Rondò Veneziano
Encyclopedia
Rondò Veneziano is an Italian chamber orchestra
, specializing in Baroque
music, playing original instruments, but incorporating a rock-style rhythm section of synthesizer
, bass guitar
and drums
, led by Maestro Gian Piero Reverberi
, who is also the principal composer of all of the original Rondo Veneziano pieces. The unusual addition of modern instruments, more suitable for Jazz
, combined with Reverberi's arrangements and original compositions, have resulted in lavish novel versions of classical works over the years. As a rule in their concert tours, the musicians, mostly women, add to the overall Baroque effect wearing Baroque
-era attires and coiffures.
s included only entirely original compositions in the style of the baroque rondò, "a musical composition built on the alternation of a principal recurring theme and contrasting episodes".
In later years, in addition to many new and original albums continuing Gian Piero Reverberi's own unique Rondo style and tradition, Rondò Veneziano also brought their fusion of classical and contemporary instruments to a small number of albums dedicated to some of the great composers of the classical and baroque tradition.
In an interview, Maestro Reverberi said on the sound of Rondò Veneziano: "Rondò Veneziano's music is first of all positive. Also when it seems to be sad, it's never sad. It's always positive in a sense that at the end there's always a good future. So I think that also the reason of the success it that it's music where you don't have to think negative or to feel negative or if you feel negative it should be something that brings you to think positive."
A version of "La Serenissima" (Theme From Venice in Peril) was released in the UK
as a single
and reached number 58 in the UK Singles Chart
in October 1983. The track was also widely used at that time by BBC Television
, as the theme tune to Hospital Watch. The track was later to feature on the globally successful Venice in Peril album which was released as part of an international campaign to save Venice
from sinking into the lagoon.
In 1985, they provided the score for the movie Not Quite Jerusalem (known as Not Quite Paradise
in the USA). This score was a reworking of many of the original pieces featured on the Venice in Peril and The Genius of Venice albums.
The orchestra has produced 70 albums in the 29 years since its founding in 1979.
Arranged and produced by Gian Piero Reverberi
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, specializing in Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
music, playing original instruments, but incorporating a rock-style rhythm section of synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, led by Maestro Gian Piero Reverberi
Gian Piero Reverberi
Gian Piero Reverberi is an Italian pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, and entrepreneur.After obtaining Diplomas in piano and composition from the Paganini Conservatory in Genoa, Reverberi worked in a wide range of media, including TV themes, spaghetti Western soundtracks to pop and rock...
, who is also the principal composer of all of the original Rondo Veneziano pieces. The unusual addition of modern instruments, more suitable for Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, combined with Reverberi's arrangements and original compositions, have resulted in lavish novel versions of classical works over the years. As a rule in their concert tours, the musicians, mostly women, add to the overall Baroque effect wearing Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
-era attires and coiffures.
Evolution
The orchestra's first decade of albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s included only entirely original compositions in the style of the baroque rondò, "a musical composition built on the alternation of a principal recurring theme and contrasting episodes".
In later years, in addition to many new and original albums continuing Gian Piero Reverberi's own unique Rondo style and tradition, Rondò Veneziano also brought their fusion of classical and contemporary instruments to a small number of albums dedicated to some of the great composers of the classical and baroque tradition.
In an interview, Maestro Reverberi said on the sound of Rondò Veneziano: "Rondò Veneziano's music is first of all positive. Also when it seems to be sad, it's never sad. It's always positive in a sense that at the end there's always a good future. So I think that also the reason of the success it that it's music where you don't have to think negative or to feel negative or if you feel negative it should be something that brings you to think positive."
A version of "La Serenissima" (Theme From Venice in Peril) was released in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and reached number 58 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in October 1983. The track was also widely used at that time by BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
, as the theme tune to Hospital Watch. The track was later to feature on the globally successful Venice in Peril album which was released as part of an international campaign to save Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
from sinking into the lagoon.
In 1985, they provided the score for the movie Not Quite Jerusalem (known as Not Quite Paradise
Not Quite Paradise
Not Quite Paradise is a 1985 drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert. It is also known by the alternative title Not Quite Jerusalem.-External links:...
in the USA). This score was a reworking of many of the original pieces featured on the Venice in Peril and The Genius of Venice albums.
The orchestra has produced 70 albums in the 29 years since its founding in 1979.
Partial discography - All works composed by Gian Piero Reverberi, Ivano Pavesi and Laura Giordano
- Rondò Veneziano (1980)
- La Serenissima (1981)
- Notturno in gondola (1981)
- Scaramucce (1982)
- Venezia 2000 (1983)
- Concerto Futurissimo (1984)
- Odissea Veneziana (1984)
- Casanova (1985)
- Not Quite Jerusalem (1985)
- Odissea Veneziana (1985)
- Fantasia Veneziana (1986)
- Lagune (1986)
- Rapsodia Veneziana (1986)
- Arabesque (1987)
- Misteriosa Venezia (1987)
- Concerto (1988)
- Poesia di Venezia (1988)
- Armonie (1989)
- Masquerade (1989)
- Visioni di Venezia (1989)
- Barocco (1990)
- Musica...Fantasia (1990)
- The Genius of Mozart (1990)
- The Genius of Vivaldi (1990)
- Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven (1990)
- Magica Melodia (1991)
- Prestige (1991)
- Stagioni di Venezia (1992)
- Rondò 2000 (1992)
- Venezia Romantica (1992)
- Concerto per Beethoven (1993)
- Concerto per Mozart (1993)
- Concerto per Vivaldi (1993)
- Il mago di Venezia (1994)
- Back 2 back (1995)
- Eine nacht in Venedig (1995)
- I grandi successi vol.1 (1995)
- Sinfonia di Natale (1995)
- I grandi successi vol.2 (1996)
- Preludio all'amore (1996)
- Seduzione (1996)
- The best of - vol.1 (1996)
- Die Grossen Erfolge (1997)
- Fantasia Classica (1997)
- I grandi successi (1997)
- In concerto (1997)
- Marco Polo (1997)
- Via dell'Amore (1997)
- Fantasia d'Autunno (1998)
- Fantasia d'Inverno (1998)
- Zodiaco (1998)
- Attimi Di Magia (1999)
- Fantasia d'Estate (1999)
- Fantasia di Primavera (1999)
- Honeymoon - Luna di miele (1999)
- Protagonisti vol.1 (1999)
- Splendore Di Venezia (1999)
- I grandi successi (2000)
- La storia del classico (2000)
- Nur Das Beste (2000)
- Protagonisti vol.2 (2000)
- The very best of (2000)
- Capriccio veneziano (2001)
- Papagena (2001)
- 3 originals (2001)
- The Magic of Christmas (2001)
- Concertissimo (2002)
- La Piazza (2002)
- Vénitienne (2002)
- Nur Das Beste 2 (2004)
- 25 Live in Concert (2005)
- Rondò Veneziano: Chamber Orchestra (2009)
- Once upon a time (2010)
Arranged and produced by Gian Piero Reverberi