Bruno Sanfilippo - Suite Patagonia (2000)

La "Suite Patagonia" es una gran obra del ambient, el concepto que guía al disco es el descubrimiento de la Patagonia por el portugués Magallanes, ello sirve de inspiración para este disco muy inspirado. Y en cualquier momento venimos con los discos de éste autor que aún nos están faltando.

Artista: Bruno Sanfilippo

Álbum: Suite Patagonia
Año: 2000
Género: Ambient, Atmosférico
Duración: 46:58
Nacionalidad: Argentina

Lista de Temas:
01. Sayhueque
02. Giant Patagon
03. Terra Incognita
04. Magallanes
05. Fuegia & Jemmy
06. Suite Patagonia
07. The Andes

Alineación:
- Bruno Sanfilippo / Sintetizadores, piano, teclados, programación, MIDI, kultrum, chascas
Invitados:
Natalia Chiambaretta / Violin
Paulo Carri / Quenas, Quenachos, Trutruca, Pifilca

Segundo trabajo de este compositor argentino radicado en España. Esta vez, el descubrimiento de la Patagonia por el portugués Magallanes sirve de inspiración para este disco: "Suite Patagonia" se centra en el descubrimiento de la Patagonia y Tierra del Fuego por el navegante Hernando de Magallanes, en busca de una ruta marítima hacia China y Japón. Las historias y mitos de aquellos nativos y su relación con los colonos. Se utilizan algunos instrumentos autóctonos, cantos aborígenes y sonidos de la fauna patagónica. Puede evocarnos a una banda sonora imaginaria.

Una banda sonora sin película, que consigue evocar todo tipo de imágenes en la mente de quien lo escucha.
Sanfilippo propone una visita por la historia y leyendas de la época de los conquistadores sobre los paisajes e indígenas de este lugar.
Cánticos rituales en "Giant Patagon", la gradiosidad de "Sayhueque" o la orquestación y piano de "Terra Incognita" atacan lo más profundo
de tus sentidos, combinando samplers y sintes con instrumentos ancestrales.
Inevitables referencias a Vangelis, Mike Oldfield o Ennio Morricone, pero con incomparable riqueza y fuerza.

José M. Duque

Bruno Sanfilippo pertenece al tipo de músicos que a pesar de tener el saber y posibilidad de ejercer su desarrollo musical basado en la composición clásica, utiliza toda su técnica compositiva para alzar su vuelo a nuevos horizontes, en base a su instrumento: el piano, pero no sólo con él sino que además le suma el sonido de electrónicos y de samplers y, en este caso, también de instrumentos tradicionales mapuches, que sirven para la ambientación necesaria que requería este disco dedicado a las historias increíbles que albergan y pueblan las tierras de la Patagonia y dan un lugar a historias y leyendas innumerables. La instrumentación autóctona da colorido con las canciones aborígenes, sumados a los sonidos de la fauna del sur.

Dedicated to the incredible histories that harboured the lands of the Patagonia. The Cacique Sayhueque, the Patagonian Giant's myth, the admiration of the colonists before an unknown fauna, the contact between the native ones and Magellan's men, curious histories that touch with the magic and the fantasy, full with myths fed by old conquerors, scanners and adventurers. The colourful autochthonous instrumentation with aboriginal songs, sounds of the southern fauna, the European vision of a time, of a place, of numberless histories and legends.

Bruno Sanfilippo

"Suite Patagonia" trae historias legendarias del mundo hermoso y extraño en el extremo sur de nuestro país. En el disco aparecen representados los mitos de los gigantes de la Patagonia, la admiración de los colonos antes de una fauna desconocida y su contacto entre los nativos, historias curiosas que tocan con la magia y la fantasía, lleno de mitos alimentados por los antiguos conquistadores, exploradores y aventureros.
La obra tiene elementos de tensión, atmósferas grandilocuentes y una mezcla entre la música New Age y la música étnica, que crean finas líneas que llevan a estados de ánimo contemplativos y calmos. En el disco aparece la historia desarrollado en un paisaje musical tangible y claramente distinguible: a veces suena con algo de infantil y lúdico (imagino que tratando de representar el carácter de los pueblos originarios), mientras que otras veces aparece el drama sinfónico relatando el choque entre culturas. La habilidad del músico queda plasmada al captar las melodías en el aire y convertirlas en arreglos épicos o sinfonías románticas, rebosante de emoción y técnica.

