This audio-visual post-production is one of the final results of the research Transcultural Storytelling in Digital Times - Music & Poetry thorugh the Millennia, carried out by Opera Network in collaboration with other partners, in the context of the Horizon Europe Project CAPHE-Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environment.It was conceived in its first version as Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan, and was subsequently enriched with new poetic sections, gradually becoming an open and evolving format. In its current version, it is articulated into five sections, each dedicated to a poet or cantor who represents a specific expressive mode of poetry: Homer, the archetype of the inspired bard; Sappho, the poetess of Love; Dante, the supreme symbol of medieval culture; Neil Young and Bob Dylan, modern “minstrels”. In parallel, a new section emerged and developed into a program entirely dedicated to Francis of Assisi: mystic, poet, musician, and instigator of a spiritual and cultural revolution, whose emblem lay in the praise of God expressed through the pure love of all creation. The magic of creation, inspired by the divine, has always manifested itself in the sublime encounter between music and poetry. Just as Homer allowed himself to be narrated by the Muse Calliope in epic poetry, Sappho surrendered to the ecstasy of "erotic" poetry, and Dante, as the voice of the sacred, allowed God to reveal Himself through him. In the same way, Bob Dylan, a modern vates, through his creative genius restored to popular music its original poetic essence—an inheritance that Neil Young has continued in a visionary and delirious manner. There has always existed a profound relationship between the musical and the narrative body: in ancient Greece, poetic narration was invariably accompanied by singing and instruments. “At Delos, then, for the first time I and Homer, singers, celebrated, stitching song into new hymns, Apollo of the golden sword, born of Leto”—a fragment transmitted as Hesiodic. Each piece was selected for its poetic text, its inspired melody, or both. In some cases, the medieval practice of contrafactum was adopted: the poetic custom of adapting a new secular melody to a pre-existing sacred text, or—as in the case of Rising Sun—to a contemporary text; but also the reverse procedure, adapting a sacred melody to a secular text, as in Amor che nella mente mi ragiona. A significant element of this poetic-musical project is the indissoluble bond that has always linked classic music and traditional music—the latter preserving, through its stratifications, the most ancient and inexhaustible resonances of our past. A crucial role is also played by the modal approach, ranging from the Phrygian mode of Hellenistic origin in the Homeric Amfì, to the first Dorian mode in Garella, and to the tetratonic scale used in Dylan’s melody for the contrafactum Athena clothed him in beauty. In the section dedicated to Francesco of Assisi, there is extensive use of contrafactum applied to well-known works of international pop music, to Morricone, and to pieces drawn from different spiritual traditions, alongside new versions of timeless iconic works such as The Great Gig in the Sky by Pink Floyd, a powerful expression of the ecstasy of the stigmata. The Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom, accompanies instead, in its crystalline purity, Francis’s encounter with God at the end of his earthly life. The program is further enriched by a florilegium of medieval laude dedicated to Francis, drawn from the Laudario Fiorentino and includes African legends and musical traditions of Kenyan communities. The poetic-musical excursus integrates several ancient and modern idioms: Sanskrit, Ancient Greek, Latin, Italian vernacular, Old and Modern English, Swahili, Giriama and Kisii. Each video thus becomes a spiritual journey, a sacred ritual, and an ecstatic vision, celebrating beauty, which is nothing other than the form through which Divine Love reveals itself. Carla Zanin …A word on the arrangements: a path that began long ago At the end of the 1990s, when I first approached medieval music with emotion and began working with the friends of the early days—Fabio Tricomi, Marco Di Manno—and with many other extraordinary musicians who accompanied us on this journey, among them Bruna Caruso, Elena Sartori, Dimitri Betti, Elisa Malatesti, Donato Sansone, through liturgical dramas, the Sibyls, Hildegard—under the wise guidance of Nino Albarosa, Johannes Göschl, and Franz Praßl—I could not have imagined that my love for a certain kind of rock, for Neil Young, Pink Floyd, and Morricone—with