all.reviews.light.version

All Reviews (31), Interviews (2), Criticisms (2), etc. of the Soloist CD, updated 2007:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2007 U.S.A.: LAWTON - OK: PERCUSSIVE NOTES - Percussive Arts Society Issue: February, '07 (www.pas.org)

(Reviewed by F. Michael Combs, Classical Music Percussionist. Professor Emeritus of Music The University of Tennessee - U.S.A., active member and reviewer for musical literature and music for Percussive Notes-official magazine of the PAS-Percussive Arts Society of which also Co-publisher and other)

Percussive Notes is the official magazine of the PAS-Percussive Arts Society, since 1961

the greatest organization than percussion of the world and is considered the source centers them for information and networking for the percussionists and the drummers of all the musical disciplines.

This CD, titled Tribute to Beethoven but subtitled “Drum In the Symphony no. 9,” is a full recording of Beethoven’s “Symphony No 9” with added drumset throughout. Except for an almost eight-minute drumset solo inserted between two major sections toward the end of the fourth movement, this symphony is performed true to tradition by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Italian drummer Massimo Aiello has been presenting performances of the symphony with added drumset since 1987. Aiello’s drumset playing is clean and solid and he clearly makes a major effort to tie in stylistically with Beethoven. But as well as the drumset part is executed, adding it to the traditional performance of Beethoven’s Ninth is like adding chocolate sauce to filet mignon. The drumset performance uses a great deal of cymbal work throughout sometimes as an attempt to support the line and sometimes to provide additional color and fills. The tones of the toms and bass drum are rich and warm. The added solo in the fourth movement includes interesting material and creative sounds. There is definitely some very nice drumming here.

2007 GERMANIA: EUSKIRCHEN: DRUMS & PERCUSSION: (www.drumsundpercussion.de)

(Reviewed by Ingo Baron, german musical critic reviewer. Important German Drums magazine)

A brave project! A drummer born in Naples, Massimo Aiello decided to face the whole of the 9th symphony of great old Ludwig van and write an arrangement. He has been working on it for 20 years performing solo live on stage. Both the orchestra and the chorus come out from a still. Aiello is developing this project and he has realized the first cd with a delicate, dynamic, melodic sensitivity without self-consciousness and exaggeration and this enormous work finishes, as we know, with the "Ode to Joy". This fascinating music is performed in very unusual way. There is a Beethoven shuffle, because Aiello dares to insert a groove and at the very end a short solo into the historical texture. Oh my God!

Ein mutiges Projekt: Der in Neapel geborene Trommler hat sich nämlich nichts weniger als die komplette Neunte des guten alten Ludwig van vorgenommen – und ein Drumsetarrangement dazu geschrieben. Seit etwa zwanzig Jahren bringt er diese Idee bereits in Soloshows auf die Bühne. Orchester wie Chor kommen dabei allerdings aus der Retorte. Aiello geht auch auf der ersten CD mit diesem Projekt empfindsam, dynamisch, melodisch sensibel und nie zum Selbstzweck oder überladen ans gewaltige Werk, welches bekanntlich im letzten Satz mit der »Ode an die Freude« endet. Ein faszinierendes Stück Musik – hier eben aber mal ganz anders serviert, nämlich als 'Beethoven- Shuffle', denn Aiello wagt es, hier und da ganz zaghaft einen Groove oder gen Ende auch ein kleines Solo in den historischen Stoff zu schmuggeln. Mon Dieu!

Infos: www.massimoaiello.com

(Reviewed by CLASSIC DRUMMER MAGAZINE, The Fastest Growing Drum Magazine On The Planet: Ringraziamento a Billy Jeansonne Publisher / Editor)

TRIBUTE TO BEETHOVEN was conceived, written and performed by Massimo Aiello and consist of live music drums on a recorded back-ground of the Symphony No.9. The result is an absolutely new interpretation which represents an interesting cultural musical event. It is entirely successfull and it is still played in theatres, squares, churches, etc., always with positive response.

(Reviewed by Tom Schäfer, german musical critic reviewer. The most important German Drums magazine)

What a work of art! Beethoven and drums! A drumset which integrated the 9th Symphony and turns the classic work into a new exciting musical experence. Massimo Aiello is the creator and drummer of this live-project. Which as been successfully performed in Italy many times. With great sensitivity to the dinamics of classical music with a refined sense for the stile with which he constructs tempo and rhythms, subtle atmosphere and orchestral class of the drums, he fascinates with his successfull technique applying an instrument of modern times to a classic work of genius.

Was für ein Werk! Beethoven und das Schlagzeug! Ein Drumset geht hier eine Verbindung ein zu Beethovens "Neunter Symphonie" und macht des Klassisch-virtuose Werk zu einem neuartig aufregenden Hörerlebnis. Massimo Aiello ist Initiator und Schlagzeuger dieses in Italien oft aufgeführten und erfolgreichen Live-Projekts. Mit großem Feel für die Dynamik Klassischer Musik, mit Gespür für Feinheiten, für das Stilmittel der tempogestaltung, subtile Atmos und orchestraler Drumset-Klasse fasziniert er durck die gelungene Art, ein Instrument der Neuzeit in Verbindung mit einem Klassischen Geniestrich zu setzen.

(Reviewed by Jean-Baptiste Perraudin, French musical critic reviewer. The most important French Drums magazine)

Re-readings of classic music are always been a dangerous challenge. The Italian drummer Massimo Aiello decided to play a drum part over Beethoven’s Symphony n.9. The richer symphony of the German composer is made of four movements, among which there is the famous “Inno alla gioia”. Massimo Aiello did a big work of writing to perform and accompany this opera of more than an hour. I have to say that I do not completely agree at his way of working. Each movements of this symphony are not necessarily suitable for a drum part; probably it would be preferred to choose shorter works. It is not my taste to approach binary rock rhythms than some jazz accompaniment. Probably it would be more interesting the use of brushes or mallets to try new colors (Massimo Aiello’s note: "brushes and mallets has been hardly used, does the reviewer listen the CD?.... I think not....I’m sorry!"). I recognize the hard work needed to realize a similar record, but the final result leaves me cold. Listen to get the general idea of it.

Les relectures de la musique classique ont toujours ètè un pèrilleux. Le batteur italien Massimo Aiello a fait le choix de superposer une partie de batterie sur la Symphonie N°9 de Beethoven. La plus riche symphonie du compositeur allemand comporte quatre mouvements, dont le fameux "Ode à la Joie". Massimo Aiello a fait un gros travail d'ecriture pour suivre et accompagner cette ceuvre de plus d'une heure. Mais j'avoue n'avoir pas pleinement adhèrè à sa dèmarche. Tous les mouvements de cette symphonie ne se prêtent pas forcèment au jeu de batterie, peut-être eut-il-ètè prèfèrable de choisir plusieurs ceuvres plus courtes. L'association des rythmiques binaries rock ne me semble pas toujours du meilleur goût; cela fonctionne mieux avec un accompagnement jazz. Peut-être aussi aurait-il ètè intèressant d'utiliser les balais ou les mailloches pour varier les couleurs (Massimo Aiello: "mais si j'ai jouer pendant dizaines de minutes avec balais et mallets!....mais celui-ci a écouter le cd par entier et de quelle façon?....je pense que non....dommage!"). Je reconnais l'investissement que demande la prèparation d'un tel enregistrement, mais le rèsultat final me laisse plutôt froid. A ècouter pour se faire une idèe.

2007 ITALY: ROMA: PERCUSSIONI (http://www.chitarre.com/percussioni/home.htm)

(Reviewed by Federico Angelacci, italian musical critic reviewer. The most important Italian Drums magazine)

Drummer Massimo Aiello showed a deep love for Beethoven, a love that carries him to conceive and play a drum part over a record of the Symphony N.9. The four movements that form Beethoven’s work highlight all the endowments necessary for the parthenopean drummer to face a so hard job: technique, musicality and strong sense of dynamic. An original and well succeed work.

Un amore viscerale nei confronti di Beethoven è quello di Massimo Aiello, un amore spinto fino al punto di inserire la batteria e di suonarla dal vivo con base registrata su un'opera quale la Nona Sinfonia. I quattro movimenti che costituiscono l'opera mettono in luce tutte le caratteristiche senza le quali il batterista partenopeo non avrebbe potuto affrontare un compito del genere: tecnica, musicalità e forte senso della dinamica. Un prodotto ben riuscito e originale. (f. a.)

2004 U.S.A.: CEDAR GROVE - NJ: MODERN DRUMMER Issue: April, '04 (www.moderndrummer.com)

Who among us hasn't heard a piece of classical music, and as if a scene in Wayne's World, lifted our arms high and air-drummed a monster fill? Well, Massimo Aiello had the courage to do what the rest of us have only dreamed of, and he did the job right. Aiello thoroughly but unobtrusively arranged a drumset part for this famous symphony, showing a fine command of dynamics while pounding drums like kettles and cymbals like lightning rods. Anyone who poopoos this cd out of hand isn't a "true" musician, for included in that term must certainly be a sense of humor. Rock on! (www.azzurramusic.it)

(Reviewed by Beverly Paterson, american musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine especially rock)

"Classical music will always be with us, and as Massimo proves, there's room to build on it."

A drummer, who excels at a variety of styles, Massimo Aiello sinks his sticks into the mind of Beethoven here on this fascinating disc. Adding drums to the great opera may seem pretty surrealistic, but as Massimo asserts in the liner notes, he's simply paying respect to the master for his contributions to mankind. I'm no authority on Beethoven, yet I definitely appreciate what I hear and commend Massimo for his enterprising approach. How amazing it is that these stunning pieces of music remain so timeless after so many decades. Classical music will always be with us, and as Massimo proves, there's room to build on it. "Tribute To Beethoven - Drum In The Symphony No. 9" is truly an accomplishment.

