Branduardi was born in Cuggiono, a small town in the province of Milan, but early moved with the family to Genoa. He was educated as a classical violinist in the local school of music. At the age of 18 he composed the music for the Confessioni di un malandrino (Hooligan's Confession) by Sergei Yesenin, still one of his finest songs.
He is married to Luisa Zappa, who wrote the lyrics for many of his songs. Luisa and Angelo have two daughters, Sarah and Maddalena, both musicians.
Angelo's first album was never released, and resulted from a co-operation with Maurizio Fabrizio, composer and gifted performer. The first released album, Angelo Branduardi '74 was arranged with Paul Buckmaster.
La Luna ("The Moon"), including "Hooligan's Confessions" and the fine, delicate song giving the LP its name, is a prelude to the success of the following works. Alla Fiera dell'Est (English edition: Highdown Fair, 1976) was Angelo's first vastly popular album, followed by La Pulce d'Acqua ("The Water Flea", 1978) and Cogli la Prima Mela (English edition, Life is the Only Teacher, 1979). In those albums Branduardi exploits themes and patterns from ancient music, mostly Renaissance and early Baroque. The very song Alla Fiera dell'Est ("At the Eastern Fair") is still popular among Italians of every age, who test themselves to send in memory all the fable-like, repetition-based lyrics.
Lyrics have a broad spectrum of inspiration: a Danse macabre, the theme of Satan's mistress, Chinese, Native American and Druidic tradition, the apocryphal Gospels. Concertation owes much to the talents of Maurizio Fabrizio, and exploits unusual instruments for pop music: dulcimer, Pan flute, lute, clarinet, among others - mixed with more standard guitar-bass-and-drums.
Subsequent albums are mark by an increasing desire towards experimentation and differentiation. Branduardi (1981) has a more intimate tone, Cercando l'oro ("Searching for Gold", 1983), has very sophisticated and delicate arrangements (starts with a String Quartet), Branduardi canta Yeats (1985) is a tribute to William Butler Yeats. Pane e rose ("Bread and Roses", 1988) is a still inspired, but increasingly dark picture of life and death. Though similar in style to the early ones, 1980s Branduardi's songs seemed to have lost the strong, rythmical energy that backed masterpieces like "Ballo in Fa Diesis Minore" or "Cogli la prima mela". Il Ladro (1991) marks a very delicate point of Branduardi's life, edging on depression, echoed in a dark, almost cemeterial, style of singing.
The album Si puó fare 1993 brings back Branduardi to normality, but the artist is now struggling to evade the minstrel character which is now too strict for him. In 1994 he publishes Domenica e Lunedì ("Sunday and Monday"), dedicated to Franco Fortini.
In 1996, during the celebrations for the restoration of the Duomo of Spilimbergo after the catastrophic 1976 earthquake, he records the extraordinary album Futuro Antico, in which he poses as an early Baroque musician, reusing, mixing, wording pre-existing material along with his own. This experience, together with musicians and musicologists, will continue with Futuro Antico II and Futuro Antico III.
In 1998 Branduardi teams with Italian stand-up comedian and writer Giorgio Faletti for Il Dito e la Luna ("The Finger and the Moon").
He reworks earlier musical themes with writings of and about St. Francis to produce L'Infinitamente Piccolo; he writes a musical on the same topic (Francesco).
In 2003 a new album, Altro ed Altrove ("Other and Elsewhere"), in a time period marked by a rise of racism and intolerance, brings together (mainly) love stories from several cultures.
Discography
* 1974 Angelo Branduardi
* 1975 la luna(France: Confession d'un malandrin, 1981)
* 1976 Alla fiera dell'est (France: A la foire de l'est - UK: Highdown Fair, 1978)
* 1977 La pulce d'acqua (UK: Fables and fantasies, 1980)
* 1979 Cogli la prima mela (France: Le demoiselle)
* 1980 Gulliver,la luna e altri disegni
* 1980 Concerto
* 1981 Branduardi '81
* 1983 Cercando l'oro (France: Tout l'or du monde)
* 1983 State buoni se potete (Soundtrack for the movie with the same name)
* 1986 Branduardi canta Yeats
* 1988 Pane e rose (France: Du pain et des roses)
* 1990 Il ladro
* 1992 Musiche da film
* 1992 Si può fare France: Ça se fait)
* 1994 Domenica e lunedì (France: La menace, 1995)
* 1996 Camminando camminando (Live collection)
* 1996 Futuro antico I
* 1998 Il dito e la luna (Lyrics by Giorgio Faletti)
* 1998 Studio Collection (Collection)
* 1999 Futuro antico II
* 2000 L'infinitamente piccolo
* 2002 Futuro antico III
* 2003 Altro ed altrove
* 2005 The Platinum collection (Collection)
==LINKS==
*http://www.angelobranduardi.it/
*[http://www.branduardi.info Branduardi.info
*[http://guide.supereva.com/angelo_branduardi/ Guida di Angelo Branduardi
*[http://www.angelo-branduardi.com ABcom - Il sito internazionale di Angelo Branduardi
*[http://www.europamici.com EuropAMICI di Angelo Branduardi
*[http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/branduardi-ans/ Branduardi-ans -Mailing List Ufficiale- Gruppo di discussione su Angelo Branduardi e la sua musica.