Bruno Sanfilippo es un músico y compositor de formación clásica que ha estado creando música desde hace más de 20 años.
Su enfoque alterna entre la exploración de conceptos minimalistas en piano y electroacústica.
Le obsesiona la búsqueda de lo nuevo, lo sorprendente, lo mágico, y lo profundo. En los sueños no hay cosa imaginada demasiado absurda o demasiado rara - y la música de Bruno proviene de esa fuente onírica inagotable y descarada.
Durante los úlimos años ha realizado música encargada para pequeños proyectos de cine y video.
Ofrece conciertos y eventos multimedia en diferente escenarios y festivales. Usualmente consisten en improvisaciones en piano + cuerdas, o + set electrónico, laptop y video proyecciones. Ha contribuido en varios recopilatorios y ha colaborado en numerosos proyectos con artistas tan notables como: Mathias Grassow, Marsen Jules, Max Corbacho y Alio Die.

Música Global

El disco es muy difícil de describir con palabras: se puede hablar de similitudes con la obra de Vangelis o Mike Oldfield, pero estos enfoques sólo actúan para dejar más o menos claro en qué territorios nos estamos moviendo. Incluso en los momentos más tranquilos, realmente no se puede hablar de música ambiental o New Age (bueno, yo lo catalogo como música Ambient porque en algún lado lo tengo que poner); se trata de música sinfónica pero tratada desde una óptica diferente, y sin duda difícil de escuchar, el enfoque no es inmediato y te sugiero que escuhes el disco más de una vez antes de emitir tu propia opinión, porque seguramente, cuando empieces a digerir este disco lo descubrirás como un trabajo fascinante.

El noviazgo, por lo menos conceptual, de Bruno Sanfilippo con el cine, o con un tipo de música que podría ser asociado a las bandas sonoras de las superproducciones americanas, continúa.
Esta vez sus melodías nos meten de lleno en las tierras de la Patagonia, la zona más meridional de Sudamérica, parajes de magnetismo y misterio como pocas otras lo han tenido. Tierra que ha albergado historias increíbles de aventuras, sangre, belleza, muerte... En algunas de ellas se detiene especialmente el fabuloso libreto que acompaña el CD.
En primer lugar, acompañamos al explorador Hernando de Magallanes y sus marineros en la búsqueda del famoso paso que posteriormente llevaría el nombre del marino portugués y que le llevaría hacia las tierras de las especias, el extremo oriente, en la expedición que, tras su muerte en las Filipinas, culminaría Juan Sebastián Elcano. En esta apasionante aventura, de la cual uno se queda con ganas de conocer más detalles tras leer el, repito, estupendo libreto, se inspira Sanfilippo para los temas “Giant Patagon”, “Terra Incognita”, y “Magallanes”.
Otra historia en la que el artista posa su música es en la historia de Fuegia Basquet y Jemmy Button, dos jóvenes aborígenes llevados a Inglaterra en 1829, los cuales fueron “civilizados” antes de volver a su tierra. El tema “Fuegia & Jemmy” nos expresa esta lucha entre la llamada civilización y la cultura aborigen.
Finalmente, el primer tema del compacto hace referencia al cacique Valentín Sayhueque (1830-1903), el último líder indígena de la Patagonia.
Completan el disco dos obras directamente inspiradas por la geografía patagónica: “Suite Patagonia” y “The Andes”.
Historias muy diferentes todas con un común denominador. Así también podíamos definir este “Suite Patagonia”. Música instrumental aderezada con cantos de exóticas aves, rituales aborígenes, samplers que ayudan en nuestro viaje por la “Terra Incógnita Australis”. Momentos de dolor, de asombro, de pasión, de calma, de ira... mil emociones pueden surgir si se escucha este disco y se deja volar la imaginación.
Cuando hoy en día parece que las bandas sonoras de las películas se copian unas a otras, quizás porque siempre trabajan los mismos, la música de este argentino sin pertenecer a ninguna película, nos ofrece, si no algo nuevo (la fantasía es tan antigua como el hombre, inherente a la condición humana) un presente que siempre regocija, como es poder usar este don de la mente. Música que sin ser de cine, es cine... música que sin ser libro, es aventura... música que sin ser amor puede ser pasión y dolor...
Para terminar, añadir que el disco está disponible en España a través de la distribuidora Ventilador Music, por lo cual, no hay excusa para dejar pasar de largo este tren transoceánico sin rumbo definido.

