and dramatic characterisation. A particular highlight is San Gugliemo’s sublime aria Manca la guida al piè in Act III, but you’ll be hard pressed to find any weak moments at any point in this production”.
Dominy Clemens | Musicweb International
“Il basso comico di Capitan Cuòsemo è il più caratteristico “rilievo leggero” del brano, con la voce di Mario Sollazzo quasi provocatoriamente non operistica ma altamente efficace nel ruolo. Riuscendo a gestire i soliti ruoli recitativi e maschili di questo genere barocco scritti per voci alte o femminili – tutti qui recitati e cantati in modo convincente – allora il tutto può essere considerato regalmente divertente. Vi aspetta una sorpresa fin dall’inizio, con una Sinfonia di apertura piena di slancio ed energia, i musicisti dell’Ensemble Alraune dal suono superbo. I cantanti sono tutti eccellenti, e la registrazione ha una vibrante sensazione di “live”, con un grande senso per i rischi che sono stati presi. La produzione è a sanguigna e accattivante, e tutti i cantanti sono eccellenti sia in termini di colore vocale che di caratterizzazione drammatica. Un punto culminante è la sublime aria di San Gugliemo “Manca la Guida al Piè” nel terzo atto, ma sarà difficile trovare momenti deboli in questa produzione”.
Dominy Clemens | Musicweb International
“The Italian Ensemble Alraune, on period instruments plays with big stylistic consciousness and vivacity and is brilliantly conducted by Mario Sollazzo, who also sings the role of Cuòsemo, whose comic elements he savours with a characteristic baritone. The other top-class singers maintain a high sound culture, with all their parts. Overall, it is worth getting closer to this rarely heard spiritual drama through this excellent recording.”
Roilf Fath | Opera Lounge
„Das italienische, stilsicher aufspielende Instrumentalensemble Alraune wird souverän von Mario Sollazzo geleitet, der auch noch die Partie des Cuòsemo übernommen hat, dessen komische Elemente er mit prägnantem Bariton genüsslich auskostet. Das übrige hochkarätige Sängerensemble pflegt eine hohe Klangkultur, in dem alle ihre Partien durchweg klar- und schlankstimmig präsentieren, ohne dass es irgendwann blutleer klingt. In der Titelrolle des bekehrten Guglielmo überzeugt Monica Piccinini mit sauber geführtem Sopran, dessen Ausdruckstiefe beeindruckt“.
Roilf Fath | Opera Lounge
„Incredible funny, abysmally tragic. The quartet at the end of the First Act is an anticipation of the future of musical theatre and the whole piece is the astonishing example of an almost rich modesty and economy, but which filling in figures, Differentiations, expressions and allusions Pergolesi creates with the meager means, is phaenomenal. The ensemble Alraune shows up in good to high form. Born in Naples, the ensemble leader Sollazzo, who, in addition to his part-time job as a singer in the buffo role of Cuosemo, also plays continuo on the harpsichord, gives incisive impulses with his continuo playing, the strings play elastic to drastic, with sensitive lines, with temperamentally attacking, sometimes bitterly accentuating verve. The drama of the sacred lives on in this committed, thought-out, agile, pulsing recording of an astonishing work”.
Martin Mezger | Concerto Magazine
„Rettunsgslos komisch, abgrundtief tragisch. Das Quartett am Ende I. Aktes ist ein Vorgriff auf die Zukunft des Musiktheaters und das ganze Stueck obendrein das staunenswerte Exempel einer gleichsam reichen Bescheidenheit, einer Oekonomie, aber welche Fuelle an Gestalten, Differenzierungen, Ausdruckssphaeren und Anspielungsraeumen Pergolesi mit den kargen Mitteln ershcfft, ist phaenomenal. Das Ensemble Alraune zeigt sich in guter bis hoer Form. Der geburtige neapolitaner Ensembleleiter Sollazzo, nebst saengerischen Nebenjob auch am Cembalo zugange, gibt mit praegnantem Continuospiel praegende Impulse, die Streicher spielen elastisch bis drastisch, mit sensiblen Lineaturen, mit temperamentvoll attackiernder, auch mal herb akzentuierender Verve. Das Drama am Sakralen lebt in dieser engagierten, durchdachten, agil durchpulsten Einspielung eines erstaunlichen Werks“.
