De Andrè, un genovese mediterraneo a Napoli
‘Na strada ‘mmiez’o mare. Naples for Fabrizio De André reinterprets Crêuza de mä in Neapolitan
by Guido Festinese – giornaledellamusica.it
Various artists.
‘Na strada ‘mmiez’o mare. Naples for Fabrizio De André
Nota Records
2024
We have been using the term ‘classic’ to refer to something related to the world of art, or in any case to human ingenuity, for almost two thousand years. In the second century AD, that controversial little word was coined by Aulus Gellius, and the reference was, in fact, ‘classist’: it was classic and worthy, therefore, of what a ‘class’ well endowed with wealth and economic presence could afford.
Through various curious twists and turns, the word has come down to us. The meaning closest to our intentions and purposes today (and since Goethe) is that a classic knows how to live comfortably in the present, while not forgetting the past and keeping an eye on the future.
In fact, this is how the works of Shakespeare, Dante, Borges, and Virgil work, innocent inhabitants of different eras. It works the same way in music, and even in popular music, at least the kind that is most receptive to influences that are not popular, or are only partially so: think of Sgt. Pepper by the Beatles, or that disturbing masterpiece, now in its fortieth year, that was and is Crêuza de Mä.
Now that the austere and reifying museum aura that long haunted De André has vanished, as has been well noted by some attentive scholars, we can take stock and make observations, but also talk about the present. Crêuza de mä was truly an unwitting classic, created in the heart of the years of ‘Reaganite hedonism’ and ‘Milano da bere’ (Milan to drink), in a stubborn and contrary direction, to quote Faber, or rather, his mentor Álvaro Mutis.
Crêuza de mä was a turning point, a new beginning, a point launched into the infinity of pop and singer-songwriter music to build a straight line made up of infinite points.
It was a turning point, a new beginning, a point launched into the infinity of pop and singer-songwriter music to build a straight line made up of infinite points. Its two limitations, referring to a language that no one understood, an almost invented Genoese dialect, and music that no one knew, a bunch of Mediterranean aromas that were also (almost) invented and that no one in the general public suspected, became strengths.
Here, the discussion could end: because finally, Nota Records is releasing the recording of two memorable evenings held in the courtyard of the Maschio Angioino on September 14 and 15, 2015: ‘Na strada ‘mmiez’omare / Napoli per Fabrizio De André. Crêuza de mä sung and played in its entirety.
The architect of it all is Annino La Posta, who oversaw the cultural direction of the project and co-directed it artistically with Dario Zigiotto. All under the auspices of the Municipality of Naples, Club Tenco, and the De André Foundation.
The protagonists, for Faber / Pagani, re-sung and re-played, but translated into Neapolitan: Teresa De Sio, Francesco Di Bella, Gerardo Balestrieri, Enzo Gragnaniello with Mimmo Maglionico, Maldestro, Nando Citarella, and the Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare. A fine group of artists: at that moment, a good balance between historical names and emerging talents.
Remarkable, interesting, and in some cases sensational results. And the technical note that ‘Na strada ‘miezz’o mare is a translation much closer to the true, literal meaning of Crêuza de mä than one might think.
Here we return to the ‘classic’ point: what has become classic allows, welcomes, and relaunches every reinterpretation, mysteriously preserving its unique essence and endlessly relaunching the possibility of multiple, plurivocal, and perfectly legitimate identities. An increase in beauty, not a diminution.
