Contaminazione

Nice little Italian prog gem. Bold musicianship, creative and groovy. But poorly burnt on CD - it is fragile in about every cd-player I have played it on.

Excellent.

This CD is a Master Piece of Progressive Rock no doubt's!!!!!!!

For many years I have been familiar with Contamination, the English language version of this album, because I owned the LP. I thought that album was a wonderful combination of prog and classical, specifically that of Bach, my complaint being that the English vocals didn't go natural for that band (much like PFM's Photos of Ghosts). Now I have got the original Italian language Contaminazione, which while sounds all pretty much the same (maybe some slight differences in places), the Italian vocals are definately an improvement. Prior to Contaminazione, the band had already released two hard rock albums, Io Come Io (1972) and La Bibbia (1971), neither not too well liked in the prog rock community (although I don't think La Bibbia is that bad - it's actually pretty good, albeit rough and unpolished hard rock). But then the band added a keyboardist and totally switched directions. The band hired Argentine-born Luis Enriquez Bacalov to conduct the orchestra (he already already did this for Osanna's Milano Calibro 9 and New Trolls' Concerto Grosso Per 1). Here the band bases their music on Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, with lyrics that tell the story of a Scottish musician so obsessed with the music of Bach he thought he was the composer's son, and eventually went insane. While the Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Renaissance, Rick Wakeman, Ekseption, Deep Purple, New Trolls, and Osanna had all explored rock with orchestra concepts, RDM decided to do their own, and made a great album in the process. Lots of great guitar and keyboards (Mini Moog, VCS-3, ARP 2600, Hammond organ, Eminent, harpsichord, pipe organ). There are some passages that bring to mind New Trolls' Concerto Grosso Per 1, I guess that's no surprise, given Bacalov was involved in both. There are some rather experimental passages, and short interludes that go between actual songs like "Ora Non Ricordo Piu`", "Lei Sei Tu: Lei", "La Mia Musica", "Johann", "Scotland Machine", and "Alzo Un Muro Elettrico". Often this involves grand use of organ, strange electronic effects, orchestra, the occasional jazzy passage, and so on. I thought the band ran a bit out of steam with the final piece, "La Grande Fuga", but still this album is deserving as one of the all-time great prog/classical hybrids. If you enjoy the Osanna and New Trolls albums mentioned, Bach, and Italian prog in general, this album is another must.

Il Rovescio della medaglia fue una banda italiana poco conocida si la comparamos con PFM, Le Orme, Aria o Maxophone, probablemente porque para las fechas en la que se concibe esta grabaciòn no existìa el INTERNET. Enriquez, Vita, Bardotti y Sergepy se inspiraron en Johann Sebastian Bach y lograron componer una obra que nos recuerda el estilo barroco al que imprimen un especial y curioso sentido progresivo que,unido a lo revolucionario de la lìrica, hacen de este CD uno muy adelantado a sus tiempos (fue grabado en 1973). Aunque considero que es un disco conceptual que exige escucharse de un tiròn, destacan La mia musica, Cella 503, Contaminazione 1760 y La grande fuga.....Despuès de escucharlo varias veces tengo que admitir que esta obra maestra del rock progresivo compara con In the court of the Crimson King de King Crimson....y es una exigencia tenerlo en su colecciòn.....Il Rovescio della medagliawas a great italian band not so well known like PFM, Le Orme, Aria or Maxophone. Unfortunatly, there was no INTERNET at that time (1973). Enriquez,Vita,Bardotti and Sergepy inspired in the great clavicordist and barroque musical genious, J.S. Bach and made a very rare album adding progressive elements combined with social and political lyrics that at the end the result were a outstanding masterpiece....I consider Contaminazione a conceptual album that you should enjoy completly....but La mia musica, Cella 503, Contaminazione 1760 and La grande fuga........are simply fantastic....After listened well, this CD is one of it kind, like it was in 1969 King Crimson, "In the court of the Crimson King". It is a must to have it in your collection.......