(Reviewed by Noël Akchotè, austrian musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine)

Do you want to talk conceptual music now? Well: Napoli meets the 9th or even much more seriously, Drummer Massimo Aiello plays over a tape of Beethoven´s hit and informs us he’s being doing so since 1987. We have to have that, no? Play me that Symphony again and let him roll over that Slovak Radio Orchestra version (director: Walter Attanasi). You may think I´m once more getting sarcastic here but that is not the truth. Gosh, I only can welcome such personal wills and beliefs just ‘cause who knows? Maybe our Aiello really got something we didn´t, maybe yes, Beethoven would have really had Gene Krupa, Jeff Porcaro or Ringo with the 9th if only he´d knew. Back to our item, two things: Drums could be louder in the mix, by far and second: it seems, after Rondo Veneziano, hard to get some sort of clear direction as far as drumming on classics is involved. I hold a copy given to me by Tony Hymas (Jeff Beck long times keyboardist and composer of »Don´t let me down« by Phd.) of a self-promotion album beautifully named »Steinway to heaven« (Indeed comissioned by the legendary piano manufacturer itself). And there you can hear all sorts of fame of rock and pop dealing as they can with classical hits and piano. Back to Massimo I really enjoy that first half hour now, it almost makes you forgot Herr Master and who knows if Napoli´s not taking a serious revenge here.

Möchten Sie jetzt über Konzeptmusik sprechen? Gut: Neapel trifft auf die Neunte, oder – ernsthafter – der Schlagzeuger Massimo Aiello trommelt zu einer Aufnahme von Beethovens Hit und lässt uns wissen, dass er das bereits seit 1987 tut. Glauben Sie nicht auch, dass wir das unbedingt haben müssen? Also spielen wir noch einmal diese Symphonie und lassen wir ihn zur Interpretation des Slowakischen Radiosymphonieorchesters (unter Walter Attanasi) rocken. Vielleicht denken Sie jetzt, dass ich wieder einmal sarkastisch bin, aber das stimmt überhaupt nicht, denn solche Zielstrebigkeit und persönliche Überzeugung kann ich weiß Gott nur begrüßen. Vielleicht hat unser Aiello tatsächlich etwas, was wir nicht haben, oder hätte Beethoven bei der Neunten lieber mit Gene Krupa, Jeff Porcaro oder Ringo zusammengearbeitet, wenn er nur von ihnen gewusst hätte? Zur CD selbst zwei Anmerkungen: erstens könnte das Schlagzeug um einiges lauter sein, und zweitens kann man nach Rondo Veneziano nicht mehr genau sagen, welche Wege beschritten werden, wenn es um Drums und klassische Musik geht. Ich selbst bin im Besitz einer Promo-CD, die ich von Tony Hymas (Jeff Becks langjährigem Keyboarder und Komponist von »I Won’t Let You Down« von PhD) erhalten habe und die den wunderschönen Titel »Steinway to Heaven« trägt (und auch eine Auftragsarbeit dieses legendären Klavierherstellers war). Darauf sind alle möglichen Größen des Rock und Pop versammelt, die sich nach bestem Wissen und Gewissen an die Aufgabenstellung Klassikhits und Klavier heranmachen. Aber zurück zu Massimo: Ich habe die erste halbe Stunde wirklich genossen, man vergisst fast den Meister – und wer kann schon sagen, ob Neapel hier nicht furchtbare Rache nimmt. E magnifico!

(Reviewed by Kentil'zha, norwegian musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine)

Italian drummer experiments with 180 year old symphony, and the result is better than you might think.

As a drummer, I sometimes find myself tapping out rhythms when I'm listening to music with no drums or percussion. Not because there's anything wrong with drumless music, but I just like to experiment and imagine what it would sound like with drums. Italian drummer Massimo Aiello has taken this concept a bit further by recording himself playing drums along with Beethovens famous ninth symphony. You know, the one with that beautiful melody - "Ode to Joy" - that the bad guy is humming in "Die Hard". Not to mention the countless other movies it's been used in.

Now, I can imagine that purists have huge problems with someone recording drums onto a classical piece in this manner, so let me just say this: If you love classical music and believe that it should only be played as the composer wrote it, then stay away from this recording. If, on the other hand, you love classical music, and don't mind it being experimented with, this could be well worth checking out.

Aiello has used a recording of Beethoven's ninth symphony by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (with their permission, I hope), and recorded his drums along with that. Rather than just playing straight beats, he uses his drums and cymbals like an orchestra in itself, complimenting - rather than overpowering - the symphony. The drums are lower in the mix than you might expect, perhaps even too low at times. On some of the louder parts, the orchestra almost drowns out the drums. It's not really a problem, though, and I think it says more of Massimo Aiello's sense of dynamics than anything.

Throughout the 71-minute CD, the drumming is often quite "jazzy", which has a very interesting effect on the overall sound. There is also some nice cymbal work on the quiet parts, and some tom-tom bombast on the louder bits. There is a short drum intro to the third movement, and a longer solo towards the end of the fourth movement, which, again, does not intrude upon Beethoven's masterpiece, but rather complements it. As the title says, it's a tribute. And it works, thanks to Massimo Aiello's melodic drumming.

(Reviewed by Roberta Baldizzone, italian musical critic reviewer. Important italian Jazz-magazine)

Derived from the namesake show, carried out the first time in 1987 at the Pio X Theatre in Padua, “Tribute To Beethoven” represent an other milestone of Massimo Aiello’s experimental journey. Beeing already approached to the cultured music before (we remind you his performances on extracts of operas like Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” and Sravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps” in the late 80’s), the neapolitan musician use this giant of classical repertoire as scenery for his improvisations: the four symphony’s movements are accompanied and breaked by the improvised drum solos. To giving him a base is an appreciable record of the Beethoven’s masterpiece performed by the Camerata Cassovia conducted by Walter Attanasi.

Tratto dall'omonimo spettacolo realizzato per la prima volta nel 1987 al Teatro Pio X di Padova, "Tribute to Beethoven" rappresenta un'altra tappa del percorso sperimentale di Massimo Aiello. Avvicinatosi già in precedenza alla musica colta (ricordiamo le esibizioni su estratti di opere come "Guillaume Tell" di Rossini e "Le Sacre du Printemps" di Stravinskij, della fine degli anni ottanta), il musicista napoletano utilizza questo colosso del repertorio classico come scenario per le sue improvvisazioni: i quattro movimenti della sinfonia vengono accompagnati e inframmezzati dagli interventi solistici improvvisati dal batterista. A fargli da base, una pregevole incisione del capolavoro beethoveniano nell'esecuzione della Camerata Cassovia diretta da Walter Attanasi. (RB)

(Reviewed by Antonio Rettura, italian musical critic reviewer. The greater music web portal in Italy)

Some things aren’t suitable to middle-ways: you can love or hate them! It’s certain that someone will disagree knowing that a drummer intruded in the german Master’s great opera, while some other shout “Heresy”. We want to forget for a moment the more “snob” purists and go to discover what is there underneath this atypical and interesting fusion between classical music and drums. Massimo Aiello doesn’t done nothing but adding a new instrument to the orchestra (isn’t enough?), where nobody had write the score before. We can guess that this is a work that needs a great knowledge, in Beethoven’s opera in first, and especially in drums. For who that don’t know him, the neapolitan musician wich live in Veneto began his career in the 80’s collaborating also with Aldo Tagliapietra (singer of Le Orme), Ricky Gianco, and he played with Tullio De Piscopo. Owner of an indisputable technique and talent, he enrich the symphony without invading it, emphasizing and making the most of the tension bends during the four opera’s movements. All in all we can declare that Massimo Aiello had carried out a double tribute: one to the opera, the other because, in a certain way, he had made topical and modern the masterpiece of the german composer, making it more near to the new generations. For who that ever listened to classical music (and to the Beethoven’s operas in particular) this is the right time, an umpteenth interesting spur to do that…

Ci sono cose che non si prestano a vie di mezzo: si amano o si odiano! Qualcuno di certo storcerà il naso nell’apprendere che un batterista si sia intruso nella grand’opera del Maestro tedesco, mentre qualcun altro griderà all’eresia. Lasciamo perdere per un attimo i puristi più ‘snob’ ed intellettualoidi, e andiamo a scoprire cosa c’è dietro quest’atipico ed interessante connubio fra musica classica e batteria. Massimo Aiello non ha fatto altro - e non è poco! - che aggiungere all’orchestra un nuovo strumento, del quale nessun altro prima aveva scritto la partitura. Si intuisce che ciò è un lavoro che richiede grande conoscenza, dell’opera di Beethoven in primis, ma soprattutto dello strumento batteria. Per chi non lo conoscesse, il musicista napoletano, in seguito trapiantato in Veneto, ha iniziato la sua carriera artistica negli anni ’80 collaborando - fra i tanti - con Aldo Tagliapietra (il cantante delle Orme), Ricky Gianco, ed ha suonato insieme con Tullio De Piscopo. Padrone di un’indiscussa tecnica e talento, il Nostro riesce ad arricchire la sinfonia senza risultare mai troppo invasivo, valorizzando ed accentuando le curve di tensione all’interno del discorso che si dipana nei quattro movimenti che compongono l’opera. In definitiva si può affermare che Massimo Aiello ha realizzato un duplice tributo: uno per l’opera in sé, l’altro per avere in una certa misura reso più attuale e moderno il capolavoro del compositore tedesco, rendendolo più vicino alle nuove generazioni. Per chi non si è mai inoltrato nelle strade della musica classica - ed in particolare nelle composizioni di Beethoven - questa è quindi l’occasione giusta, un ennesimo stimolo d’interesse per farlo…

(Reviewed by Celeste Piccolo, italian musical critic reviewer. Independent music web portal in Italy)

It’s a nice and skilful way, as well as original, that the neapolitan drummer devised to thank Beethoven for how much he given to the humanity with his music. The intrusion in the Ninth’s four movements is discreet, intelligent, appropriate, mixed with the right equilibrium. The sound results pleasant, often it’s mixed with the base, clear mark that Aiello had studied in depth the intervention’s ways and times. Original is the adding of the soloist before the third movement; more “predictable” the intervention before the final. On the other hand the final is the less Beethovenian part of all the symphony, then also Aiello, who added his reading-key without disturbing, can be fit into that. It’s left to ask ourselves what would said Beethoven, if he would listened to the italian drummer’s addition. Maybe he would said “Recently I don’t hear well…”

E’ un simpatico e sapiente modo, oltrechè originale, quello ideato dal batterista napoletano Massimo Aiello, per ringraziare Beethoven per quanto ha dato all’umanità con la sua musica. L’intrusione nei quattro movimenti della Nona è discreta, intelligente, appropriata, mixata con giusto equilibrio. Il suono risulta gradevole, spesso si confonde con la base, segno evidente che Aiello ha studiato a fondo modi e tempi di intervento. Originale l’aggiunta del solista prima del 3. movimento; più “scontato”l’intervento prima del finale . D’altra parte il finale è la parte meno Beethoveniana di tutta la sinfonia, quindi ci può stare anche Aiello, che ha aggiunto la sua chiave di lettura, ma che non ha dato fastidio. Resta da chiedersi cosa avrebbe detto Beethoven, se avesse ascoltato ai suoi tempi, l’aggiunta del batterista italico. Si sarebbe forse trincerato in un “In questi ultimi tempi non sento bene...”.

