Putumayo World Music presents Italian Musical Odyssey, a collection of music that provides a new perspective on one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The album is filled with songs that resonate with echoes of the rustic Sicilian countryside, the picturesque villages of Sardinia, romantic Venetian canals, Piemonte's snowcapped mountains and much more. While Verdi operas and the soaring vocal strains of Andrea Bocelli are well-known around the world, the rich folk music traditions of Italy have yet to be widely discovered. Italian Musical Odyssey reveals the depth, diversity and beauty of one of the world's great sources for folk music. None of the selections on Italian Musical Odyssey have been released in the US before now, and many have never been heard outside of Italy. The compilation features leading figures in the Italian folk music revival movement such as Nuova Compagnia do Canto Popolare, Riccardo Tesi, La Ciapa Rusa, Lucilla Galeazzi, Fratelli Mancuso, and Calicanto. Agricantus, Taken, Rua Port'Alba, Novalia and Calic, young innovators who stretch the boundaries of tradition, are also featured. Italy's contributions to the arts are unsurpassed. From Roman sculpture and architecture, to Renaissance paintings, to theater, dance and of course, music, Italy has, for thousands of years, been a leading source of artistic expression. The songs on Italian Musical Odyssey reveal an often overlooked dimension of Italian culture. The lovely lilting melodies, exotic instrumentation and prosaic poetry of Italian folk music will appeal to fans of world, folk and classical music, not to mention people interested in Italian culture.
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