Martin Mezger | Concerto Magazine
PURCELL | DIDO & AENEAS
“The performance is certainly not bound by any inherited performance tradition: the chorus ‘Cupid only throws the dart’ is positively funereal; ‘But ere we this perform,’ too, is rethought, the slower tempo adding weight before an accelerando takes us into appropriately stormy waters.
Never have I heard such a frenzied ‘Oft she visits this lone fountain’ (the Second Woman, Alice Molinari, does well to keep up with the gritty dotted rhythms below her while a shadow show of orgiastic ladies underlines the threat). It is symptomatic of what makes this Dido so refreshing: a real rethinking of the music and the drama”.
Colin Clarke | www.seenandheard-international.com
“L’interpretazione non è sicuramente influenzata dalla tradizione: il coro “Cupid only throws the dart” è positivamente funereo; “But ere we this perform”, altrettanto, è ripensato, il tempo lento aggiunge peso prima che un accelerando ci porti appropriatamente nelle acque tempestose.
Non ho mai sentito una versione più ritmata di “Oft she visits this lone fountain” (la Second Woman Alice Molinari, regge bene sull’accompagnamento strettamente puntato mentre un gioco di ombre mette in scena un’orgia femminile che sottoline ail tutto). E’ sintomatico di cosa renda questo Dido così fresco: una vera reinterpretazione della musica e del dramma”.
Colin Clarke | www.seenandheard-international.com
“Just few notes of the overture let perceive the strong pathos and the stylistic attention present in the reading proposed by Mario Sollazzo who, from the harpsichord, conducts the musicians of the Ensemble Alraune. The sound is neat, brilliant, rich in contrasts and nuances that guarantee the elegance and variety of narration needed for the score of Purcell”.
Alberto Dilenge | www.connessiallopera.it
“Sin dalle note dell’ouverture si percepiscono il forte pathos e l’attenzione stilistica presenti nella lettura proposta da Mario Sollazzo che, dal clavicembalo, dirige i musicisti dell’Ensemble Alraune. Il suono è curato, brillante, ricco di contrasti e sfumature che garantiscono l’eleganza e la varietà di narrazione necessarie alla partitura di Purcell”.
Alberto Dilenge | www.connessiallopera.it
“Musically speaking, the conductor Mario Sollazzo proposes a performance thought out, dramatically responsible, with some surprises. The first is the addition of a ruthless “drumbeat” to the opening music: a bit alienating but sensational. This beat still appears a couple of times during the show. The timing selection is sometimes surprising, “But ere we perform” is surprisingly slow, but there’s a thought behind it: When the pace accelerates from that inertia, the drama gains in impact. “Oft she visits this lone mountain” is so fast that it sounds like a warning, that Dido is not swallowed by her own dogs, just like Actaeon. Above the action, an orgiastic scene takes place in silhouette. The original instruments sound beautifully ornamented; sometimes it seems to be in unknown land, but we never get bored.”
Robert Levine | Operagazet.com
“Muzikaal gezien biedt dirigent Mario Sollazzo een overdachte, dramatisch verantwoorde uitvoering, met een paar verrassingen. De eerste is de toevoeging van een meedogenloze drumbeat bij de openingsmuziek: een tikje vreemd, maar wel sensationeel. Deze beat duikt een paar keer tijdens de voorstelling op. De keuze van de tempi wekt soms verbazing. Als “Cupid only throws the dart” ooit langzamer is gespeeld, ben ik daar zeker niet bij geweest. Excentriek. “But ere we this perform,” is ook traag, maar daar zit een gedachte achter: wanneer het tempo vanuit die traagheid wordt opgevoerd, wint het drama aan impact. “Oft she visits this lone mountain” daarentegen is zo snel dat het klinkt als een waarschuwing, opdat Dido niet, net als Acteon, door de eigen honden wordt verslonden. Boven de actie speelt zich, in silhouet, een orgiastische scène af. De “authentieke instrumenten” spelen fraai geornamenteerd; soms lijkt het alsof we ons op wel zeer onbekend terrein bevinden, maar we vervelen ons nooit.”
Robert Levine | Operagazet.com
“Mario Sollazzo conducts the precious Ensemble Alraune on the same high and innovative level of the whole performance”.
Silvia Campanari | Opera
“Perfettamente in linea con lo spettacolo si è mossa la direzione di Mario Sollazzo alla guida del prezioso ensemble Alraune”.