La Factoría del Ritmo

Born to an Italian father and an Argentinean mother, Bruno Sanfilippo started studying piano at the age of 7, and by the age of 23 was a Music Professor at the Galvani Conservatory. Diverging from the piano, Bruno spent the next three years studying synthesisers, programming and the versatility of sampling and MIDI systems. His first album Sons of the Light was released in 1991 followed by The New Kingdom in 1995.
Building his own studio, ad21music, Bruno produced his third album, Solemnis, in 1998.
This latest album, released in 2000, is a musical representation of the history and myths of Patagonia, the land at the south-eastern tip of South America. Accompanied by a lavish 24-page booklet (with text in both Spanish and English) the music combines traditional Mapuche Indian instruments, wild life recordings of birds and whales, and a large array of modern synthesisers and samplers.
With Bruno playing the majority of the instrumentation, the obvious comparison is with Mike Oldfield, and several pieces, most notably
Terra Incognita, are worthy of the reclusive Englishman himself. However, the music contains a plethora of drum rhythms, bringing to mind
the music of Peter Gabriel at the time of this third and fourth albums.
The whole album is very 'visual' akin to some of the music produced by Ant Phillips or Ennio Morricone. It evokes images of grand sweeping vistas, the wilds of nature, the brutality and beauty of the ocean. The only quibble is the sequencing, the pseudo-orchestral title track should, in my opinion have ended the album. Comprised of a sequence of several musical themes, alternatively tranquil and dramatic, with a lovely faux guitar melody (sadly rather swamped by excessive keyboard fills in places), a short vocal section (reminiscent of a Gregorian chant) and a rousing church organ, this piece packs more ideas into its eight and a half minutes than many bands manage over an entire album. Unfortunately, it is followed by The Andes, an almost new-age piece that is altogether inconsequential.
Overall, Suite Patagonia is an excellent soundtrack without a film. It won't get your heart racing or stun you with virtuoso performances,
but for fans of symphonic prog, this album is worth investigating.

Mark Hughes

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if somewhere in the Sanfilippo home one could find a sign which says "genius at work," because when you listen
to "Suite Patagonia" for the very first time, there’s only one word you can think of and that’s genius, G-E-N-I-U-S!
As Vangelis tackled the discovery of America by Columbus on his 1492 soundtrack, Sanfilippo here delivers a view into history, into the southern extreme of the Americas that reached the South Pole, Terra Incognita Australis.
The booklet is filled with interesting information about this period and its history, whilst the music really has you explore that huge territory by means of instrumental storytelling beauty.
Opener "Sayhueque" is bombastic yet contains the true feel of the Mapuche Indians by introducing their authentic instruments such as quanas, quanachos, pifilca and trutruca, all skillfully performed here by one Paulo Carri.
Sanfilippo himself plays kultrum and chaschas, two other authentic instruments from the Mapuche heritage.
Next to the rich patterns on synthesizers and samplers, Bruno has also added the richness
of real violin as performed here by Natalia Chiambaretta. In several of the tracks you can also hear the true recordings of Patagonian birds, which of course bring the synthetic music and the true spirit of nature closer together.
The underlying repetitive pattern makes “Giant Patagon” into a dragging rhythm, again complemented with birdsong and detailed instrumentation.
“Terra Incognita” contains loads of classical references and in fact sometimes sounds as if a real orchestra is at work.
It contains a very addictive rhythm and fuses Celtic-like elements within the music.
The classical reference goes one step further when classical piano melts together with kettle drums and a huge choir to extra emphasize the repetitive nature of “Terra Incognita". Towards the end I notice a bit of early-Oldfield influences as well.
“Magallanes” holds a fair amount of Arabian elements not in the least the addictive nature of the rhythmic pattern, which kind of places
you on a flying carpet overlooking the vast Patagonian landscape.
“Fuegia & Jemmy” contains an original recording of a ritual song by extinguished Indian tribes of the most southern tip of Patagonia.
This chant is embedded in very powerful and bombastic strings building like the waves that crash on the beach.
To top it all, this song also includes the sound of authentic "ballena Franca" whales.
The actual “Suite Patagonia” is a fine example of the compositional skills of Sanfilippo, introducing subtle melodies backed by some outstanding majestic strings in the best Vangelis tradition.
Again Celtic influences spring to mind when you hear the inclusion of tin whistle that complements the superb orchestral arrangement.
The album closes with “The Andes", a repetitive pattern that sounds like a loop fading in the distance.
Get that Grammy ready as this guy truly deserves it! In the meantime, film directors can stop their quest for the right soundtrack as
Bruno Sanfilippo will certainly do an outstanding job. Superb!

