(The) Rise

A voice, barely audible, seeks its chant without finding it, in a swirling crescendo, a yet premature portent of the joy that will come

When I composed (THE) RISE in early April 2020, we were still in the middle of a lockdown and I wanted to express the desire to heal. If SPRING WILL COME represented the attainment of a new consciousness, (THE) RISE was a first premature attempt to realize it: from a cloud of sounds moving in an incessant crescendo emerges a voice, at first almost muffled and then increasingly clear, seeking a chant to symbolize the longed-for goal. The invitation was to focus on a spark of hope and to keep faith in a better future, despite the difficulties of the present; at the same time, it was an encouragement, just at a time when it was easy to feel overwhelmed by challenges, to create one’s own destiny, looking at the world with fresh eyes and thus empowering ourselves to be able to recognize the opportunities that present themselves. These days, if the news from Ukraine and Iran, among others, were not enough, hour after hour comes that of a frightening earthquake in Turkey with thousands of victims and people in the streets, and entire villages razed to the ground. It is normal to feel annihilated by sadness and anguish, yet never more important than in these moments to not look away from hope and confidence. It is extraordinary to observe the effort of the international community, already present with countless teams of volunteers, working to provide help and support to those in need, and I recall what I was writing online in the very days when I was releasing the first version of (THE) RISE: “[…] it’s too soon to cry victory, we must be patient and wait, confident that it might take time but, at some point along the line we will “Rise” again.”

I wrote SPRING WILL COME as a journey through the first lockdown of March 2020, when we all felt fear, boredom, and frustration, but also courage, strength, and hope. It was a deep need that pushed me to create this second musical diary, which was vastly different from my previous work RINASCITA. I recorded it using only a piano out of tune, a single microphone, and a single video camera in an unsuitable room filled with the noises of everyday life. My intention was to provide an aural space for listeners to feel safe and connect with their own emotions and thoughts. It serves as a form of meditation and a source of comfort.

After almost three years, the close connection the record had with the terrible events of that period has obviously loosened, but its underlying purpose remains. In today’s world, overwhelmed by social media notifications, headlines, political crises, a changing climate, and a constant sense of impending catastrophe, the temptation to escape from reality has never been stronger. SPRING WILL COME invites us not to do so, to stay awake and in relationship with others, and to practice attentive and patient listening, an essential tool for living a better and more fulfilling life.

The single’s cover for (THE) RISE was designed by my Iranian friend Golnar Dashti (Dashi Design Studio): I met her when she was studying painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti (Firenze, Italy) taking her first tentative steps toward the development of personal artistic ideas. She is really open-minded and always looking forward to the experience of new perspectives in contemporary visual art. She is one of the founders of La Filharmonie and she already collaborated with me a few years ago on the music video for PICCOLA DANZA, a single from my first album for piano solo. I loved her idea of creating a short video instead of the usual static artwork: it makes the cover a lot more interesting and engaging! What do you think? One last thing: Golnar is a lovely person!!!

Credits

Music composed and performed by Paolo Cognetti

Recorded and Mixed by Filippo Rossi and Lawrence Fancelli at Officina Sonora del Bigallo

Mastered by Niccolò Caldini

Digital distribution: Distrokid

Artwork: Dashti Design Studio

Poems: Maria Ester Mastrogiovanni (MEM)

A year after composing and recording my second solo piano album SPRING WILL COME, I felt the desire to offer a new perspective on the pieces, one that would recover the spontaneity and naturalness that had originally characterized them. So, I decided to spend a day with Francesco Ponticelli at the Cicaleto Recording Studio, a historic eighteenth-century home immersed in the peace and beauty of nature, just minutes from the center of the city of Arezzo, in the heart of Tuscany. Inspired by the place and its atmosphere, I recorded all the tracks in a row and without any editing, trying to capture the essence and emotion of a live performance. To further foster the sense of an immersive and engaging experience, I asked Arianna Fiandrini and Mauro Magrini of Visualcam Production to create a video of the entire experience, and today I share with you the fourth excerpt, presenting (THE) RISE.

Credits

Directed by Arianna Fiandrini

Gimbal: Mauro Magrini

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Cicaleto Recording Studio by Francesco Ponticelli