whom we had the honour of collaborating personally—could find a place within all this. Yet it was thanks to my encounter with Carla Zanin, to her intuitions, and to an initial Dante & Bob Dylan in 2018 organised by Katia Bach, descendant of the Kantor of Leipzig, that all this first became vision and then… Ékstasi. As a musical omnivore, among the many things I love, I have always been attracted by the dialogue between pop, classical, and ethnic instruments—a practice already successfully undertaken above all in the pop domain. Thus, I set out along this path, starting simply from the talent of the musicians in our group and from the potential of our excellent range of instruments, from our approach to a raw and non-idealised Middle Ages—heterophonic rather than monodic, based on group singing rather than choral singing—always in dialogue with vestiges still alive today in certain European, North African, and Middle Eastern traditional music. A decisive turning point was certainly the European Virtual Stage Project, which, due to the restrictions of 2020, led us to work with Nicola Cavina on the sampling of medieval instruments rendered via EWI and MIDI keyboards, and to embark on multitrack recording—an experience that successfully resulted in the release of the CDs L’Orfeo (2021) and Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria (2022). The missing link was, of course, the indispensable contribution of electric instruments, initiated thanks to another European project, In Media Stat Virtus, with the inclusion of electric guitar and bass in dialogue with MIDI. The electric bass was especially fundamental in recovering a register that is not idiomatic for many medieval instruments, a register that until then had been rendered in only a few pieces through ethnic and MIDI instruments such as physical and MIDI didgeridoo or MIDI dulcian. This electrification did not betray the overall genuineness and freshness, beginning with the percussion, which maintained its identity throughout all the pieces on the two CDs: various types of daf, tambourines, and drums, enriched by the dialectical liquidity of the zarb and the blinding light of gongs, often punctuated by ever-present mystical bells. Nor did it prevent the recorder from singing, the portative organ from warming the harmonies in an archaic manner alongside medieval, Celtic, and MIDI harps. It allowed the viella to restore the appropriate asperity, and the bombarde and MIDI dulcian to take us even further back in time—in what I would call a “philological” manner—in the Contrafactum Medleyfrom Morricone’s The Mission. For this arrangement, I wish to stress that Francis’s ecstatic text ennobles and does justice to the famous melody, greatly improving upon the result of the choral version Nella Fantasia. Above all, in the second part of the contrafactum on On Earth As It Is in Heaven, the pulsating text of the Laudato sii infects the arrangement with a dramaturgical reversal of balances: in the foreground, the percussion ostinato marks the erotic-mystical Ékstasi up to the climax of the final gong; the homorhythmic counterpoint of the choir is elevated to the role of principal theme; and the magnificent opening melody is returned by the solo voice to complete the overall picture. In our medieval programs, the fusion of the musical components of the time—Celebrant, Schola, Assembly, and Minstrels (the latter with their virtuosity and deliberate, brutal naturalness)—has always led to an integration of lighter, more natural voices, voices with experience in traditional music, and voices drawn from the operatic repertoire. For Ékstasi, however, another step was necessary, made possible by the extraordinary contribution of Michela Lombardi, who, thanks to her musical intelligence, did not limit herself to the pop pieces but brought her experience in jazz improvisation also into some medieval and liturgical pieces, as well as into Morricone, transforming Stigmate from the iconic The Great Gig in the Sky into a true reinterpretation without betraying its aesthetic essence. This iconic piece was chosen to dramatise the Stigmata because only melisma can transcend the word, symbolising the mystical encounter between the Jester of God and the Seraph. The final step was a choir capable of rendering this vision a monumental fresco, able to extend the palette of colours beyond what individual voices and singularities could achieve alone. For this, my sincere thanks go above all to Capriccio Armonico and to Gianni Mini, who have shared all our latest productions—from Rossini’s Petite Messe to the Messiah, and Orfeo & Lwanda—clearly spanning very different