Come un cammello in una grondaia (lit. 'Like a camel in a gutter') is the sixteenth studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Franco Battiato, released in 1991. A Spanish-language version of the album, Como un camello en un canalón, was released two years later.
| Come un cammello in una grondaia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Length | 32:08 | |||
| Label | EMI Italiana | |||
| Franco Battiato chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editFollowing his song "L'oceano di silenzio", in which he had already experimented very bare and classical arrangements, his 1988 opera Genesi and his musical score for the 1990 film A Violent Life, Battiato got the inspiration for this album from his renewed interest in the classical genre.[1] On 16 July 1991, he took part in a classical music festival in Fermo where he performed four lieder, by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms and Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, which Battiato considered the peak of the genre.[2] The lieder became the second part of the album, with four compositions of Battiato occupying the first part.[2]
Production
editThe album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.[1][2] Characterized from the absence of any rhythm section,[2] Battiato was accompanied by Roger Chase, Anthony Pleeth,Gavyn Wright, the Astarte Orchestra of London conducted by Antonio Ballista and Giusto Pio and the Ambrosian Singers of London choir conducted by John McCarthy.[1] The title is a citation from 11th-century Persian scholar Al-Biruni.[1][3]
Release
editThe album was released on 8 November 1991. It peaked on the tenth place on Italian hit parade and sold over 250,000 copies.[3]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Povera patria" | Franco Battiato | 3:45 |
| 2. | "Le sacre sinfonie del tempo" | Battiato | 3:45 |
| 3. | "Come un cammello in una grondaia" |
| 3:31 |
| 4. | "L'ombra della luce" | Battiato | 4:54 |
| 5. | "Schmerzen" | Richard Wagner | 2:50 |
| 6. | "Plaisir d'amour" | Jean-Paul-Égide Martini | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Gestillte Sehnsucht" | Johannes Brahms | 5:48 |
| 8. | "Oh Sweet Were the Hours" | Ludwig van Beethoven | 3:38 |
Charts
edit| Chart (1991–92) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[4] | 10 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Zuffanti, Fabio (30 June 2020). "Come un cammello in una grondaia". Franco Battiato: Tutti i dischi e tutte le canzoni, dal 1965 al 2019 (in Italian). LIT Edizioni. ISBN 978-88-6231-868-6.
- ^ a b c d La Posta, Annino (2010). "1990-1994: Nel regno della quiete". Franco Battiato: soprattutto il silenzio. Giunti. ISBN 978-88-09-74253-6.
- ^ a b Spessato, Carla (20 October 2021). "E ti vengo a cercare". Franco Battiato: Come un incantesimo. Giunti. ISBN 978-88-09-95527-1.
- ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2023. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Come un cammello in una grondaia".
External links
editCome un cammello in una grondaia at Discogs (list of releases)