Recensione di Celeste Piccolo

(by Vladimir Shakhov, MJJA's member, well-known & appreciate journalist & jazz-music critic reviewer in Russia. Writer in important magazines like this SEE SAW of Moscow)

Listening to Beethoven's Ninth, no matter if on a high-end hi-fi system or on a humble cdplayer like mine, there's always something missing........ you can play the Ninth at a disco night... nobody will start dancing. In India people would pass by without noticing and in a conctruction site, among noises of chains machines you couldn't even hear it. Guessed what's missing? The drums.

Everybody realized this, but the only one so far who had the guts to take the sticks and drum those 80 minutes is Massimo Aiello, free-lance drummer and musis teacher. Massimo Aiello is italian and plays music since he was ten. He studied with the likes of Tullio de Piscopo and Enrico Lucchini. He likes learning and improving: this is no rock'n roll but he definetly deserves great respect and has played with around 80 bands, both italian and international and 40 different musical styles. And now he has recorded this Tribute to Beethoven-Drum in the Symphony no.9 for Azzurra Music. With a drum arrangement of Beethoven's Ninth.

Considering that we grew up with Beethoven's music, a piece of symphony, a Windows XP, a rock'n roll rearrangement; from a classical point of you, you can only associate it with the fall of the orchestra conductor, but we can not ignore this record.

What lies inside this record? If it's true that you can better water plants by transplanting them--- flowers are ideas that grow in the vase of arrangement. With melodies in their place. Massimo achieved the idea of playing without overplaying, underline without deleting... so that Betthoven's flowers keep blossoming with red petals. Pam –Ru-pa-pa. Ra-pa-pa-pa, Ra-pa-pa-pa.. Can you recognize the 28° minute?

Transplant. stem cut in a modern new way, add a wet garage sound, or a minimum of instruments, keyboard otr weird instruments, or a perfect lyric, or a cool dub. Good that there is nothing of that. Hey Fatboy, Junky,...

Nourish your flowers. And now, when there's silence you can hear flutes and boom boom bass. For those who have no rhythm sense, heere's the main theme. Massimo keeps time perfectly, does not play one note too many, or too few, no matter if he is playing a lot, or just a little. Sense of measure and taste are evident even in the complete darkness, what am I saying, during the silence. The Hymn to Joy , in the points where the instruments, (ehm) guitars, distorted keyboards, and drums are silent, and you only hear the choir, gets a new percussive breath, you can tell evn the teeth have been brushed, they don't smell any more, there is something new and fresh. Then at the 22° and 1/2 min, fourth movement , you hear a plain, free, probably improvised solo. And you understand with how much power he had been holding it back from the beginning. Than follows a brief and powerful final resolution and that's all. The record is over.

It had been long since we found a record that you can dig byh the millimeter, keepeng track of minutes and duration of the musical pieces. Interesting idea, right direction , cheerful english design in music, the force for pushing the keys is not enough, there are other things to consider. I see it this way: with one ear, one eye, one hand you have to play, and with the others (ear, eye, hand) you have to remember.

I would trust with eyes closed Massimo,which by the way is also a teacher, as a drum teacher for my son.

To say the truth some body with an accademic styles suggested I throw away this record. But we have a different idea.

Слушая знаменитую Симфонию №9 Бетховена в сверхсупермощной стерео системе как у Бёрджеса, или в дешовом плейере как у меня всегда чего-то не хватает. Например, если поставить №9 с диска на диско вечеринке ни одна наркопьянь даже не выйдет на танцпол. В Индии, в Пежо местные будут скуучно проходить мимо. А на стройке между звуков болграки, цепей и железных вёдер никто ничего и не услышит. Уже догадались чего? Правильно барабанов.

Все это чувствуют, но смелости взять в руки барабанные палочки, и отстучать 80 минут живой музыки хватило только у Массимо Аиелло, фриланс-барабанщика и учителя музыки. Уроженец Италии, в десять лет впервые стукнувший и с тех пор барабанщик. У него знаменитые учителя: Tullio De Piscopo, Enrico Lucchini. Вообще, Массимо любит учиться и совершенствовать себя, это конечно нах не рокнролльно, но заслуживает уважения, с другой стороны он играл в 80ти группах итальянских и зарубежных и в 40а стилях. И вот в сентябре 2001ого он записывает Tribute To Beethoven—Drum in The Symphony no. 9 c лейблом компании Azzura Music. Барабанную аранжировку симфонии номер 9 Бетховена.

Учитывая, что все мы даже под стол ходили с именем Бетховен; кусочек симфонии—сэмпл к виндоусу ХР; интерпретации всегда в стиле рокнролл; классический ассоциируется только с падением дирижёра в летнем театре; а также, используя ряд один-индивид-чтотоесть мы не могли этот диск пропустить мимо.

Что же на диске? Мама моя всегда твердит: подкармливай цветы когда пересаживаешь. В этой фразе ключ к вопросу круто это или нет. Итак, цветы—цветы это идеи что растут из горшка аранжировки. Мелодии на месте, Массимо наверное много потел чтобы играть не доминируя, подчёркивать не зачёркивая. Цветы Бетховена продолжают цвести красными лепестками из этой пластинке. Пам-Ру-па-пу-пу. ру-пу-пу-пу, Ру-пу-пу-пу. Бур Бу. Что не узнали? 28ая минута.

Пересаживай. Правильно, сделай запись актуальной, добавь влажного гаражного звука, или минимума клавишных, или странные инструменты, или совершенный текст, или мирный даб. Хорошо что ничего этого нет. эй Фэтбой, Джанки, кавер?

Подкармливай. Зато теперь, когда тихо, слышно и высокие трубы свирели, что там у них, и низкие бум бум. Для людей без ритма в голове есть основная тема, кстати Массимо идеально попадает, и нигде, повторяю, нигде не сыграет лишней ноты, либо слабый сил жалеет, либо хороший музыкант. Чувство меры и вкус вне всяких похвал есть даже время полной темноты, тьфу, тишины. Ода Радости, в местах где инструменты, гм, гитары клавишные дисторшены и бубны смолкают и слышен только хор, получает новое барабанное дыхание, видно зубы чищены, ничем не попахивает, даже свежо как-то становится. А потом, на 22ой с половиной минуте 4 движения, movement, как обозначено на диске, слышно полное, свободное, импровизированное должно быть, соло Массимо. Видно как сильно он терпел, чтобы не разродиться раньше. Затем мощное короткое разрешение и всё, диск закончился.

Давно не попадался в руки диск, который интересно несколько раз прошарить перемоткой диска, подмечая минуты и длины кусков музыки. Интересная идея, правильное направление, долой британский дизайн в музыке, нельзя обладать просто силой нажимать на кнопки, нужно ещё чуть оглядываться. Одними ухом, глазом и рукой играть, а другими вспоминать, вот как я это понимаю. Вполне доверил бы Массимо учить моего сына-барабанчика, он ведь учит ещё к тому же.

Правда некие господа из академического стиля советовали выкинуть этот диск к свиньям, мы, в синтипопе, думаем, что очень даже ничего так.

Vladimir Shakhov

(Reviewed by John Tzinieris, greek musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine, especially classical music)

Well, this is not a mostly usual case of the recording of an ordinary work : the CD content consists of the 9th symphony performance by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (very good performance as a matter of fact - orchestra directed by Walter Attanasi) with the Slovak Philarmonic Choir to participate in the most famous 4th movement of the symphony and Massimo Aiello's own Drum recording to be "applied" on the initial classical music "layer", so that the final result is the mixed influence of both factors : Beethoven 's 9th Symphony and Aiello's own drum interpretation. A really interesting experiment ! Did it work ? Well, the undersigned happens not to be a drum expert, but he always enjoys a good drum solo or a well-filled passage. However, the experiment is absolutely successful ! The ear of the listener actually gets full satisfaction ! Besides, Aiello's corresponding show has always been a success, hasn't it ?

Massimo is a very good drum artist, but this is not enough in our case ! Beethoven's 9th symphony is the ultimate source of inspiration and mental elevation, full of magical melodic passages and an admired overall structure, so the intervention should be very careful and balanced, otherwise a rather "silly" sound would come out ... Aiello's full "drum-palette" is used wisely and quite in accordance with Beethoven's spirit - the Italian artist has shown a full respect for the original's work atmosphere and his drum imagination schemes have been in complete symphony with the orchestra's melodic and harmonic courses. Drum's part is "fat" and interesting, perhaps it could stand alone by itself quite beautifully, variety is well-used (including a good deal of drum-silence periods!) and matching drum colorations are fitted successfully. I must say again that our artist's mission was not an easy one : the original work is of fantastic artistic value and only a perfect "overlaid" drum orchestration would survive.

Since drums are usually supporting the rhythmical being of a piece of music, we would normally wait that Beethoven's orchestral masterpiece has become more rhythmical than it used to be for more than 150 years now ! Well, that is true. Closed hi-hats sounds are stepping proudly and cymbals are underlining the "curves" and the "corners" of the phrases, while various types of bass drums and snare drums are used in fully accordance with Beethoven's spirit to accent specific important notes - sometimes they are also used along with the classical orchestra's own timpanis. Toms also give some passages a more "piquant" flavour. Other sounds from the drummer's rich soundset are occasionally used, with more concern to be in balance with the classical spirit than to impress audience "easily" (Aiello is also a very good drummer). Drum's dynamic formations are also well artistically justified : they are usually following Beethoven's own marks but sometimes a more personal stamp is used - with very nice results !

1st movement - Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - Duration of about 16 minutes and a half - This is a most "dark" and "difficult" movement. Triumph chords are supported by drum's bursts and "verifications", parts of a medium dynamic are getting more interesting and quite passages are treated carefully and in a rather accompanying way. Movement's ultra-beautiful melodic bends are kind of traps for this kind of drum orchestration, but Aiello has used his own instrument in a most suitable way. The movement has gained some special instrumental points by the use of drums ! Just listen to it with an open mind and perhaps you will agree ! Beethoven's fantastic orchestration is seconded by the drum's use even if the overall classical favour is softened. Very good result Massimo !