repertoires and therefore responding each time to new expressive and musical demands. It seems significant to recall here the 28 live performances (2018–2024) which, through countless variations of program and ensemble, gave life to this CD: Dante & Bob Dylan – 21 May 2018, Biblioteca Marucelliana, Firenze, Italy Francesco Pop – 3 October 2019, Pieve di Santo Stefano in Campoli, Mercatale Val di Pesa, Firenze, Italy Francesco Pop – 5 October 2019, Church of San Francesco, Sarzana, Italy Francesco Pop – 6 October 2019, Basilica of San Miniato al Monte, Firenze, Italy Francesco OM, lo primo frate minore – 5 July 2021, Villa di Vico, Scandicci, Firenze, Italy Francesco Pop – 2 October 2021, Basilica of Santa Croce, Firenze, Italy Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan – 29 June 2022, Brussels, Belgium Ékstasi – 7 July 2022, Villa di Vico, Scandicci, Firenze, Italy Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan – 10 and 17 September 2022, Naxos, Greece Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan – 26 January 2023, La Spezia, Italy Francesco lo primo frate minore – 19, 20, and 21 May 2023, Narni, Terni, and Acquasparta, Italy Homer, Alfonso, Dante & Bob Dylan – 11 May 2023, La Coruña, Spain Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan – 14, 15, and 16 September 2023, Naxos, Greece Ékstasi – 10 and 11 October 2023, Athens, Greece Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan – 18 January 2024, La Spezia, Italy Ékstasi – 4–7 April 2024, Umbria Cantat Tour: Acquasparta, Montecastrilli, Avigliano Umbro, Massa Martana, Italy Francesco Pop – 24 May 2024, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Firenze, Italy Ékstasi, Transcultural Storytelling in Digital Times – 19 October 2024, Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya Ékstasi, Transcultural Storytelling in Digital Times – 26 October 2024, Nairobi, Kenya Many thanks to everyone for having together realised this unprecedented and unexpected miracle. Federico Bardazzi Daniele Garella (1961–2024) Daniele Garella represents the ideal incarnation of the Florentine Renaissance artist: as a human being, composer, poet, writer, astrologer, researcher, and interpreter of the Science of the Spirit. Born in Florence, he graduated in Composition and Choral Conducting, as well as in Harmony, Counterpoint, and Fugue at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence. His musical output is distinguished by a profoundly spiritual, harmonious, and inspired character. His compositional language, far removed from dissonant experimentation, is grounded in a sonic research aimed at creating atmospheres of serenity, contemplation, and introspection. His works are often characterised by clear, enveloping melodies supported by harmonic progressions that evoke a sense of balance and transcendence. His music is inspired by philosophical, spiritual, and natural themes, with a strong connection to the mystical and contemplative tradition. His style is immediately recognisable, marked by clarity of writing and a constant search for expressive essentiality. Intorno a te In this composition, three distinct sections may be identified. In the first part, a musical atmosphere is recreated that ideally leads us directly to ancient Greece, to something archaic, emphasised by the ascending and descending undulating motion of the choir. Then, in the progressive instrumental crescendo, Sappho herself becomes the protagonist, recounting her passion and admiration for the beautiful Gongila. The intensity of the celebration of Gongila is such that, in the central part of the composition, I imagined her arrival as an apparition. Here, the music suddenly subsides, abandoning its previous impetuous motion, and everything becomes calmer and suspended—just as occurs in the mystery of every apparition. It is Gongila, wrapped in the “whitest tunic”, who appears directly before us. Consequently, in the soprano line resonate both the voice of Sappho and the energy generated by Gongila’s apparition. In the central section—more meditative and evocative—the apparition is marked by the arrival of a woman of such beauty as to provoke the reproach of the Cypriot goddess Aphrodite. The astonishment before such a vision and the delight in the beauty of her friend Gongila lead, in the third section, to a return to the reality of pathos, a return to Sappho, who musically expresses her joyful awareness of how irresistible and overwhelming the power of Love truly is. In setting Sappho’s words to music, I employed harmonies linked to the modal system, although it is true that I often choose similar expressive textures in my compositions, since