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.
Il sultano di Babilonia e la prosituta
Angelo Branduardi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fino alle terre di Babilonia a predicare
Coi suoi compagni sulla via dei Saracini
Furono presi e bastonati, i poverini
Frate Francesco parlò
E bene predicò
Che il Gran Sultano ascoltò
E molto lo ammirò
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
Frate Francesco si fermò per riposare
Ed una donna gli si volle avvicinare
Bello il suo volto ma velenoso il suo cuore
Con il suo corpo lo invitava a peccare
Frate Francesco parlò
Con te io peccherò
Nel fuoco si distese
Le braccia a lei protese
Lei si pentì, si convertì
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
Frate Francesco partì una volta per oltremare
Fino alle terre di Babilonia a predicare
Coi suoi compagni sulla via dei Saracini
Furono presi e bastonati, i poverini
Frate Francesco parlò
E bene predicò
Che il Gran Sultano ascoltò
E molto lo ammirò
Lo liberò dalle catene
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
Frate Francesco si fermò per riposare
Ed una donna gli si volle avvicinare
Bello il suo volto ma velenoso il suo cuore
Con il suo corpo lo invitava a peccare
Frate Francesco parlò
Con te io peccherò
Nel fuoco si distese
Le braccia a lei protese
Lei si pentì, si convertì
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
The song "Il sultano di Babilonia e la prostituta" by Angelo Branduardi tells the story of Brother Francis, who went on a journey to Babylon to preach the word of God. He and his companions were captured and beaten by the Saracens. But through his preaching, Brother Francis caught the attention of the powerful Sultan of Babylon, who admired him and set him and his friends free from their chains.
While resting on his journey, Brother Francis encounters a woman who lures him with her beauty and invites him to sin. Although tempted, he resists her advances and instead offers her the opportunity for redemption. She repents and converts to Christianity. Brother Francis then continues his journey to Babylon to preach his message of faith and redemption.
The song is a retelling of the true story of St. Francis of Assisi, who traveled to Egypt in 1219 during the Fifth Crusade to meet with Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil. The two men discussed religion and reached an understanding and respect for each other. This encounter is considered a rare example of interfaith dialogue during a time of war and religious conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Frate Francesco partì una volta per oltremare
Brother Francis once departed on a journey overseas
Fino alle terre di Babilonia a predicare
To the lands of Babylon he went to preach
Coi suoi compagni sulla via dei Saracini
With his fellow monks on the road of the Saracens
Furono presi e bastonati, i poverini
They were captured and beaten, poor souls
Frate Francesco parlò
Brother Francis spoke
E bene predicò
And he preached well
Che il Gran Sultano ascoltò
The Great Sultan listened
E molto lo ammirò
And greatly admired him
Lo liberò dalle catene
He freed him from the chains
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
So Francis departed to preach in Babylon
Frate Francesco si fermò per riposare
Brother Francis stopped to rest
Ed una donna gli si volle avvicinare
And a woman approached him
Bello il suo volto ma velenoso il suo cuore
Her face was beautiful but her heart was venomous
Con il suo corpo lo invitava a peccare
With her body she tempted him to sin
Frate Francesco parlò
Brother Francis spoke
Con te io peccherò
I will sin with you
Nel fuoco si distese
He lay down in the fire
Le braccia a lei protese
He reached out his arms to her
Lei si pentì, si convertì
She repented, she converted
Così Francesco partì per Babilonia a predicare
So Francis departed to preach in Babylon
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Angelo Branduardi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zeder9999
Frère François parti une fois pour l'outre-mer
Aux terres de Babylone pour prêcher
Avec ses compagnons sur le chemin des Sarrasins
Ils ont été enlevés et battus, les pauvres
Frère François a parlé
Et bien il a prêché
Que le Grand Sultan a écouté
Et très admiré lui
Il l'a libéré des chaînes
Alors François partit pour Babylone pour prêcher
Frère François s'est arrêté pour se reposer
Et une femme voulait l'approcher
Beau son visage, mais empoisonné son cœur
Avec son corps, il l'a invité à pédiquer
Frère François a parlé
Je vais pédire avec toi.
Dans le feu, il se couché
Ses bras tendus à elle
Elle s'est repentie, elle s'est convertie
Alors François partit pour Babylone pour prêcher.
Giovanni Morrocchesi
Artisti straordinari. Poetica, mistica, armonia, pathos. Arte allo stato puro.
Mattia Battaglia
@Tmelio tmelio dimmi tutto
Mattia Battaglia
Hai ragione, quando l'ho ascoltata mi stavano per sparare, ma grazie a questa canzone si sono messi a ballare con me e mi hanno sparato dopo
José Manuel Gª Bermejo
Es un magnífico músico prácticamente desconocido en España. Ellos se lo pierden.
Roberta Cimadori
Due talenti straordinari, due grandi anime....un grande successo!!!
Silvana Gili
E' troppo bella!!!poi cantata da questi due mistici di angelo e franco....e' straordinaria!!
Mattia Battaglia
Si hai ragione, ero da skinny ma mi sono allontanato per ascoltarla
zimone89
è difficile trovare un difetto in questo pezzo....eppure uno l'ho trovato:
LA FINE
Rueda Maguy
magnifique comme d'habitude. le reste du cd est très émouvant
mario polito
Una meraviglia, l'ennesima... Grazie Maestro!