Silvia Campanari | L’Opera
RISTORI | LE FATE
“Mario Sollazzo and Stefano Zanobini decided to represent the work entirely, without any cut, with a duration of more than three hours, but the audience did not feel any moment of boredom thanks to the instrumental verve of the Ensemble Alraune that has never left without character even the simplest accompaniment and a young cast that we do not hesitate to consider ideal”.
Paolo Montanari | www.gbopera.it
“Mario Sollazzo e Stefano Zanobini hanno deciso di rappresentare l’opera integralmente, senza alcun taglio, con una durata di più di tre ore, ma il pubblico non ha avvertito alcun momento di noia (o almeno non lo ha dato a vedere, dato il calore per nulla “germanico” degli applausi) grazie alla verve strumentale dell’Ensemble Alraune che non ha mai lasciato privo di carattere nemmeno il più semplice accompagnamento e ad un giovane cast italiano (o perfettamente italofono) che non esitiamo a considerare ideale”.
Paolo Montanari | www.gbopera.it
“Furious is also the staging of Anne Juds. A feast for the eyes. A phantasmagoria of dragon flights, gorgonian hair, fake breasts and rampant jungle atmosphere. It’s a heartfelt staging, a lot of sense of tradition and a lot of sensitivity to the spirit of our times. These artists know that in a place like this they must satisfy the public’s desire to see and they do it with skill. The musicians of the Ensemble Alraune play with passion, from the harpsichord conductor Mario Sollazzo breaks down fast, the music is very rhythmic, slender and funny. The ensemble of Italian singers sings with obvious, great fun”.
Udo Badelt | Opernwelt
“Furios auch die Inszenierung in der Regie von Anne Juds. Ein fest fuer Auge, eine Phantasmagorie aus Drachenfluegeln, Gorgonenfrisuren, falschen Breusten und wuchernder Dschungelherrlichkeit. Beherzt. mit viel Sinn fuer Tradition und Gespuer fuer den Geist der Zeis ist das inszeniert, darueber hinaus aber mit ansolut gegenwaertiger Leidenschaft. Die Macher wissen, dass sie an einem Ort wie diesem die Sehlust des Publikums befreidigen muessen. Das tun sie gekonnt. Die Musiker des Ensemble Alraune greifen beherzt in die Saiten, am Cembalo gibt Leiter Mario Sollazzo ein rasches tempo vor, die Musik ist sehr rythmisch, schlank und kurzweilig. Dem Ensemble aus italienischen Saengern glaubt man gern, dass es rieseigen Spass macht, hier zu singen”.
Udo Badelt | Opernwelt
SCARLATTI, SONATE
“Under his fingers, the miniatures seem to arise spontaneously: refined, weightless and autonomous. The fact that they do not degenerate into a cold abstraction is due to the subjective approach of Sollazzo: the listener can hardly escape the amazement for the eccentric madness and the real “emotional roller coaster”. Among Scarlatti’s albums that have recently been almost overinflated, it is one of the most valuable and consistent.”
Sven Kerkhoff | Musikansich
“Sollazzo rückt in seiner Deutung die ursprüngliche Herkunft der Sonaten aus der Kunst der Improvisation in den Mittelpunkt. Unter seinen Fingern scheinen die Miniaturen wie spontan zu entstehen – kunstvoll, schwerelos und für sich selbst stehend. Dass sie dabei nicht zu kühler Abstraktion verkommen, ist dem unverhohlen subjektiven Ansatz Sollazzos zu danken. Der Zuhörer kommt so aus dem Staunen über die exzentrischen Verrücktheiten und stimmungsmäßigen Wechselbäder kaum heraus. Es ist unter den zuletzt fast inflationären Scarlatti-Alben eines der qualität- und gehaltvollsten”.
Sven Kerkhoff | Musikansich.de
“The two discs of Novantiqua Records present an interesting selection of some of the most beautiful sonatas. The first disc includes three sonatas for more instruments, beautifully interpreted by members of the Ensemble Alraune and Sollazzo. Sollazzo, wanting to read Scarlatti regardless of the instrument on which it is performed, and indeed wanting to highlight the ductility, richness, of the Scarlet writing, therefore decides to merge the two approaches, performing the sonatas on different instruments, and avoiding, however, “the untouched peaks of a crystalline miniaturism” that the performing tradition on the piano has allowed to emerge. For this purpose, he decided to use a magnificent 1929 Steinway O series, equipped with a truly humanly lived sound, alongside it with a harpsichord (a copy of a Grimaldi) and a fortepiano (a copy of the gravicembalo by Cristofori).”