John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg

For those that don't know Patatgonia is the largely unspoil Southern region of South America shared between Argentina and Chile, including the Tierra del Fuego, an archipielago off the southern tip of South America ending at Cape Horn in the Antarctic Ocean.
This album is a collection of pastoral, almost new age styled, compositions which is not only beautifully written but is also a wonderful advertisement for the Argentine Tourist Board.
The CD cover features stories from the Region and some enticing landscape shot which had
me reaching for my travel atlas to see what it would cost to get out there.
The album itself consist of 7 evocative pieces describing different features of the land, its discovery, its people and wildlife. Modern keyboards and violin are complemented by traditional instruments of the Ona and Yamana Indian peoples of the Region. Several tracks incorporate the birdsong of native species to elaborate the ethnic and ecological metaphors. The closest comparison I can make to the music on this album is to yhe more relaxed aspect
of Jade Warrior's Island years (e.g.Way of the Sun) and their final two albums without David Duhig.
Few bands were as successful at drawing the listener into landscapes and social behaviour as Jade warrior and it is a tribute to the skill of Bruno Sanfilippo that he has been able to create similar effects so well.The music has few, if any, sharp edges but never slip into the overt sentimentalism and quasi-religious undertones of many new age albums.
Enjoyable both as soothing background music and for more intense listening pleasure when the subtleties of texture and delicate touches of instrumentation can fully appreciated.

Wondrous Stories Journal

Here's another musician from Argentina, doing an album (almost) entirely on his own.
Bruno Sanfilippo manages to come whit a highly entertaining album.
Bruno also plays mainly instrumental music, but has a musically different approach.
The first thought that comes to mind after listening to "Suite Patagonia" is of Mike Oldfield's firts albums, specially "Tubular Bells", thanks to the structure of the tracks and sounds used. Another parallel (but less significant) is to a soundtrack, like "Braveheart", because of the surprising strong folky influences every now and then.
Bruno even uses some traditional Indian instruments on the CD.
The disc seems to be sort of an instrumental concept and the booklet tells anecdotes of the discovery (by Europeans, that is) and history of Patagonia - in Spanish and English.
Because of the concept, I find it a bit hard to pinpoint a single track as highlight of example.
Despite the fact, that the music doesn't run trough over the full length and is divided into 7 separate tracks, if feels as a whole. And I think it should be regarded as such.
A great alternative for people who lost their faith in Mike Oldfield!

Carsten

This is certainly the best Symphonic Prog album I ever heard since long!
Only instrumental, with a rich instrumentation, a superb mix, splendid atmospheres, there are no gaps in this disc.
Bruno Sanfilippo is the Argentinean Mike Oldfield ! With a difference: he plays keyboard. But the attitude (lyrical, symphonic, folk influenced) is the same.
Although he (adn his friends) uses a lot of local instruments (among which various flutes and pipes), this never sounds "folklore" music but rich Progressive Rock.
In the way of the Los Jaivas but more experimental, innovative and symphonic. A treat ! I wonder how were the first three albums by this guy. The booklet is interesting too since it tells several stories which happened in Patagonia a far, hidden and then mysterious country. An intelligent and personal concept album!