2nd movement - Molto vivace - Duration of over 15 minutes - Hm, well, this is my favorite : I shall be relentless ! Rhythmical support is lively and interesting, adding dynamic content to original movement. Phrases here are strictly separated and drum has obviously many possibilities for "strengthening" the overall struct : eg. cymbals are happily adding a fresh quality and orchestral timpanis are daringly supported by drums. In certain points of the movement, some special drum sounds, for example drum rolling, fast hi-hat changes etc. has given extra interest to Beethoven's orchestration. In short, the rhythmical patterns has become more apparent and more stressed than before. It is rather a matter of personal taste. I think the final result is an interesting enough sound.

"Present for Ludwig" - Duration of approximately 1 minute and a half - Here is a genuine drum solo. Its purpose is obviously to give a more personal stamp to the whole work. Actually, we can listen to a lot of interesting cymbal-effect sounds which contribute to a more dream-like atmosphere and are distinctly coming as an opposition to the next Beethoven's quiet movement ...

3th movement - Adagio molto e cantabile - Duration of about 14 minutes and a half - Calm and dolce as a dream that is coming true - impressive as an orchestra aria. Aiello is very-very careful here : anything can spoil the whole universe of Beethoven's sounds ! Some subtle background effects that give a rather unclear sense are followed by a progressively more active contribution of drums in the part but always in the correct degree. The whole picture is magic : violins (and later the woodwinds) are singing and everything else being is admiring in its own way. Here Aiello shows us that silence is often as precious as gold (and the artist is mature enough to ensure this fact). The relatively delicate drum's contribution is only paused in the (rather short) part where orchestra plays in a rather loud volume, with the brass showing the way ! In general, a total magic with the drum taking its own part in it !

4th movement - Presto (with final chorus) - Ode to Joy - Duration of about 22 minutes and a half - One of the most famous movements ever ! Now drum has a more active part accenting dynamic phrases and verifying the overall tension. Various interesting effects are giving us some ideas about the capabilities of the drummer and his possible contribution in a classical-style passage. The "Ode to Joy" melody starts to be played in the lower strings ! What a glorious moment ! Now, drum is admiring in silence. Then, it will start to help a bit in Beethoven's greatness ! Then it is the time for the great orchestral tutti with the drum shining ! Fantastic ! The magic goes on to the next linking phrase ! Then, it is the turn of the human voices to appear. Drum has an active role and is supporting every try of music often in a most dynamic way. Someone can argue that Aiello is overdoing it at times, but, in the overall mood, drum is doing good. Another interesting moment is the Turkish March, where (normally) the drum is helping a lot in the orchestration, followed by a lot of music "adventures", later to arrive at a "rich" repetition of the well-known 'Ode to Joy' theme. The continuation is full of good drum sounds and god-like vocal lines. We can again often attend drums to admire in relative or complete silence. What a ceremony ! Drum is celebrating with the rest of the orchestra while taking part in the great rite. Music is beyond description now ! A battalion of angels are singing ... What a Joy ! The movement's finale is not less impressive : drum is always helping in the great try and waiting for the moments where it can be more active ... Music is then gradually fainting out, and a drum solo goes on ...

Melodic Drum Solo - Duration of approximately 8 minutes - A normal drum solo is developing. This time not only cymbals but also drums and all other drummer's kind of stuff are taking part. Sound is fat and interesting. Rhythm is relatively stable and supported by changes in sound material that only drummers are capable of. Aiello seems to be a very good and experienced drummer with an inventory of music ideas, styles and ways of expressing himself ! Although the passage is almost 8 minutes long, listener will not feel any kind of boredom or indifference ! After the end of the passage, Beethoven is back again ...

Rest of the Final - Duration of approximately 2 minutes - A very strong finale which is again supported by the power of drum in a most matching way. In the very final phrase of the symphony, listener's great pleasure is mixed with broad satisfaction ...

To be honest, use of drums in Beethoven's 9th symphony clearly lowers its classical favour, but the general idea is to give an alternate interesting orchestration. Massimo Aiello, a very good drummer and musician, managed to give us such an alternate orchestration in a nice and persuading way without harming Beethoven's spirit and greatness. The artist's respect for the German giant is more than obvious even for a classical listener. Drum is played in such a way so that phrases remain clear and are well-supported, rhythmical background is generally delicate enough and keeps the overall atmosphere in Beethoven's high standards, and only few instances can be recalled where drums could be considered as breaking the very sensitive balance. Massimo Aiello has done a very good job that can honestly be considered as an important artistic achievement as well ! Bravo !

(Reviewed by David J Opdyke, american musical critic reviewer. Important musical critic magazine)

(Reviewed by Rèjean Beaucage, canadian musical critic reviewer. Important classical music magazine whit international distribution)

The italian recording company Azzurra Music produced in 2001 an amazing cd played by italian drummer Massimo Aiello : «Tribute to Beethoven – Drum in the Symphony no. 9 » (TBPJAB039). This is an interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony interpreted by Camerata Cassovia directed by Walter Attanasi. Aiello over recording on it a drums track, whit a drums-solo in the middle of Ode to Joy. This work can give an idea of the drums's melodic possibilities, but I think that the History will remember above all the firsth version!

L'étiquette italienne Azzurra Music lançait en 2001 un disque étonnant du batteur Massimo Aiello : «Tribute to Beethoven – Drum in the Symphony no. 9 » (TBPJAB039). Il s'agit d'une interprétation de la Neuvième par le Camerata Cassovia sous la direction de Walter Attanasi, par-dessus laquelle Aiello a enregistré une partie de batterie ! Avec un solo au beau milieu de l'Ode à la joie ! Cela peut donner une idée des possibilités mélodiques de l'instrument, mais je crois que l'Histoire retiendra surtout la première version!

(Reviewed by Peter Sutton, australian musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine, various genres)

Massimo Aiello is primarily self trained in musical research and is a drummer of both classical and rock persuasions. In this 4 track release Massimo provides evidence if any is needed that he is a talented and interpretive performer. As this is a classical release I must admit to being a tad ignorant of the original pieces and would have liked more information. It is a complex release and appears to be a set of new interpretive drum pieces set to a classical philharmonic recording (not performed live with the orchestra) With the introduction of percussion into what was otherwise a far less percussive set of pieces that would either have amazed or outraged Beethoven.

(Reviewed by David Johansson, swedish musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine, various genres)

Well, this cd is one of the most inexplicable things that are happened during the eight months of Deepdive’s existence. Arrive a record of tribute to the old Ludwig Van Beethoven. Its author is an italian called Massimo Aiello who had re-performed the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, including drums! For you wich still don’t know, is not usual for us publishing reviews on old classics, and how this “hooligan” from Italy have found us (wich differently listen to rock music) is a more great mistery! Anyway, now we have to look at the things from a more large viewpoint. For how I understood, is enough original to insert modern drums in olds symphonies. I don’t know if he had copied the rest of the music from some cd or stuffs like that, but it seems the original (of what I don’t had listened much a part the “cult roll” in the Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”). The classical music is enough soft to listening when you want to relax yourself or if you have some problems to sleeping. The jazz drums maybe cheer up the atmosphere (but it depends to who you ask that). The cd is made of eighty minutes of beautiful music, composed by one of the greatest composers ever existed, I cannot comment better like saying that Beethoven was a “cool” man. Also this Massimo seems to be very “cool”. If you like….the post-classic symphony alternative, get yourself “Tribute To Beethoven – Drum In The Symphony no. 9”!

Att lägga moderna trummor på gamla symfonier är ju var jag har förstått rätt så originellt. Om han bara har kopierat den resterande musiken från någon CD eller något har jag inte fått begrepp om, men det låter som originalet (som jag inte har hört så vidare mycket av förutom i Kubricks gamla kultrulle "A Clockwork Orange"). Klassisk musik är ganska skön att lyssna på när man vill ta det lilla lugna eller när man har svårt att sova. Trummorna ger det en lite jazzigare underton och kanske rentav förhöjer stämningen lite (men det beror väl kanske på vem du frågar). Skivan består alltså av närmare åttio minuter av ljuvligt komposerad musik av en av våra största tonsättare någonsin, och jag kan nog inte kommentera mer än att han var en cool snubbe, Beethoven. Denne Massimo verkar också vara en riktigt skön typ, så gillar du.. alternativa post-klassiska symfonier, skaffa "A Tribute To Beethoven - Drum In Symphony No 9"!

(Reviewed by Remco Takken, dutch musical critic reviewer. One of the most greats and importants europeans musical critic magazines, especially rock)

In the flea markets you still can find the 70’s albums with rock revisitations of classical music. Whatever is your opinion about the symphonical rock of Ekseption or Emerson Lake and Palmer, in the next years there was been not much musicians ables to…………[1] [2] He play drums simply recording that over the performance of the Beethoven’s Ninth by an orchestra. [3] But it’s worth meeting soloists who chase their dreams with determination. The recording of a cd is carried out like this, nowadays is not required to recruit expensives orchestras for a symphonical project. The classical music was been totally taken from a cheap slovakian cd. Headphones on, digital recorder turned on, go with the over-recording. Is simply like that. Behind the Aiello’s drums you can hear a digital copy of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Shoddy? Banal? Sure, but it will don’t surprise that Drum In The Symphony no. 9 is at the same time surprisingly beautiful in every details. The drums is pefectly in tune, the mix with the cd’s orchestra is brilliant. The rhythms created by Aiello on the Beethoven’s Ninth they move in an entertaining way [between] the………[4]………. In the tuneful beginning parts, [and] the Final’s heroic. And, I have to say that, the sudden jazz solo towards the end is simply exemplary. Open and agile, [5], and not much long [6]

Op rommelmarkten kom je ze nog wel eens tegen, jaren zeventig elpees met rockbewerkingen van klassieke muziek. Wat ook je mening mag zijn over de symfonische rock van Ekseption of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, er zijn in later jaren maar weinig muzikanten opgestaan die het neoklassieke bombast van deze groepen wisten te overtreffen. Voor de Italiaanse slagwerker Massimo Aiello is het een peuleschil. Hij gaat gewoon lekker een potje drummen bij een orkest dat de Negende Symfonie van Beethoven speelt. Artistiek is het volslagen leeghoofdig, dit in de studio geconstrueerde eerbetoon. Maar het blijft aandoenlijk om kennis te nemen van eenlingen die consequent hun diepste dromen najagen. Een cd-opname is zo gemaakt, peperdure orkesten hoef je tegenwoordig niet meer te huren voor een megalomaan symfonisch project. Klassieke muziek rip je integraal van een Slowaaks budget-cdtje. Koptelefoon op, digitale recorder aan, en overdubben maar. Zo simpel is het. Achter Aiello’s drumstel klinkt dan ook een digitale kopie van de Slowak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Goedkoop? Grotesk? Banaal? Jazeker, maar het zal niet verbazen dat Drum In The Symphony no. 9 tegelijkertijd verbazend knap is in ieder detail. Het drumstel is perfect gestemd, de mix met het cd-orkest is briljant. Aiello’s zelfverzonnen ritmes over Beethovens Negende bewegen zich op amusante wijze tussen droogkloterig in de melodieuze begindelen, tot heroïsch in de Finale. En, het moet gezegd, de plotseling op de luisteraar neervallende jazzy drumsolo tegen het einde is gewoon voorbeeldig. Open en los, met een voelbare onderliggende puls, en niet te lang. Kom daar maar eens om tegenwoordig.