Vittorio De Iulis | Adagioassai
“Splendidamente suonato da membri dell’Ensemble Alraune e da Mario Sollazzo, che siede alle tastiere (clavicembalo, fortepiano e pianoforte). Sollazzo, volendo leggere Scarlatti indipendentemente dallo strumento sul quale esso viene eseguito, e anzi volendo evidenziare la già citata duttilità, ricchezza, della scrittura scarlattiana, decide dunque di fondere i due approcci, eseguendo le sonate su diversi strumenti, ed evitando tuttavia “le vette intoccate di un cristallino miniaturismo” che la tradizione esecutiva sul pianoforte ha lasciato emergere (si pensi a Benedetti Michelangeli). A questo scopo, egli decide di utilizzare un magnifico Steinway serie O del 1929, dotato di un suono davvero umanamente vissuto, affiancandolo ad un clavicembalo (copia di un Grimaldi) e ad un fortepiano (copia del gravicembalo del Cristofori). I due dischi dell’etichetta Novantiqua presentano, dunque, un’interessante selezione di alcune tra le sonate più belle. Il primo disco comprende tre sonate per più strumenti, stupendamente interpretate dai componenti dell’Ensemble Alraune e da Sollazzo”.
Vittorio De Iulis | Adagioassai
BEETHOVEN CELLO SONATAS
“Their interpretation is excellent, I particularly like the way that they intone the opening Allegro ma non tanto and how the manage the transition into the Scherzo, of the Op. 69 Sonata, whilst their performance of the Adagio cantabile is a model of control. The same can be said of the D Major Sonata, which despite its accolades, has never been my favourite, quite wonderful control throughout with flashes of brilliance to bring the best out of the work.”
Stuart Sillitoe | Musicweb-International
“If the two Sonatas of op. 5 are rightly exalted with a musical narration rich in cantabile and light (the duo Andriani & Sollazzo manages to convey the will, the joy, the need to play together, to communicate totally, almost with a childish look, fully returning that hope that still harbored in the heart of the young Beethoven), already in the stylistic rendering of op. 69, that is considered the most famous among the five Sonatas for cello and piano, the musical structure becomes timbrally more conturbated, more introspective, with the sound of the cello that tends to scratch and leave its mark in the areas in the penumbra of the harmonic construct, which shows how the two performers wanted to highlight correctly, without forcing at the same time the contrasts and the chiaroscuro, the innovative process that saw in the genre of the Sonata for cello and piano the test bench, the laboratory of ideas/sound of the genius of Beethoven. The coherence of this reading is manifested in the two Sonatas op. 102, in which the timbre and the expressive yield undergo a change that Andriani & Sollazzo bring to the due completion through a phrasing that exudes logic in the very moment that becomes sound. This does not mean that the two artists indulge in a cold rationalism, trap in which you can fall in an attempt to expose a formal and stylistic canon that would have made the happiness of a Winckelmann, but laying up a sound that is gently restrained, polished, emphasizing a “landscape” approach in which the search for details is not left to chance.”
Andrea Bedetti | Musicvoice.it
“Se le due Sonate dell’op. 5 vengono giustamente esaltate con una narrazione musicale ricca di cantabilità e di luce (il duo Andriani & Sollazzo riesce a trasmettere la volontà, la gioia, persino il bisogno di suonare insieme, di comunicare totalmente, quasi con piglio fanciullesco, restituendo appieno quella speranza che ancora albergava nel cuore del giovane Beethoven), già nella resa stilistica dell’op. 69, ossia di quella che viene considerata la più celebre delle cinque Sonate per violoncello e pianoforte, il tessuto musicale si rende timbricamente più conturbato, più introspettivo, con il suono del violoncello che tende a graffiare e a lasciare il segno nelle zone in penombra del costrutto armonico, il che dimostra come i due interpreti abbiano voluto evidenziare correttamente, senza forzarne allo stesso tempo i contrasti e i chiaroscuri, quel processo innovativo che vedeva nel genere della Sonata per violoncello e pianoforte il banco di prova, il laboratorio di idee/suono approntato dal genio di Bonn. E la chiosa conclusiva di tale lettura si manifesta con le due Sonate op. 102, in cui il timbro e la resa espressiva subiscono un mutamento che Andriani & Sollazzo portano al debito compimento attraverso un andamento del fraseggio che trasuda logica nel momento stesso che diviene suono. Questo non significa che i due artisti si abbandonano a un freddo razionalismo, trappola in cui si può cadere nel tentativo di esporre un canone formale e stilistico che avrebbe fatto la felicità di un Winckelmann, ma imbastendo un suono che è dolcemente trattenuto, levigato, dando rilievo a un approccio “paesaggistico” in cui la ricerca dei dettagli non è lasciata al caso.”