Thierry Sportouche

Is there such a thing as a concept album without a true definable musical concept, instead being borne out of a true story told through music? If so, Suite Patagonia, from keyboard player Bruno Sanfilippo (who hails from Barcelona) is it. This is a grand "tale", all the more remarkable when one reads the extensive (pages and pages of them, in fact) liner notes which recount the history of the land of Patagonia (the land at the far southeastern tip of South America, near the Straits of Magellan), starting with its discovery by the explorer Magellan (here written as Magallanes). I will admit to being more-or-less ignorant of the "real story" behind this chapter of history (and subsequent ones involving the Patagonians and the colonists). After reading the liner notes, I certainly want to know more and my curiosity is reinforced and encouraged by the highly dramatic and wonderful music written and performed by Bruno Sanfilippo. Using what sounds like a large arsenal of synths and samplers
(along with a few authentic - for that part of the world - instruments, e.g. kultrum, chaschas), Sanfilippo has crafted a sweeping neo-orchestral recording that offers up stirring themes, forlorn melodies, and both stately and dramatic rhythms. Musically, some may hear echoes of Richard Burmer, circa his brilliant Bahkti Point-era. But the music on Suite Patagonia is less ' new age ' by far. It's much more along the lines of soundtrack music, especially on tracks like the opening "Sayhueque," (church-like bells, pounding timpani, and bass-strings may bring to mind Morricone's great soundtrack for The Mission).
Other selections include the somewhat otherworldly "Giant Patagon" (featuring great "clipped" synth chorus work and lush strings) as well as delicate flute-like samples counterpointed by thundering drums and plucked strings. "Terra Incognita" features a variety of exotic synths but used in a traditional manner so that the music is never too bizarre or overtly "electronic."
A harpsichord-like keyboard carries the melodic refrain and hand-chimes bring to mind the Burmer comparison I mentioned earlier. Despite the title (which can be translated as "unknown land"), the track is not dark or scary, instead concentrating on a sense of exploration and discovery.
Even during the few parts of the album when the mood quiets down, I'd never call this ambient music. And it's definitely not new age music.
I think the best way to define Suite Patagonia is as I wrote above: it's a musical "tale" with distinct chapters and stories, encompassing a wide variety of moods and emotions. "Magallenes" can be heard as haunting (owing to snaky synth work) despite its pounding percussion.
The title track is almost overture-like, with a largely orchestral sound to it as it moves through eight minutes of various musical motifs.
The closing cut, "The Andes," is probably the closest to "new age music" owing to a more gentle tone and the use of synths that sound less
like traditional instruments.
Admittedly, Suite Patagonia is probably not an album, upon one's first listening, whose craftsmanship or artistic worth is wholly appreciated (such was the case with me, at least). The music is never "easy" to listen to the way that new age music usually is and it's not the least bit unobtrusive (in the way that ambient music is). Instead, I keep coming back to the comparison to a soundtrack.
In fact, owing to the great liner notes and the strong visual component of the music, I sure wish someone would "film" this album.
The historical "story" is amazing (I wish space permitted me to recount it here) and the music, with its dramatic themes, exciting melodies, forceful percussion, and classically romantic motifs, would merit a movie filled with heroism, tragedy, hope, loss, and redemption.
Until the movie is made, though, Suite Patagonia will have to do for those with imagination enough to "see it" in their mind's eye.

Bill Binkelman

Is argentinian composer with italian roots and who currently lives in Barcelona, releases a complex and risky conceptual album about the history of Patagonia, one of the most magical places in Argentina, since it was discovered. The seven instrumental tracks of this album tell seven legends and stories played by Bruno Sanfilippo (keyboards, programming, sythns, samplers, kultrum y chascas), Natalia Chiambaretta (Violin) and Paulo Carri (Quenas, quenachos, trutruca, pifilca). I´m sorry I can´t write further details about these instruments... the only thing I know is that they´re ancient instruments of Mapuche (Patagonia´s indians)
The sound of Suite Patagonia reminds me of soundtracks with some (not many, don´t worry) new-age sounds. In any case it´s a boring album. But the work has been conceived as an unity, so it´s not a collection of seven tracks. On the other hand the album can be enjoyed at its best if you listen to it carefully. If you read the booklet that contains all kind of information and graphics about Patagonia while you´re listening to the music, you´ll enjoy the album while you learn more about that culture.
You won´t find virtuosity of amazing instrumental passages in Suite Patagonia... in fact this is a very interesting almost-orchestral album and a soundtrack that will transport the listener to ancient times and places. I miss some energy and powerful moments so the album would have been more varied, but that´s my personal point of view.
I haven´t listened to the rest of Sanfilippo´s discography but I think that all the albums will be great if he recreates images as he does in Suite Patagonia. Lovers of Oldfield or Phillip Glass sounds, and fans of the most ethereal symphonic rock will enjoy this album.

Alfonso Algora

Un trabajo maravillo como son los paisajes patagónicos y sus historias terribles y maravillosas. Espero que lo escuchen varias veces y que le encuentren la vuelta, porque es un disco muy disfrutable incluso para personas como yo que mucho el estilo Ambient no ma va. Háganme caso.
Y no encontré videos de este disco.