(Reviewed by Peter Backof, german musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine, various genres)

Freude, schöner Götterfunken! Habe ich richtig gehört? Da spielt jemand Schlagzeug zu Beethovens Neunter Sinfonie? Er holt sozusagen mit der Titanenfaust aus, und bietet einem Denkmal der abendländischen Kultur Paroli, um es zur Jahrmarktattraktion zu degradieren?
Mitnichten! Diese Einspielung von Massimo Aiellos Performance, die er in Italien seit 1987 auf Plätzen, in Theatern, Kirchen, Schulen und auf Festivals darbietet, ist zugleich originell und künstlerisch wertvoll. Denn Aiello stellt sich nicht gegen das Werk, sondern fügt sich in das orchestrale Gefüge ein, als wäre sein Part von Anfang an mitkomponiert worden. Bei größer angelegten Orchesterwerken ist es üblich, einen Klavierauszug anzufertigen, um die harmonische Essenz einer Partitur schnell überblicken zu können. Aiellos Spiel wirkt wie ein "Schlagzeugauszug" dieser Sinfonie. Der dramatische Verlauf wird wie in einem Höhenprofil bei Landkarten kenntlich gemacht. Aiello spielt sich nie in den Vordergrund, sondern behandelt Beethovens "Neunte" mit Respekt. Erstaunlich ist vor allem, wie genau er jeden Millimeter der Partitur kennt. Streckenweise gewinnt er dem Werk neue Sichtweisen ab, indem er z.B. im 4. Satz – diese Ode an die Freude, die als"Freude, schöner Götterfunken" populär ist – den Hymnus mit Jazzrhythmen – ja fast schon Breakbeats – unterlegt, die erstaunlich gut passen.
Beethovens letzte Sinfonie war von Anfang an ein Werk, das die Grenzen seiner Gattung sprengte. Ein Modewort war damals das der "absoluten Musik" – und als solche wurde nur reine Instrumentalmusik angesehen. Als höchste Ausprägung dieses Ideals galt die Sinfonie. Der "Revoluzzer" Beethoven nahm Sänger mit in eine Sinfonie. Die damalige Musikkritik echauffierte sich, ob das denn angemessen sei. Aiello greift diesen unorthodoxen Faden auf, erklärt die Sinfonie zum offenen Kunstwerk, und erweitert sie um seinen Beitrag. Das Ergebnis ist alles andere als Kitsch. Entdeckenswert!

Reviewed by Peter Backof

(Reviewed by Volkmar Mantei, german musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine, various genres)

The world is big enough for standing all kind of music. Saying that I mean that is not always (or only) matter of like or not a criterion… Some productions have almost a cheek. Massimo Aiello will split the people in several parts. The gossips, the consenters, who that will shout “Blasphemous!”, the ignorants (they’re always there with their carelessness) and much more. What about it? The Slovak Philarmonic Choir accompany the orchestra in four parts (Ode To Joy). Up to there it’s all the faithful edition of the original Beethoven’s opera. Beside it Massimo Aiello play drums. Massimo play in different ways, sensitive, adequate to the lyric and dynamic’s atmosphere of the opera, sometimes powerful, sometimes sweet, always meticulous and technically perfect, the rhythm hasn’t a modest nature, but he demonstrate to have a large rhythmical understanding and a passion for complex rhythms and for classical music. This is totally interesting and earn a new appearance for the dramatic opera: he carry the music in the ears of young listeners, who otherwise would close themselves to the long opera in a ignorant way. But, is this necessary? Obviously every listener will decide in different way. But the experiment is turned out well and it’s convincing. Everyone must build his own opinion by himself, but after investing two minutes of own modern time in this production.

Die Welt ist groß genug, alle Arten Musik zu ertragen. Dabei ist nicht immer nur Gefallen oder Missfallen entscheidendes Kriterium. Manche Produktion ist geradezu eine Zumutung. Massimo Aiello wird die Anzahl der potentiellen Hörerschar in mehrere Lager spalten. Die Lästerer, die Zustimmer, die "Blasphemie"-Rufenden, die Ignoranten (die ja immer dabei sind - durch ihre Abwesenheit) und etliche weitere. Worum geht es? Das slowakische Radio Symphony Orchester spielt unter Leitung von Walter Attanasi Beethoven´s neunte Symphony. Der slowakische philharmonische Chor begleitet im vierten Teil (Ode an die Freude) das Orchester. Bisher ist alles die originalgetreue Wiedergabe des Beethovenschen Werkes. Zusätzlich dazu spielt Massimo Aiello Schlagzeug. Massimo spielt differenziert, sensibel, der lyrischen und dynamischen Stimmung des Werkes angepasst, mal kraftvoll, mal sanft, immer akurat und technisch perfekt, der Rhythmus ist keiner schlichten Natur, sondern zeigt aufgefächertes Rhythmusverständnis und Hingabe an komplexe Rhythmen und an die klassische Musik. Das ist durchaus interessant und gewinnt dem dramatischen Werk eine neue Facette ab, transportiert die Musik in die Ohren junger Hörer, die sich sonst dem langen Werk ignorant verschließen würden. Aber ist es notwendig? Jeder Hörer wird gewiss anders entscheiden. Aber das Experiment ist gelungen und überzeugend. Soll sich jeder seine eigene Meinung bilden, aber erst nachdem er ein paar Minuten seiner modernen Zeit in diese Produktion "investiert" hat.

(Reviewed by Hendrik Stahl, german musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine, especially classical and jazz music)

Beethoven was a(nyone) drummer! The idea sounds enough tansvers. Rockbands, classical operas accompained by folk music’s instruments, a thing like that already exists since dozens of years. A drummer who play drums on a recording of the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony he has to be really bored or full of creativity. It’s fundamentally comprehensible, because the composer didn’t has a drums at disposal (it was invented in the period of jazz success in the early 20th century). Maybe Beethoven would used a drums, if he would had the possibility. But the insert of a new instrument contain several difficulty (we could write a book about it). Here I list some of them: the drums is the rhythmical instrument par exellence, it give Time and Rhythm and is the use for the others musicians as guide and tread. Since a record on magnetic tape let unwillingly that a drummer intruding into it, he’s in a completely unnatural situation, he has to follow the time’s change of the cd and continually not guiding but following instead. In the Ninth Symphony Beethoven doesn’t let any instrument be a continuous presence, certainly with a good reason. Since Massimo Aiello play his programme also live, he would has probably to be seen on the slant, staying sitted and relaxed on the instrument at least two minutes and let the cd play alone, but he play instead with the cd really continuously, both when that’s right and when not. Finally he again ask himself “Where I must go with drums in the Ninth?”. Of course the drums wouldn’t be in the centre, there is really out of place. Since it stay once in the centre, simply because it’s the concept of the record, it needs to go for a walk in the summits, that often finish in a rock plain. Concluding, the whole lot sounds not totally bad and in the first movement through drums born an “almost gasping”, that reminds the numerouses versions of Toccatas adapted to rock. Aiello often “cheat” but he act with much determination, so an another bar into dynamic and numerouses rhythm and time’s changes are developped through a fusion of jazz and rock’s drum. But in the end starts the suffering with a drum solo of eight minutes completely out of place in the middle of the fourth part; all we need now is only the tape’s noise of the classical base that re-starting and the absurdity is perfect.

Die Idee klingt irgendwie schon ziemlich schräg - Rockbands, die klassische Werke mit Instrumenten der Popularmusik nachspielen, gibt es schon seit Jahrzehnten. Ein Schlagzeuger, der eine Aufnahme von Beethovens 9ter abspielt und darüber dann seine Drums spielt muss aber entweder große Langeweile haben oder vor Kreativität nur so strotzen. Dabei ist es im Grunde ja ganz einleuchtend - schließlich stand dem Komponisten zu seiner Zeit ein Schlagzeug noch gar nicht zur Verfügung, da es erst zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts im Rahmen des Jazz-Booms "erfunden" wurde. Wer weiß, vielleicht hätte Beethoven ja ein Schlagzeug verwendet, wenn er die Möglichkeit dazu gehabt hätte. Aber das nachträgliche Einsetzen eines neuen Instrumentes birgt eine beträchtliche Reihe von Schwierigkeiten, mit denen man wahrscheinlich ein Buch füllen könnte - hier seien nur einige genannt: Das Schlagzeug ist das Rhythmusinstrument schlechthin, das heißt es gibt Tempo und Rhythmus an und dient den restlichen Musikern damit gleichermaßen als Orientierung wie es auch ihr Vorreiter ist. Da sich eine Tonbandaufnahme natürlich ungern von einem Schlagzeuger reinreden lässt befindet es sich hier in einer ganz und gar unnatürlichen Situation, muss sich nach den Tempowechseln der CD richten und alles in allem eben "hinterhereilen" anstatt anzuführen. Weder im Orchester noch unter den Solisten gibt es in der neunten Sinfonie irgendein Instrument, dem Beethoven eine wirklich durchgehende Präsenz gegönnt hätte - sicherlich mit gutem Grund. Da Massimo Aiello sein Programm aber auch live spielt und sich wahrscheinlich ziemlich scheel anschauen lassen müsste, wenn er sich einfach mal 2 Minuten entspannt vor sein Instrument setzt und die CD einsam vor sich herdudeln lässt, spielt er wirklich ununterbrochen mit - ob es grad reinpasst oder nicht. Schließlich stellt sich noch die Frage: Wohin mit einem Schlagzeug in der Neunten Sinfonie? Naturgemäß gehört ein Schlagzeug nicht in den Mittelpunkt, ist dort geradezu deplaziert. Da es hier aber nun einmal im Mittelpunkt steht, ganz einfach aufgrund des Konzeptes der Platte, ist eine schwierige Gratwanderung vonnöten, die nur allzu oft im steinigen Tal endet.
Letztlich klingt das alles nicht unbedingt schlecht. Im ersten Satz des Werkes entsteht durch die Drums sogar ein fast schon rockiger Groove, der an die zahlreichen verrockten Tocatta-Versionen erinnert. Meistens "schummelt" sich Aiello aber mehr so durch und wirkt sehr bemüht, das hohe Maß an Dynamik und die zahlreichen Tempo- und Rhythmuswechsel durch eine Mischung aus Rock- und Jazzdrums nachzuvollziehen. Das Schafott schnappt aber spätestens beim völlig deplazierten achtminütigem Schlagzeugsolo mitten im vierten Satz zu - es fehlt nur noch ein leises Knacken, mit dem die Kassette mit der klassischen Aufnahme wieder gestartet wird und der Unsinn ist perfekt.