Andrea Bedetti | Musicvoice.it
“In this case the period instruments definitely bring a sense of immediacy and authenticity to the music, as well as manifesting its intimacy. But Andriani and Sollazzo demonstrate that the instruments themselves are strictly a means to an end, and that only the musicians can well define Beethoven’s creative genius. The musicianship is outstanding and avoids the pitfall of dragging Beethoven into the 21st century. The instruments used in this recording are a 1782 Ferdinando Gagliano cello, an 1805 Joseph Brodmann fortepiano, and an 1820 Johann Schanz fortepiano.”
Jean-Yves Duperron | Classical music Sentinel
MARAMME’
“The audience gave a standig ovation to the Italian ensemble Alraune in the opening concert of the Festival Alte Musik Bernau. It did not seem like they wanted to let the musicians go from the stage and so came the pleasure of numerous encores. Alraune captivated the audience through the great soloists and the engaging performance of the ensemble. This evening will remain like a great and touching dance with baroque ingredients, but all without depriving of a certain dose of joke and lightness”.
Olav Schröder | Märkische Oderzeitung
“Stehend spendeten die Zuschauer in der St.-Marien-Kirche dem italienischen Alraune-Ensemble zum Auftaktkonzert des Festivals Alter Musik Beifall. Sie wollten die Musiker offensichtlich nicht von der Bühne lassen und kam so in den Genuss nicht nur einer Zugabe. Die Musiker verzaubern das Publikum durch die grandiosen Solisten und die mitreißende Ensembleleistung. Nicht ohne Witz wird dieser Abend gleichsam zu einem großen anrührenden Tanz mit barocken Zutaten. Sigrig und Volker Höppel kommen aus Berlin. Sie haben die Generalprobe des Alraune-Ensembles gehört und festgestellt: “Das ist der Hammer, da gehen wir hin!”.
Olav Schröder | Märkische Oderzeitung
“In a musical scene where now, what is called World Music, has demolished any geographical limit to contamination, does not make news that a Livornese, a Neapolitan, a Sicilian and two Saxons have started to make music together. What amazes is that the result is more “authentic” than many contemporary neofolk products and is totally rooted in the oral tradition of southern Italy”.
Daniele Follero, Sentire Ascoltare
“In uno scenario musicale dove ormai, quella che viene definita World Music, ha abbattuto qualsiasi limite geografico alla contaminazione, non fa notizia che un livornese, un napoletano, un siciliano e due sassoni si siano messi a fare musica insieme. Ciò che stupisce è che il risultato è più “autentico” di tanti prodotti neofolk contemporanei e affonda totalmente le sue radici nella tradizione orale dell’Italia meridionale“
Daniele Follero, Sentire Ascoltare
“Marammè proves to be far too unpredictable for any musical category. The universes of sounds and stories of Marammè with all their allusions and assonances are already so illustrative and full of images that the imagination of the listener begins to make leaps. During the concerts you let yourself be guided by Mario Sollazzo and you can not do without”.
Oliver Reinhardt, Sächsische Zeitung
“Marammè zeigt dass sie tatsächlich viel zu unberechenbar sind für jegliche musikalische Schublade…
Der Kosmos der Klänge und Geschichten von Marammè mit all Ihren Zwischenräumen ist schon für sich genommen derart illustrativ und bildreich, dass die Fantasie ein Purzelbaum nach dem anderen schlägt. „Sso iste eben die Welte!“ kommentiert Mario Sollazzo und man folgt ihm und Marammè zu gerne in die ihre.“
Oliver Reinhardt, Saechsische Zeitung
“Mario Sollazzo guides us through the history of Nunzio the necrophile Monk. There are visions of saints, damned and blessed, hungry peasants, loves of men and women that could not be more Dionysians”.
