Pete Seeger
Award Witness 2006
Born in 1919, Pete Seeger is really a legend of folk world. He was one of the starters and most tireless supporter of the rediscovery of American and world wide folk tradition, by letting it become famous as folk genre.
By travelling since the ‘40s in United States and by recovering the tradition of ballads, he firstly proposed this music for the musical education of children, then, after the Second World War, he began a great journey of music, social, political and ecological engagement, by building the Almanac Singers and the Weavers.
He is the composer of a manual become classic: “ How to play the Five-String Banjo”, an important work for many generations of banjoists.
During his career as soloist, began in 1958, he wrote many successful songs such as “ If I had a hammer”, “ Turn! Turn! Turn!”, “ We shall overcome”, “ Where have all the flowers gone”, reinterpreted later by artists such as Joan Baez, Byrds, Mamas and Papas, Springsteen.
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Giovanna Marini
Award Winning 2006
She has studied social singing and oral sung history since the ‘60s and was often in close contact with some farmers singers, singers and storytellers. She worked with the Ernesto De Martino Institute for the collection of songs of oral tradition, their study and their transcription, by inventing, for this purpose, a system of musical notation, which let her carry sung memory on stage. Besides a long active composition activity in several areas, Giovanna Marini always continued to teach ethnomusicology, applied to the singing of Italian oral tradition.
In 1967 she created the Vocal Quartet, for whom she still writes and with whom she still performs many concerts. These concerts are the accomplishment of all her musical experiences, among research on traditional songs, teaching, instrumental and vocal composition, individual and collective writing.
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Cousins Nigro, Giuseppe and Luigi
Award Winning 2006
Children and grandchildren of traditional musicians, the two cousins, daily engaged as farmers, are heirs of an articulate music tradition, rooted in the Greek Sila, where there is an important repertoire of folk songs of love, religion and disdain. They have a complete knowledge of the relevant sung and played repertoire, the use of specific instruments ( bagpipes, flying guitar and organ) and sometimes the production of them. Luigi is the last manufacturer of this particular bagpipe present in this area and follows the techniques learned from his grandfather, while Giuseppe is an experienced flying guitar player and fine singer.
By listening to them, you can enjoy the true flavour of their land, so attached to the traditions that today are little known and appreciated.
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Gipo Farassino
Award Winning 2006
Class 1934, chansonnier and actor in Turin, great interpreter of folk songs in local dialect, he is an artist strongly attached to his city, Turin.
Of course, the evocative power of his songs comes from his dialect, which he can use with spontaneity and skill, with sensitivity and intelligence, with an innate instinct of dialectal chansonnier, painting in an unforgettable way neighborhoods, shops, characters of popular Turin. Gipo sings in dialect when necessary, without be imprisoned of it: he varies it, he forms it, he accentuates its popular character, even slang, or he rises tones, depending on the songs, by exploiting all the resources. His research of styles and subjects was very important in early ‘60s, as it was a major musical path, with several published album and an interesting theatrical activity, with particular attention to the cabaret.
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