Keine sooo schlechte Idee, aber bitte....

(Reviewed by Peggy Thiele, german musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine, especially jazz music)

The Ninth and last symphony is certainly one of the most loved pieces of classical music. Now arrive to us the edition of the Ode To Joy in jazz performance. Massimo Aiello, italian drummer of his mark, take on the responsibility of this experiment. To the edition of the Ninth Symphony, faithfully performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, there isn’t almost nothing to criticize, as to the the choir and the soloists of the Slovak Philarmonic Choir. But the drums accompaniment that’s been placed on top (done by the italian that cheer up himself for the experiment), it seems unfortunately often forced. During long pieces you have the impression that Aiello play rather following the event; he want to be present even if it’s not right. And his solos are sometimes so annoying, like basically in the overall fourth part. Around like a 'Jazz'-sound with the best intention is not to “listening out”, so much that also listening you are disturbed. An original idea, innovative, and the technical capabilities to playing aren’t enough to make a good record. But, as everyone know, in music the souls are divided, so also the "Tribute To Beethoven" will find his admirers.

Beethovens neunte und letzte Sinfonie ist sicher eines der beliebtesten und meistgespielten Stücke der klassischen Musik. Nun kommt uns das Opus samt seinem Prunkstück "Ode an die Freude" auch noch verjazzt entgegen. Massimo Aielle, seines Zeichens italienischer Schlagzeuger, zeichnet sich für dieses Experiment verantwortlich. An der originalgetreu eingespielten 9ten durch das Slowakische Radio Symphonie Orchester gibt es genauso wenig auszusetzen wie am Gesang des Slowakischen Philharmonie-Chors und der Solisten. Das darübergelegte Schlagzeugspiel des experimentierfreudigen Italieners wirkt jedoch leider viel zu oft gezwungen. Man hat über weite Strecken das Gefühl, dass Aiello dem Geschehen eher hinterherspielt – präsent bleiben möchte, auch wenn es gar nicht passt. Und seine Soli sind teilweise sogar störend, wie praktisch im gesamten vierten Satz. So etwas wie ein 'Jazz'-Sound ist beim besten Willen nicht herauszuhören, so sehr man sich beim Hören auch bemüht. Eine originelle, innovative Idee und das technische Spielvermögen allein machen leider noch lange keine gute Platte. Da sich an Musik aber bekanntlich die Geister scheiden, wird auch "Tribute to Beethoven" seine Liebhaber finden.

(Reviewed by Giorgio Riccitelli, italian musical critic reviewer. Important musical critic magazine, various genres)

Massimo Aiello had carried out a courageous record, more than original, that strikes for sensitivity and professionality. “My intrusion with the drum in Beethoven’s great opera, other than a studious souree, is intended as a thank you to this man for his contribution to mankind, both on a musical level as well as expressing values such as love, justice and liberty. I freed these things should be shared. These are things to be shared with all. I hope that I have not “disturbed” the opera too much. Enjoy…” With these simple and honest words Massimo Aiello introduce his project Tribute To Beethoven, a record that hold faithfully the live-show of the same name that the musician present since the 1987 and that is enclosed to his “Book-Method”. Massimo Aiello play drums live on the recorded base (orchestra and choir) of the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Attanesi, and he do that with precision and grace, with that hint more of irrational courage that you need every time you try to contaminate “sacred monsters” like the german composer. The neapolitan percussionist define himself a mainly self-taught artist in his musical research, so much that he approached to the music studying since the age of 10 years old. Since the early 80’s he went to various courses with some of the most important drum’s teachers, enjoying always exellents consensuses; but is with his soloist’ show “Tribute To Beethoven” that he turn out well to stand out by an original and important way, going around Italy (theatres, places and festivals) performing his show with success. The opera is divided in four movements: the 1st Movement, allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso; the 2nd Movement, molto vivace; the 3rd Movement, adagio molto e cantabile; the 4th Movement, presto with melodic drum solo and final. More than an original project, that srikes for sensitivity and professionality. An innovative and creative approach to a classic like the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, certainly, with that good deal of respect and humilty that many others don’t have instead. Massimo Aiello is an extraordinary drummer, he hit the drums and make vibring the cymbals with his phenomenal style, in the middle between the classic and the “standard jazz”. A show really for “fine palates”. For who will have the possibility to watch him in action live, an unlosable show.

Massimo Aiello ha realizzato un disco coraggioso, a dir poco originale, che colpisce per sensibilità e professionalità
“La mia intrusione con la batteria nella grande opera di Beethoven, oltre ad essere motivo di studio, vuole anche essere un modo per ringraziare quest’uomo per il suo contributo all’umanità, sia sul piano musicale che nell’espressione di valori come l’amore, la giustizia e la libertà. Ritengo siano cose da condividere con tutti. Spero di non aver troppo disturbato l’opera originale. Buon ascolto.” Con queste semplici e sincere parole Massimo Aiello introduce il suo progetto Tribute To Beethoven, un album che racchiude fedelmente lo spettacolo omonimo che il musicista propone dal vivo dal 1987 e che viene anche allegato al suo “Libro-Metodo”. Massimo Aiello suona la batteria dal vivo in diretta su base registrata (orchestra e coro) della Nona Sinfonia di Beethoven, eseguita dalla “Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra” diretta da Walter Attanasi, e lo fa con precisione ed eleganza, con quel pizzico di irrazionale coraggio in più che ci vuole ogni volta che si cerca di contaminare “mostri sacri” come il compositore tedesco. Il percussionista partenopeo si definisce un artista prevalentemente autodidatta nella sua ricerca musicale tanto da avvicinarsi allo studio della musica già all’età di 10 anni. Fin dai i primi anni ’80 frequenta vari corsi con alcuni fra i più importanti insegnanti di batteria riscuotendo sempre ottimi consensi, ma è con il suo spettacolo da solista Tribute To Beethoven che riesce a distinguersi in modo importante ed originale, portando con grande successo il suo progetto in giro per l’Italia (teatri, piazze e festivals). L’opera si divide in quattro movimenti: il 1° Movimento, allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso; il 2° Movimento, molto vivace; il 3° Movimento. adagio e cantabile; il 4° Movimento, presto con assolo melodico di batteria e finale. Un progetto a dir poco originale, che colpisce per sensibilità e professionalità. Un approccio sicuramente innovativo e creativo ad un classico come la Nona Sinfonia di Beethoven, con quella bella dose di rispetto ed umiltà che molti altri invece non hanno. Massimo Aiello è uno straordinario batterista, percuote le pelli e fa vibrare i piatti con il suo stile fenomenale, a metà fra la classica e lo “standard jazz”. Uno spettacolo veramente per “palati fini”. Per chi avrà la possibilità di vederlo in azione dal vivo, uno show imperdibile.

(Reviewed by Givanni Vernucci, italian musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical and various arts critic magazine, whit distribution in various states of Europe)

Massimo Aiello was born in Naples in 1966. Since the age of 10 years old he had studied music primarily as self-taught, but he also went to various courses with important drums teachers (as he say, even if he doesn’t specify the names, but we trust him of course). Since the 1987 he turning around performing a show devised and carried out by himself, that had earned him also the record we talking about, that is apreciated in various contexts: festivals, churches, places, theatres, schools. Rather eccentric. Rather pretentious. Interesting the fair. Turned out well, I think. Hold on to yourselves: he has added drums to the four movements of the Beethoven’s ninth, Ode to joy included. Naturally everyone will can have his own idea on the conceptual significance of this gesture. Naturally, recommending that to Beethoven’s fans could be cause of jokes to me and to my critical sense. We can say that the record (recorded in studio playing drums live on a reproduction of the opera), and even the show I think, can be preferably prerogative of those who studying the instrument (or have a great interess for the instrument’s possibilities). Or even for who that isn’t tired enough of these operations (so dearly to a certain progressive) that tend to approach the rock sphere to the classical music (I remind you that exist ways and ways to do that). The drums is certainly a principal instrument, cardinal, of any kind of rock [born as addition of high percussions (more as position then as frequencies, I think) (cymbals??) to the low percussions (drums???) in a sphere that we could define jazz but it would be better that someone would intervene with cultured pages of instruments’ history] and that will not be us that watching badly somebody who experiment the use or the study out of its sphere. So, go with the drums and percussions accompaniment (and every kind of turning upside-down), acoustic but obviously electronic also, even if we talk about solo voice (even vocodered) or bows quartet, of wind and rain or desert’s breath, overfree horns or noise guitars’ orchestras, prepared pianos or carpenters on lunday morning, mow-machines or AM radio frequences, microwave ovens or sea waves, cellular phones or police vans, technohouse records or fields recording from the general markets. You can add also drums to someone that read this fucking piece of writing during a teenage poet-girl from Friuli perform it traduced in a dead language with the choir of an homosexual employee in the Pisa university’s Geography department. But pay attention both to the ridiculous and to the useless. Signs of art them too.

