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.
Highdown Fair
Angelo Branduardi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My father bought me a little white mouse
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came a grey cat and ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
Along came a grey cat and ate up the white mouse
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came a black dog and jumped on the grey cat
Who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came on old stick, and beat off the black dog
Who jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came a fire and burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came sweet water and put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came a great ox, and drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
Along came a butcher and slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
And the Angel of Death came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
And last came the Lord, who threw down the Angel
Who came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
And last came the Lord, who threw down the Angel
Who came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
At Highdown fair for two farthings
My father bought me a little white mouse
The song "Highdown Fair" by Angelo Branduardi tells a somewhat absurd and fantastical story about a father and his son going to the Highdown fair. At the fair, the father buys his son a white mouse for two farthings. But as they make their way back home, a grey cat comes and eats the mouse. As the story progresses, the scenes become even more surreal with characters like an old stick, fire, and a great ox making appearances. At the end of the story, the Angel of Death comes for the butcher who slaughtered the great ox, but the Lord intervenes and throws down the Angel.
Interpreting this song can be challenging as it is highly allegorical and open to diverse interpretations. Some suggest that the song is a metaphor for life's abundance and the arbitrary nature of fate, which sometimes can lead to loss and tragedy. Others see it as a message about the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing the small things we have, as well as the relief and redemption offered by divine intervention. It could also be interpreted as a surreal satire around unexplained fate and perfect justice beyond human comprehension.
Line by Line Meaning
At Highdown fair for two farthings
The setting of the story, a fair where a little white mouse was bought for two farthings.
My father bought me a little white mouse
The purchase of the little white mouse is repeated throughout the story to emphasize its importance.
Along came a grey cat and ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
The little white mouse was eaten by a grey cat, causing sadness and frustration for the singer and their father who had just purchased the mouse in the market square.
Along came a black dog and jumped on the grey cat
Who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
A black dog comes and attacks the grey cat who ate the little white mouse, possibly seeking vengeance.
Along came on old stick, and beat off the black dog
Who jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
An old stick is used to beat off the black dog who had attacked the grey cat, possibly coming to the aid of the artist and their father.
Along came a fire and burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
A fire comes and burns up the old stick, possibly destroying the only means of protection the singer and their father had against the animals.
Along came sweet water and put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
Sweet water comes and puts out the fire, potentially saving the market square and the singer and their father from any more harm.
Along came a great ox, and drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
A great ox drinks all the sweet water, potentially causing more destruction and chaos at the fair.
Along came a butcher and slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
A butcher comes and kills the great ox, possibly putting an end to the destruction and chaos at the fair.
And the Angel of Death came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
The Angel of Death comes for the butcher, possibly indicating that the butcher will face punishment for his actions.
And last came the Lord, who threw down the Angel
Who came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
Finally, the Lord comes and throws down the Angel of Death, potentially saving the butcher from being punished and restoring peace to the fair.
And last came the Lord, who threw down the Angel
Who came for the butcher
Who slaughtered the great ox
Which drunk all the water
Witch put out the fire
Witch burned up the old stick,
Witch beat off the black dog
That jumped on the grey cat who ate up the white mouse
My father bought in the market square
The repetition of the story's events at the end emphasizes the cycle of destruction and restoration that occurred at the fair.
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.