Music, in my artistic conception—as it was for Plato and for the ancient Greeks—has the imperative to inspire, heal, regenerate, and harmonise, both individually and collectively. Daniele Garellawww.danielegarella.com PLAYLIST Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan1. Amfí 6.042. Athena then clothed him in beauty 2.40 3. Intorno a te 5.31 4. Amor dolze senza pare 0.54 5. Amor che nella mente mi ragiona 5.396. Ave Maria 1.317. Kenyan Storytellers Oriya – Friend Dominic Ogari 2.588. Kenyan Storytellers Kolo ra Mwanzi Beneath the Bamboo Victor Mangi Yaa 7.50 9. Yearning of the swords 2.5610. Forever young 4.12 11. Like a rising sun 7.30 Francesco pop 12. O alto e glorioso Dio 2.32 13. Sia laudato San Francesco 2.31 14. Tutor dicendo 0.43 15. Franciscus ut in publicum 2.54 16. Laudes omni hora 2.20 17. Laudar voll’io per amore 4.53 18. Lord make me an instrument of your peace 4.07 19. Stigmate 4.50 20. Thou art entire sweetness 3.00 21. Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra 2.46 22. Hymn to Brother Sun 4.5323. Credits 1.13 ÉKSTASIMusic & Poetry through the MillenniaProject by Carla Zanin a production by Opera NetworkEnsemble San Felice ENSEMBLE SAN FELICEMusic Director Federico Bardazzi Capriccio ArmonicoThe Pilgrims GospelAcademy SingersChoir Master Gianni Mini program and selection of poetic texts for the contrafactaFederico Bardazzi, Carla Zaninarrangements Federico Bardazzi transcriptionsFederico Bardazzi, Debora Tempestini, Dimitri Betti, Angela Tempestini Video Direction Carla ZaninSummer Emma Bertagna, Daniel Fasulo, Asia Giannetti, Chiara Giovannetti,Delia Montali, Sofia Pisani, Alice Rossi, Gabriele Tonarelli Students of Kenyatta University and Narratologies Visual applied technologies Monica Mendes, Lorenza Marchesini, Josè Revez Video editing David Tozzi Sound engineer Nicola Cavina VR Experience Federico Bardazzi, José Revez, Carla Zanin Live Video Coordinator Michał Parchimowicz Cover image Carla Zanin &AI Solo VoicesMichela Lombardi, Yuliya Shyshko, Elisa Malatesti, Letizia Dei,Gianni Mini, Cecilia Cazzato, Eva Mabellini InstrumentsFederico Bardazzi fiddle, daf, tambourine, bellsDimitri Betti organo portativo, daf, tamburello, midi keyboardLeonardo Cremonini calrinetMarco Di Manno recorders, EWIFrancesco Bottai electric guitarLorenzo Forti electric bassElisa Malatesti medieval harp, Celtic harp, gong, shruti boxKevin Mucaj violinDebora Tempestini midi keyboardFabio Tricomi oud, pipe & drum, fiddle, zarb, daf, tambourineMartina Weber gamba, fiddle, dafFabio Masetti percussions ChoirsCapriccio Armonicosopranos Arcana Agnoletto, Chiara Belfanti, Annalisa Borri, Elisabetta Braschi, Barbara Caldini, Cristina Carradori, Elisabetta Caruso, Cristina Casini, Elena Margarolo, Elena Tricarico altos Costanza Bertini, Roberta Coppola, Sandra Gambassi, Sumiko Okawa, Alessandra Picchi, Judith Siegel, Roberta Vittori tenors Giuseppe Consoli, Daniele Ostuni, Cristiano Picchioni, Riccardo Simoncini, Giulio Tiberio basses Simone Borri, Lorenzo Brunetti, Matteo Chiti, Graziano Corsini, Marco Guidotti, Stefano Liechti, Renzo Dainelli, Bruno Rimoldi The Pilgrims Gospelsopranos Daniela Baldan, Francesca Baldi, Chiara Belfanti, Barbara Caldini, Claudia Cantisani, Cristina Carradori, Elisabetta Caruso, Daniela Cavini, Goncha Kirgoz, Silvia Morelli, Agnese Passeri, Veronica Salani, Elena Tricarico altos Annamaria Agostino, Giulia Angeloni, Roberta Ardetti, Nicoletta Bemporad, Ornella Benedetti, Sara Cantini, Irene Chiari, Roberta Coppola, Rossella De Miseri, Ilaria Lapini, Francesca Morelli, Caterina Persiani, Barbara Pierucci, Caterina Seneci, Simona Taglieri tenors Marco Badiali, Giacomo Befani, Francesca Errante, Andrea Furiosi, Serena Galli, Franco Lotti, Marco Rivetti, Marco Romano, Federico Romoli basses Daniele Furiosi, Andrea Viggiano Academy Singerssopranos Catherine Arcella, Luiselda Chini, Doriana Corona, Valentina Loliva, Silvia Manenti, Cinzia Masini, Francesca Milanesi, Simona Navarri, Raffaella Pregliasco, Caterina Stirparo altos Michela Azzerlini, Rossana Carlesi, Audrey Cummings, Costanza Del Bianco, Lucia Latela, Elisabetta Mannoni, Marina Masciarelli, Laura Pinarelli, Isabella Pregliasco, Monia Rossi, Silvia Russo, Anna Maria Spagnolo, Maddalena Spalletti, Silvia Tirinnanzi tenors Nicholas Boganelli, Achille Capaldi, Francesca Errante, Francesca Grippo, Alberto Longinotti, Fabrizio Niccoli basses Mathieu Burgeois sopranos Elzbieta Perzycka, Aneta Witosz Cd ÉKSTASI on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/intl-it/album/76SA4aUb0q5gNyQ9jOYWIwProduction ÉKSTASI on Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJJChgOGCbAVac1lMhBrFzb_ilB1MuI9L