Massimo Aiello è nato a Napoli nel sessantasei. Studia batteria prevalentemente da autodidatta sin dall'età di dieci anni, ma ha pure frequentato vari corsi con importanti maestri di batteria (questo ci dice lui stesso anche se non specifica i nomi, ma noi ci fidiamo senz'altro). Dal 1987 porta in giro uno spettacolo solista da lui ideato e realizzato, che ha pure fruttato il disco questione, che ci informa venire apprezzato nei più svariati contesti: festival, chiese, piazze, teatri, istituti didattici. Alquanto eccentrico. Alquanto pretenzioso. Interessante il giusto. Riuscito mi pare. Tenetevi forte: ha aggiunto la batteria ai quattro movimenti della nona di Beethoven, Inno alla gioia compreso. Naturalmente ognuno potrà avere una propria idea sulla portata concettuale di tale gesto. Naturalmente già il consigliarlo ai fan di Beethoven potrebbe essere causa di presa per il culo alla mia persona se non al mio senso critico. Diciamo che il disco (realizzato in studio suonando la batteria dal vivo sopra una riproduzione dell'opera), e credo pure lo spettacolo, possano essere appannaggio preferenziale di coloro che studiano (o hanno un interesse smaccato per le possibilità del) lo strumento. Oppure per chi non ne ha avuto ancora abbastanza di queste operazioni (tanto care a certo progressive) che tendono ad avvicinare l'ambito del rock alla musica classica (tenete però ben presente che c'è modo e modo di farlo). La batteria è di certo strumento portante, cardinale, di qualsiasi forma di rock [nata come aggiunta di percussioni alte (posizioni più che frequenza credo) (i piatti??) alle percussioni basse (i tamburi???) in ambito che credo potremmo definire jazz ma sarebbe molto bello che qualcuno intervenisse con dotte pagine di storia degli strumenti] e non saremo certo noi a guardare di mal occhio qualcuno che ne sperimenti l'uso o lo studio fuori dal suo ambito. Quindi sotto con l'accompagnamento (e ogni tipo di stravolgimento) batteristico e percussionistico (acustico ma naturalmente pure elettronico), che si tratti di voce sola (pure vocoderizzata) o quartetto d'archi, di vento e pioggia come di alito del deserto, di fiati strafree o di orchestre di chitarre noise, pianoforti preparati o carpentieri il lunedì mattina, tagliaerbe o frequenze radio AM, forni a micronde o onde del mare, telefoni cellulari o furgoni cellulari, dischi technohouse o fields recordings dai mercati generali. Potete aggiungere pure una batteria a qualcuno che legge questo cazzo di scritto mentre una poetessa friulana adolescente lo recita tradotto in ugrofinnico col controcanto in falsetto a bocca chiusa di un omosessuale impiegato al dipartimento di Geografia all'università di Pisa. Però occhio al ridicolo come all'inutile. Segni dell'arte anche essi.

(Reviewed by Massimiliano "Maxximilian" Di Fazio, italian musical critic reviewer. Considerable musical critic magazine especially rock)

Exists an old tradition of experiments in music mixing between what we define “classical music” and modern kinds of music: some turned out well, others disappointly or anyway uninteresting. From the Bach’s masterly jazz interpretations of Jaques Loussier and his trio, to the unforgettable “electronic” Beethoven used as soundtrack in “A Clockwork Orange”, to the scores in samba version (!) of “Bach in Brazil”. The experiment done by Massimo Aiello, defined by himself an “intrusion”, use as base a recording of the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, one of the absolute masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire of all times (or rather, of the music tout-court) accompaning it with that is maybe the symbol of the non-classical music, the break-instrument (in harmonic sense): the drums. It’s one of those experiment that could make turn the nose up (much) to the classical purists, and to the crowds of aficionados by the german genius, who Aiello join as he say in the record booklet declaring his admiration for Beethoven. But the operation is uninteresting not at all, and deserve to be analysed and listened with attention.

One of the aspect turned out better is the ability of drums to emphasize some of the most impetuouses passages of the symphony, that are the Beethoven’ stylistic code. The Aiello’s credit is to carried out the right dimension for his “intrusion”, neither hangin over nor beeing squashed by the orchestral sonorous mass. The bad one could ask “What this edition add to Beethoven?”; to this question we can answer only saying “Nothing”. But this don’t take nothing away from the permissiblity and the validity of Aiello’s “divertissement”, if it’s considerated like that. I want to say even that the drummer demonstrate a great ability, modulating his drumming depending on the musical situation: obviously there’s an abyss of difference between accompaning a modern song and following a symphony from the viewpoint of the rhythms and musical colors’ variety. In short, a record that can be appreciated by the classical music lover for the study that was done and for those emphasis moments that increase the “Beethovenian” passion; who listen only to rock or jazz can take the occasion to meet a giant of Music. Concluding, I have to reproach that the choosen edition of the symphony isn’t much good, if you compare it with any else historical editions recorded during the 20th century (Furtwängler, Klemperer, Toscanini etc.). But maybe one of these editions, more vivid than the choosen one, could made more difficult the accompaniment’s task, made easier instead by the quite flat and without peaks’ edition of the Slovakian Philarmonic. So we challenge Aiello to re-performing all using a “stronger” edition that can render the Beethovenian force (Massimo Aiello's note: the directed version of Ninth from Karajan with the Berliner I have used it for years from the alive one and for the demo but, perhaps, the recensore has not understood that in order to publish a disc with base they want the rights to us and he is not simple and that the base of the Cassovia Comrade, to my opinion and is not not only flat indeed, is of property of Music Blue and solo therefore has been possible to realize the disc….I'm sorry….!). It’s sure that the great classics still have something to tell.

Esiste una lunga tradizione di esperimenti di commistioni musicali tra quella che si definisce “musica classica” e generi moderni: alcuni più riusciti, altri deludenti o comunque privi di interesse. Si va dalle magistrali interpretazioni di Bach in chiave jazz di Jacques Loussier ed il suo trio, al memorabile Beethoven “elettronico” utilizzato come colonna sonora in “Arancia meccanica”, alle partiture in versione samba (!) di “Bach in Brazil”. L’esperimento di Massimo Aiello, da lui stesso definito “intrusione”, utilizza come base una registrazione della Nona sinfonia di Beethoven, uno dei capolavori assoluti del repertorio sinfonico di tutti i tempi (anzi, della musica tout-court) accompagnandola con quello che forse è il simbolo della musica non-classica, lo strumento più di rottura (in senso armonico): la batteria. Si tratta di uno di quegli esperimenti che potrebbero far storcere la bocca (e parecchio) ai puristi della classica, alle legioni di aficionados del genio tedesco, tra i quali peraltro si iscrive lo stesso Aiello, che nelle note di copertina del disco proclama la sua ammirazione per Beethoven. Ma l’operazione non è per nulla priva di interesse, e merita di essere analizzata ed ascoltata con attenzione.

Uno degli aspetti più riusciti è la capacità della batteria di sottolineare l’enfasi in alcuni dei passaggi più impetuosi della sinfonia, che notoriamente sono un po’ la cifra stilistica di Beethoven. Merito di Aiello è di essere riuscito a trovare la giusta dimensione sonora per la sua “intrusione”, né prevaricando né rimanendo schiacciato dalla massa sonora orchestrale. Il cattivo potrebbe chiedere cosa aggiunge questa edizione a Beethoven: domanda alla quale dobbiamo rispondere per forza di cose «nulla». Ma ciò non va a detrimento della legittimità e della validità del “divertissement” di Aiello, se inteso come tale. Va detto anche che il batterista dà dimostrazione di grande abilità, riuscendo a modulare il suo drumming a seconda della situazione musicale: è ovvio che tra accompagnare una canzone moderna e seguire una sinfonia vi è un abisso di differenza dal punto di vista della varietà di ritmi e di colori musicali. Insomma, un disco che l’amante della classica può apprezzare per lo studio che c’è dietro e per quei momenti di enfasi che aumentano lo slancio beethoveniano; chi ascolta solo rock o jazz può cogliere invece l’occasione per fare conoscenza con un gigante della Musica. In conclusione, devo fare un appunto: l’edizione scelta della sinfonia non è granché, se confrontata con una qualunque delle edizioni storiche registrate nel corso del secolo (Furtwängler, Klemperer, Toscanini etc.). Ma forse una di queste edizioni, ben più vivide di quella scelta, avrebbe reso più difficile il compito dell’accompagnamento, facilitato invece dall’edizione piuttosto piatta e senza picchi della Filarmonica Slovacca. Lanciamo dunque la sfida ad Aiello: rifare il tutto utilizzando una edizione più “forte”, più capace di rendere l’impeto beethoveniano (Nota di Massimo Aiello: la versione della Nona diretta da Karajan con i Berliner l'ho usata per anni dal vivo e per i demo ma, forse, il recensore non ha capito che per pubblicare un disco con base ci vogliono i diritti e non è semplice e che la base della Camerata Cassovia, a mio parere e non solo non è piatta anzi, è di proprietà di Azzurra Music e solo così è stato possibile realizzare il disco....vabbè....!). Quel che è certo, è che i grandi classici hanno ancora molto da dire.

(Reviewed by Lorenzo Casaccia, italian musical critic reviewer. He live in San Diego-CA. Italian and american magazines collaborator. Important musical and musical sociology critic magazine)

Massimo Aiello is a neapolitan drummer active since the 80’s in a variety of contexts (from avant-garde concerts to session-man for singer-songwriters, from the theatre’s music to the carry out of teaching material). This CD (subtitled Drum in the Symphony no. 9) backing up his more ambitious project, presented in live shows since the 1987. It’s essentially a long drums solo on the base of the Beethoven’s Ninth: a project that immediately appears as pharaohnic, but that is carried out with modesty and a certain sense of mesure. Aiello accentuate obviously the rhythmical aspect of the original, arriving to a result that reminds me the mixing classic-rock of James Last. The recording on a CD doesn’t give total justice to an idea that we want to imagine more fascinating in live, with a drums in complete solitude that follow a colossal opera.

Massimo Aiello e' un batterista di Napoli attivo fin dagli anni '80 in una varieta' di contesti (da concerti di avanguardia a session-man per cantautori, dalla musica per teatro alla realizzazione di materiale didattico). Questo CD (sottotitolato Drum In The Symphony n.9) documenta il suo progetto piu' ambizioso, presentato in spettacoli live fin dal 1987. Si tratta sostanzialmente di un lungo assolo di batteria sulla base della Nona di Beethoven: un progetto che sicuramente appare faraonico, per non dire megalomane, ma che viene portato a termine con modestia e con un certo senso della misura. Aiello accentua ovviamente l'aspetto ritmico dell'originale arrivando a un risultato che mi ha ricordato le commistioni classica-rock di James Last. La registrazione in CD non rende del tutto giustizia a una idea che vogliamo immaginare molto piu' affascinante dal vivo, con una batteria in piena solitudine ad inseguire un'opera colossale.

