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.
La predica della perfetta Letizia
Angelo Branduardi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E Francesco Perugina lasciò
Con Leone camminava
Ed un vento freddo li gelava.
E Francesco nel silenzio
Alle spalle di Leone chiamò:
"Può essere santa la tua vita,
Sappi che non è letizia,
Dare vita ai morti e parole ai muti,
Puoi sapere il corso delle stelle,
Sappi che non è letizia.
Quando a Santa Maria si arriverà
E la porta non si aprirà,
Tormentati dalla fame,
Nella pioggia a bagnarci staremo,
Sopportare il male senza mormorare,
Con pazienza e gioia saper sopportare.
Aver vinto su te stesso
Sappi, questa è letizia.
The lyrics to Angelo Branduardi's song "La predica della perfetta Letizia" (The Sermon of Perfect Joy) revolve around Francesco Perugina, who chooses to leave behind his comfortable life and follow the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi, walking the path of poverty, charity, and humility. In the midst of a freezing winter, he walks alongside Leone, who represents the perfect image of a saintly life, and muses on the true meaning of joy and happiness. Francesco questions whether a life lived in piety and devotion is really enough to bring joy and happiness, and challenges Leone to consider the true nature of happiness. For Francesco, true joy lies not in performing miracles or reaching heaven, but in finding peace and contentment within oneself and in one's ability to endure suffering with patience, humility, and love.
The lyrics of this song are rich in symbolism and religious imagery. The characters of Francesco and Leone are thought to represent two opposing attitudes towards life: one that seeks salvation through suffering and sacrifice, and another that emphasizes joy and celebration. The harsh winter landscape and the image of hunger and hardship evoke the Christian concept of purgatory, where the believer must suffer to purge his sins and attain salvation. The repetition of the phrase "Sappi che non è letizia" (Know that this is not joy) serves as a reminder that true happiness is not found in external accomplishments or worldly success, but in the inner peace and harmony that comes with self-awareness and spiritual growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Era il tempo dell'Inverno ormai
It was already winter time
E Francesco Perugina lasciò
Francesco left Perugia
Con Leone camminava
He walked with Leone
Ed un vento freddo li gelava.
And a cold wind froze them
E Francesco nel silenzio
And Francisco in silence
Alle spalle di Leone chiamò:
Called to Leone's back
"Può essere santa la tua vita,
"Your life can be holy
Sappi che non è letizia,
But know that it's not happiness
Puoi sanare i ciechi e caciare i demoni
You can heal the blind and drive out demons
Dare vita ai morti e parole ai muti,
Give life to the dead and words to the mute
Puoi sapere il corso delle stelle,
You can know the course of the stars
Sappi che non è letizia.
But know that it's not happiness
Quando a Santa Maria si arriverà
When we will arrive at Saint Mary's
E la porta non si aprirà,
And the door won't open
Tormentati dalla fame,
Tormented by hunger
Nella pioggia a bagnarci staremo,
We will stand in the rain getting wet
Sopportare il male senza mormorare,
Endure pain without murmuring
Con pazienza e gioia saper sopportare.
With patience and joy, know how to endure
Aver vinto su te stesso
To have conquered yourself
Sappi, questa è letizia.
Know that this is happiness.
Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
stefania ranghieri
NON L'ASCOLTAVO DA TEMPO...DOLCEZZA PROFONDA RICCHEZZA DI VALORI NEL SENSO VERO E PROFONDO DELLA NOSTRA VITA - GRAZIE ANGELO .
Sara Crespi
Oggi un Angelo mi ha ricordato ciò per cui vale la pena vivere!Grazie amico!
Mr Falkon
Grazie a te e buona vita
Leean87
Da brividi! Grazie Branduardi! ❤️
Irene Lograno
Nn l ascoltavo da tanto tempo
MERAVIGLIOSAAA
Angela Angela
Una bella preghiera
CARMELA Di Paolo
Bellissima .
Gianni Santini
Splendida.
Mario Mattucci
Branduardi " tutta la vita"
lorenzo aldinucci
La letizia mi ha reso la vita bella, adesso non sono più il turbocapitalista di un tempo