This is the unique combination of fine orchestrations concerning classical music, with some heavy guitar excursions: nevertheless -of course- there are a lot of master classic italian prog albums better than this one, yet R.D.M. tries to leave a bit the heavy guitar style of their first album,in order to make the keyboards more dominant and suitable to tell you the story about the life of J.S. Bach: while the guitars are a good completion of the full-bodied sound anyway, even though being less important during the short duration of the present album(36 minutes)... I don't like the other albums, characterized by heavy guitar riffs and a few variations (according to me such l.p.'s got the same defects of some 70's italian albums such as "Biglietto per l'Inferno"), but this one is the output of an interesting experiment and idea as well.Essential album, even though inferior to the other italian masterpieces of the same period !!

I think that this is one of those "underground" classics that people hear mentioned in other reviews of Italian progressive music but have not heard it. I, for one, took the chance and bought a copy. It is captivating, wonderful and rough around the edges. It is indeed contaminated classical (baroque) music but a fascinating one that should delight any fan of symphonic rock.Now, for the one star from being an overall masterpiece. The K2 24 bit mastering has significantly broadened the sound. The bass is low and articulate. The midrange is "in your face". The treble, is overbearing. I had to make a copy of the recording, turning down the treble significantly to make it palatable to the ears. It was almost painful to hear the violins.For the money, it should be a great recording, not one that needs further correction. Where was the engineer? What happened?

muito satisfeito

„Contaminazione” heißt das dritte Studioalbum der italienischen Progressive Rock Band Il Rovescio Della Medaglia. Das Album erschien im Jahr 1973 ursprünglich auf dem Label RCA Italia. Die Platte stellt eine Mischung aus Klassik und Rock dar. Das „Wohltemperierte Klavier“ des Johann Sebastian Bach liegt dem Werk als Ausgangspunkt zugrunde.Man mag diese Verquickung von Klassik und Rock mögen oder nicht, im Falle von Il Rovescio Della Medaglia und ihrem Werk „Contaminazione” klingt diese Synthese ganz nett, mehr allerdings auch nicht. Man hört zum Teil harte Rock-Gitarren, neben Synthesizern, die die rockigen Passagen abdecken. Dann schließlich wieder Streicher oder auch Bläser, die für die klassischen Momente der Scheibe zuständig sind. Die Musik geht dabei durchaus ins Ohr, klingt jederzeit melodiös und eingängig, doch sie schafft es irgendwie nicht zu begeistern, zu unspektakulär klingt das Ganze insgesamt. Dabei kupfern die Italiener nicht von Johan Sebastian Bach ab, nehmen dessen Musik eher als Ausgangspunkt. Vollends überzeugend klingt dies allerdings trotzdem nicht.Definitiv schwierig gestaltet es sich einen Höhepunkt des Albums herauszuheben. Alles klingt nett und gelungen, nichts wirkt deplatziert, misslungen oder langweilig. Dabei scheint das ganze Album eine kaum zu fassende Ansammlung an Musik darzustellen, die man gerne anhört, danach allerdings wieder vergisst. Musik kann wirklich seltsam sein. Im Falle von Il Rovescio Della Medaglia und ihrem „Contaminazione” muss von daher jedes und kein Lied herausgehoben werden. Es ist die Gesamtheit dieses Werkes welches wirkt, kein einzelnes Lied steht für sich alleine.Fazit: Das Zusammenspiel von Klassik und Rock kann man auf „Contaminazione”, was mit vollständigem Titel „Contaminazione di alcune idee di certi preludi e fughe del "Clavicembalo ben temperato" di J.S. Bach“ heißt, hören. Selbstverständlich sind es nur Passagen aus Bachs Werk, welche in die Musik der Italiener mit einflossen. Von daher ist die Musik durchaus eigenständig und lediglich inspiriert durch Bachs Stück. Das klingt nach Progressive Rock und kann trotzdem nicht bis ins letzte Detail überzeugen. Irgendetwas fehlt dieser Musik, die jedoch keineswegs enttäuscht, allerdings nicht vollends überzeugt.