Christian Ruf, Dresdner Neueste Nachricht
“Mit Eloquenz führte Mario Sollazzo durch die Geschichte des Nunzio, einen wilden Mönchs. Es geht in dieser mit Witz und Charme erzählten Geschichte um Visionen von Heiligen, Gesegneten und Verdammten, die Unterdrückung der Bauern, die Liebe eines Mannes zu einer Frau, die erst platonischer, zunehmend aber immer dionysischer Natur ist.“
Christian Ruf, Dresdner Neueste Nachricht
“On stage Marammè proves once again both musically and scenically unpredictable. Mario Sollazzo kidnaps” the listeners and does it in a sensual way, sometimes darker and always sarcastic. Each scene evoked by the story follows the songs with unexpected and very personal sounds characterized by an extreme musical tension”.
Niederelbe Zeitung
“Diese bunte Truppe auf der Bühne machten ihrem Ruf, unberechenbar für jede Schublade zu sein, alle Ehre. Mario Sollazzo hatte es in der Hand die Menschen zu „entführen“. Er vollzog dies genussreich, skurril, zuweilen mit Sarkasmus, auch mit Satire. Zu jeder beschriebenen, szenenreichen Handlung von Menschen unterschiedlicher Klassen folgte die konzertante Umsetzung mit ungewöhnlicher Klangbildern die sich immer wieder zu glanzvollen Höhepunkte verdichteten.“
Nieberelbe Zeitung
“A journey like a fairy tale, through the opera buffa, and the melodrama, the cultured music and the “musique du midi”… Marammè are serious and bring on scene one of the most beautiful and original works recently heard …. There are many “riot arguments” in their lyrics… music of the highest level, played with grace and precision, competence and good taste; a work that takes place in an accomplished way, articulated, evoking a thousand memories and leaving the listener pleasantly amazed… a thousand words would be needed to describe the beauty of this work; all of them grateful for the imagination, the intelligence and the heart that fill this record and the stereo of the lucky listeners who came across – among discs full of lies and wallpaper music – this sparkling debut of Marammè”.
Aldo Migliorisi, Sicilia Libertaria
„Un viaggio come favola, attraverso l’opera buffa, e il melodramma, la musica colta e la „musique du midi“… I Marammè fanno sul serio e mettono in campo uno dei lavori più belli e originali uditi di recente…. Serpeggiano argomenti rivoltosi a volerla dire tutta nei testi dei nostri… musica d’altissimo livello, suonata con grazia e precisione, competenza e buon gusto; un lavoro che si svolge in modo compiuto, articolato, evocando mille memorie e che lascia l’ascoltatore piacevolmente stupito… mille parole ci vorrebbero per descrivere la bellezza di questo lavoro; tutte riconoscenti per la fantasia, l’intelligenza e il cuore che riempiono questo disco e lo stereo dei fortunati ascoltatori che s’imbattessero, tra dischi pieni di bugie e musica da parati, con questo scintillante esordio di Marammè.”
Aldo Migliorisi, Sicilia Libertaria
“You must have heard how the Neapolitan Mario Sollazzo, alias Nunzio, tells his life: I got out of my mother’s belly, let me tell you… by the ass! Indeed to be precise you should not only feel it you must see! A sound that pulses and sweats and that is not even remotely museum or sold to the music market. In Marammè even the chamber pot sounds good!”.
Jens-Uwe Sommerschu, Sächsische Zeitung
“Das muss man geöhrt haben, wie der neapolitaner Mario Sollazzo als Nunzio Übers Leben sinniert: „Ich kam aus dem mütterlichen Leib… mit dem Arsch nach vorne…“. Genau genommen muss man das nicht nur geöhrt sondern gesehen haben… ein Sound der pulsiert und schwitzt und kein bisschen museal ist. Auch der Nachttopf klingt gut”.
Jens-Uwe Sommerschu, Sächsische Zeitung
“Every melody of Marammè begins in an innocent way and then unloads all his fury in a few minutes. Everything is played with an almost anarchist force to the limits of the possible for the acoustic instrumentary available”.
Grit Friedrich, Folk und Welt, MDR Radio
“Jede Melodie von Marammè beginnt fast armlos und steigert sich binne wenigen Minuten mit furiosen kraft. Alles wird mit einer fast schon anarchischen Kraft dargeboten”.
Grit Friedrich, Folk und Welt, MDR Radio
“Practically a sound that becomes a cult”.
Claudia Feger, Sächsische Zeitung
“Beinhae ein kultische Klang”.
Claudia Feger, Sächsische Zeitung
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