Gulliver
Angelo Branduardi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Venite tutti, ?Gulliver il grande che il mare ci port?..
Addormentato davanti a noi Gulliver il grande...
?una nera montagna che ci toglie il sole,
?Gulliver il grande che il mare ci port?..
'cause?curioso davanti a noi
L'uomo montagna ci guarda gi?
Venite tutti ad ammirare
Gli omini piccoli che sanno gi?
Che la sua forza li aiuter?
Gulliver il grande si chiede gi?
In quale altro mare naufragher?
Venite tutti, che strana meraviglia il mare ci port?..
Venite tutti, ?Gulliver il nano che il mare ci port?..
Che effetto prima, davanti a noi Gulliver il nano,
Ma I suoi occhi cercano gi?I nostri volti,
?Gulliver il nano che il mare ci port?
Venite tutti ad ammirare
La meraviglia con cui giocare,
'cause?indifeso davanti a noi
Come un bambino a cui insegnare,
E mentre invece dentro di s?
Del nostro aspetto lui ride gi?
Gulliver il nano sognando sta
Un altro mare per naufragare.
The song "Gulliver" by Angelo Branduardi tells the story of the singer, Gulliver, who finds himself in a strange and unfamiliar land after being shipwrecked. The song begins with an invitation to all to come and witness the marvel that the sea has brought to them. Gulliver is likened to a black mountain standing ominously before them, taking away the sun. The little people see in him a source of strength to help them. However, Gulliver is curious about his new surroundings and wonders where he might end up next.
As the song progresses, Gulliver is transformed into a dwarf, and the people around him assume the role of teachers. Despite his helplessness, Gulliver finds joy in their company, laughing at their appearance as they teach him about their culture. Gulliver dreams of another sea to wreck on, while the little people continue to marvel at his size and strength.
The song can be interpreted as a reflection on the nature of willpower, adaptability, and the struggle to find meaning in the unfamiliar. It also conveys the message that even the strongest and most resilient among us can find ourselves vulnerable and in need of help at times.
Line by Line Meaning
Venite tutti, che strana meraviglia il mare ci port?..
Come and marvel at the strange wonder the sea has brought us..
Venite tutti, ?Gulliver il grande che il mare ci port?..
Come and see, it's Gulliver the great whom the sea has brought us..
Addormentato davanti a noi Gulliver il grande...
Sleeping in front of us, Gulliver the great..
?una nera montagna che ci toglie il sole,
A dark mountain that deprives us of the sun,
?Gulliver il grande che il mare ci port?..
It's Gulliver the great whom the sea has brought us..
'cause?curioso davanti a noi
Because he's curious in front of us
L'uomo montagna ci guarda gi?
The mountain man looks down at us,
Venite tutti ad ammirare
Come, everyone, and admire
La meraviglia vista mai.
The wonder never seen before.
Gli omini piccoli che sanno gi?
The little people who already know
Che la sua forza li aiuter?
That his strength will help them
Gulliver il grande si chiede gi?
Gulliver the great already wonders
In quale altro mare naufragher?
In what other sea will he shipwreck?
Venite tutti, che strana meraviglia il mare ci port?..
Come and marvel at the strange wonder the sea has brought us..
Venite tutti, ?Gulliver il nano che il mare ci port?..
Come and see, it's Gulliver the dwarf whom the sea has brought us..
Che effetto prima, davanti a noi Gulliver il nano,
As a first effect, in front of us, Gulliver the dwarf
Ma I suoi occhi cercano gi?I nostri volti,
But his eyes already search for our faces,
?Gulliver il nano che il mare ci port?
It's Gulliver the dwarf whom the sea has brought us..
Venite tutti ad ammirare
Come, everyone, and admire
La meraviglia con cui giocare,
The wonder to play with,
'cause?indifeso davanti a noi
Because he's defenseless in front of us
Come un bambino a cui insegnare,
Like a child to be taught,
E mentre invece dentro di s?Del nostro aspetto lui ride gi?
And yet inside he's laughing at our appearance already
Gulliver il nano sognando sta
Gulliver the dwarf is dreaming
Un altro mare per naufragare.
Of another sea to shipwreck in.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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