Tercer trabajo de esta Banda Italiana, fechado en 1973 y editado por RCA, que tras la publicación de dos álbumes más cercanos al Rock Metal, se decidieron por adoptar una Forma más cercana a la Música Clásica, creando esta obra conceptual cuyo título completo traducido es "Contaminación de algunas ideas de ciertos preludios y fugas de Clave bien temperado de J.S. Bach".Y con este arriesgado concepto por delante y con una formación compuesta por Pino Ballarini como Vocalista, Gino Campoli a la Batería, Enzo Vita como Guitarrista, Stefano Urzo al Bajo y Franco di Sabatino a losTeclados, más la aportación de Luis Enriquez Bacalov como arreglista, destacable entre otros por su aportación al "Concerto Grosso" de New Trolls nos encontramos con un disco de Rock Progresivo Italiano en su máxima expresión, donde están combinadas muy acertadamente la Orquestación Clásica como corresponde a un disco basado en el Universo Bach, con el excelente trabajo llevado a cabo por el Grupo, tanto en la parte Vocal, como en la instrumentación eléctrica de Guitarra y Teclados, muy bien ejecutados junto a Bajo y Batería, con el resultado de un disco único, original, lírico, con pasajes de gran belleza, pero sin pérdida alguna de la fuerza que corresponde a un Grupo de Rock Progresivo.Muy recomendable

Dopo il primo più' hard e improvvisato registrato nella maniera live un disco più' studiato e molto più legato alla musica classica per riprendere in virtuosismi di tastiera chitarra che ti fanno capire quale sia stata la qualità' degli strumentisti italiani che gareggiavano egregiamente con quelli stranieri,un disco da avere nella propria raccolta di dischi prog rock italiani

Album très spécial ça prend plusieurs écoutes. Mais c’est progressif dans toutes les notes

Uno de los grandes discos de rock progresivo italiano. Todo él se basa en una pieza de clave de J.S. Bach, pero con unos arreglos demoledores y pasajes de guitarra bastaste cañeros. El sonido es bastante aceptable, ¡ no os lo perdáis !

"Contaminazione": Ein Meisterwerk, wie es keine mehr gibt! Werde mir etwas mehr von Rovescio della medaglia kaufen!!!!! bla bla bla

Per gli amanti del rock progressive italiano d'annata o per i collezionisti.Non immediato, serve più di un ascolto (se ce la farete)

Gran bell'bell'esempio di rock progressive italiano prima maniera, un must per gli amanti del genere (come me).

Excelente!

Un buon disco per il prog italiano e per gli amanti del genere di cui faccio parte.do solo tre stelle perché mi da la sensazione che manchi qualcosa che rimanga un potenziale capolavoro incompiuto.comunque è da avere,ripeto ,per gli amanti del genere

Ultimo lavoro della band,eseguito con la consueta maestria.Peccato che il gruppo non abbia poi prodottopiù nulla,forse il furto degli strumenti subito lo ha danneggiato anche moralmente.

No se me ocurre nada para mejorar, que ya es de nota !!!Uno lo pide y te lo hace llegar a casa. Gracias por hacerlo fácil y sencillo

Super

OTTIMA BAND HARD ROCK/PROGRESSIVE ROMANA DEGLI ANNI 70, QUI ALLE PRESE CON LA RIVISITAZIONE IN CHIAVE ROCK DI ALCUNE FUGHE E PRELUDI DI J.S. BACH, SOTTO L'ECCELLENTE DIREZIONE DEL MAESTRO L.E. BACHALOV. IN QUELL'EPOCA, ESPERIMENTI DEL GENERE ERANO PIUTTOSTO FREQUENTI ... VI RICORDATE DI "PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION" DI EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, "CONCERTO FOR GROUP AND ORCHESTRA" DEI DEEP PURPLE, "CONCERTO GROSSO" DEI NOSTRANI NEW TROLLS? ANCHE QUI SIAMO AL MEGLIO .. CONSIGLIATO A QUELLI COME ME CHE HANNO SUPERATO I 50, MA ANCHE AI PIU' GIOVANI ... PER RENDERSI CONTO DELL'ECCELLENTE LIVELLO ARTISTICO/PROFESSIONALE CHE SCATURIVA DA "CERTI CIRCUITI" DELLA MUSICA NOSTRANA, NON SOLO SAN REMO!!