(Reviewed by Stefano Bonelli, italian musical critic reviewer and radio shows conductor. Considerable musical critic magazine especially rock)

It's with great pleasure that I listened to this record, and I must say that this record is completely free from any marketing or commercial intention. Even if it is evident that records are made for the purpose of being sold , drummer Massimo Aiello's Tribute to Beethoven is definetely a record targeted at a very small niche. Although mixtures of heavy metal and classicla music are nowadays nothing new, here is something completely different; it's a classical music recording, Beethoven Ninth Symphony recorded by the Slovenian Radio Orchestra and conducted by Walter Attanasi. So What does Massimo Aiello have to do with all this? Aiello, as he states, has done nothing but stepping inside the music, to pay his own tribute to a great master of the past. The neapolitan drummer with this work wanted to show a diferent way of drumming in a different context, that of classical music. In fact, if you expect a tribute like the ones we heavy-metal fans are used to, you will be disappointed, becouse in fact it is a classical recording played by an orchestra along with a drumset, but you know what? The experiment is definetely successfull, becouse Massimo Aiello plays like a symphonic percussionist, and has reinvented the drum as an orchestra instrument, giving the listeners the chance, even to those that are not used to it, of listening to some new and different music without being bored into turning the stereo off.

(Reviewed by Paolo Redaelli, italian musical critic reviewer. Musical critic magazine, various genres)

A drums that play together with an orchestra the immortal notes of the Beethoven’s “Ninth”. It’s an operation that take us back in the 70’s, when Deep Purple were playing with the London Symphony Orchestra and Emerson Lake and Palmer were re-interpretating Mussorgsky in “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Here in Italy the New Trolls were playing “Concerto Grosso”. But we are in 2003 instead and is Massimo Aiello who take the initiative; a brave neapolitan drummer who living in Veneto and who put cymbals and drums to the Ludwig Van’s respectful service. The record want to be in fact a tribute to the genius of the german composer, so it has to be evaluated that way. Because you can love the “great music” even if your heart love rock, and this “Carl Palmer” of today is a music lover that had done all by himself: playing live on the orchestra’s base, recording and self- producing. The project can sounds unimportant, if you think to the “simplicity” (and sometimes to the roughness) that the youths are used to listening to. So that’s why this record can be important: it can approach the youths of 2003 to a complex, layered, exiting and torrential music (for us the “Ninth” will remains forever tied up to the Walter Carlos’ soundtrack of great Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”, and to the hallucinated verve of Malcom Mc Dowell-Alex who dance violently in a plastic London). So, training to the listening, as Schroeder patiently was trying to do with an inattentive Lucy who was lying down on the piano. Reserving a place in the shelves (beside Metallica and Nirvana) for this little record wuold can keep great surprises and discoveries in the future.

Una batteria che suona insieme ad un'orchestra le note immortali della "Nona" di Beethoven. E' un 'operazione che ci riporta agli anni Settanta, quando i Deep Purple suonavano con la London Symphony ed Emerson Lake and Palmer reinterpretavano Mussorgsky in "Quadri da un'esposizione" ("Pictures at an Exhibition"). Da noi i New Trolls facevano "Concerto Grosso". Siamo invece in pieno 2003 è l'iniziativa è di Massimo Aiello, intraprendente drummer napoletano trapiantato nel Veneto che pone piatti e tamburi al rispettoso servizio del grande Ludovico Van. Il disco vuole essere infatti un omaggio al genio del compositore tedesco, e come tale va preso. Perché della grande musica si può essere innamorati anche se nel cuore batte il rock e il Carl Palmer di oggi è un appassionato che ha fatto tutto da solo: suonando in diretta sulla base dell'orchestra, registrandosi e autoproducendosi.
Il progetto può suonare anacronistico, se si pensa alla "semplicità" (e in certi casi, alla rozzezza) a cui sono abituate oggi le orecchie dei giovani. Ecco perché questo disco può essere importante: può avvicinare i ragazzi del 2003 ad una musica complessa, stratificata, entusiasmante (per noi la "Nona" rimane indissolubilmente legata alla splendida colonna sonora di Walter Carlos per "Arancia Meccanica" del grandissimo Stanley Kubrick e alla verve allucinata di Malcolm Mc Dowell-Alex che danza violento in una Londra di plastica) e torrenziale.
Educare, quindi, all'ascolto, come tentava pazientemente di fare Schroeder con una distratta Lucy sdraiata sul suo pianoforte. Riservare un posticino nello scaffale, accanto a Metallica e Nirvana, a questo piccolo dischetto potrebbe riservare, in futuro, grandi sorprese e grandi scoperte.

Recensione di Paolo Redaelli

(Reviewed by Christian Sciannamè, italian cultural-musical critic reviewer. Musical and various arts critic magazine)

More than intriguing is this tribute to a composer that isn’t “new” to tributes from the classical music, just “classical” I told to myself and so how drums can “get married” with the crescendo of the orchestra’s intruments? And then I told to myself “It will be the umpteenth mad show-off who will try to put forced modernity into a classical opera, mabye with a pre-recorded continuous base”, instead… it happen that the cd start to run and then the unexpected magic; percussions that take part in the “Beethoven…ian” opera, following it into its soft and after impetuous rhythm. Rhythm that the drum ceate were it doesn’t seems to be needed! It can seems as an excessive comment, sure, for who doesn’t ever listened to it! And what about the curriculum of this “Lord of percussions” who mentions teachers like Tullio De Piscopo and numerouses collaborations like that, since1988 to 1991, with Aldo Tagliapietra (singer, historic leader of the rock group “Le Orme”) playing on tour for presenting the “…Nella Notte” album (Holly records 1984), and in 1991 with the singer-songwriter Ricky Gianco (Gianco-Jannacci-Gaber trio) on tour for presenting the “È Rock’n Roll” album… Well, I listed just something of his career wich, for beeing totally listed, needs an entire website! And so I found it at this address: www.massimoaiello.com

A dir poco intrigante questo tributo ad un compositore che certo non è nuovo ad omaggi dal mondo della musica classica, classica appunto mi sono detto ed allora in che modo la batteria potrà sposarsi con il crescendo di armonie come violini o fiati??? E così mi son detto sarà opera di un folle l'ennesimo esibizionista che tenterà di mettere modernità forzata magari preregistrata a base continua su di un opera classica ed invece... succede che il disco comincia a girare ed allora la magia che non ti aspetti; percussioni che partecipano alla creazione dell'opera "Beethoven..niana" la seguono nel suo soffice e poi impetuoso ritmo. Ritmo che la batteria crea dove pareva che non ve ne fosse bisogno! Può apparire un commento esagerato certo, a chi non lo ha mai ascoltato! Per non parlare del curriculum di questo "Signore delle percussioni" che come maestri annovera nomi del calibro di Tullio De Piscopo e innumerevoli collaborazioni tra le quali dal 1988 al 1991 con Aldo Tagliapietra, (cantante e leader dello storico gruppo rock "Le Orme"), suona in tour per la presentazione dell'album "....Nella notte" (Holly records 1984) nel 1991 con il cantautore Ricky Gianco (trio Gianco-Jannacci-Gaber ), in tour per presentare l'album "E' Rock'n Roll" ...bhe ho solo citato qualcosa della sua carriera che per raccontarla tutta, ci vorrebbe un intero sito! Ed infatti lo trovato al seguente indirizzo www.massimoaiello.com

(Interview by Stefano Bonelli, italian musical critic reviewer and radio shows conductor)

INTERVIEW WITH MASSIMO AIELLO

S. B.: In this site we’ll try to go into the work of the neapolitan drummer in his tribute to the music of Ludwig Van Beethoven. So, dear Massimo, do you want to explain to our visitors why a drummer like you would recording an atypical record like your tribute to a great master of symphonical music?

Massimo Aiello: For me, as well as a plesure, it’s been a need for personal study.... Through classical music (but not only) is possible learning to grasp, more than in other kinds of music, multiples faces of melody’s rhythmical subdivision, the playing with accuracy on a rhythmical (especially), melodic and harmonic walk, and follow dynamics so different between themselves. This way to play the instrument (maybe a little improper, but not exactly) helps in a unique way to feel, after, all the music and playing right “inside” it. Anyway, it’s substatially a tribute to Beethoven both as a musician and as a man. His history (with all qualities and defects) had always fascinated me, since I was a child.

S. B.: I know that you have done many collaboration during your career (one of the most important is that with Ricky Gianco), what’s the journey that carried you to do a record like that?

M. A.: I love classical music (especially the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony) and since I was a child I would liked to get “into” it with drums, but I didn’t know how.... Since the 1977 I listened to it almost every day and after, in 1987, I managed to do the complete show live, and the audience (heterogeneous) has had a more than positive reaction. So, with the passage of time, I improved the inserting of drums’ parts, and then, in 2001, I found a record producer who believed in my project (Marco Rossi of Azzurra Music in Verona). Moreover, as time goes by, I tried (and I hope I did it) to not fall into the predictable, that is to hang over the music with drums (creating only a show moment mainly based on myself and so finished to itself), but I tried to create a real “join in” of drums, wich remains a real “intrusion”.

S. B.: As a drummer of Naples’ music circle, can you describe us the current neapolitan’s music scene and who, in your opinion, deserves some attention?

M. A.: Well, I’m living in north Italy by many years, but I always try to be a good “observer” of the things that turn around us.... Naples has always had good musicians, but the thing that I dislike is that many of these ones (those who could “hold up” the music) are fallen into compromises, a part of them in to commercial, a part that lives on private means.... I think that “under the wood” there are musicians of great sensitivity who don’t find appropriates options and helps (the way is often blocked by the “old guard”....). So, it needs a general conscience’s reprise (not only in Naples) for coming out from this mental, artistic and human’ stand-by. It will be only the “good revolution” that will revives the consciences, of course, but it will must start from everyone of us the creation of a “new”, on condition that it will be honest and coherent....

M. A.: Yes, I went to his course in Milano in the early 80’s, when he was “in line” with music.... And I learnt (and I had to “steal”) various things. But I think that the real enrichment is the humble confrontation (not servile.... there’s often a wrong interpretation of this term) with the music’s world and learning to confront openly, to grasp and to share inspirations with all kinds of musicians and artists as well out of music’s context, in case that these informations not come from the own teacher (like almost always happen....), so we are obliged to “steal” them.... but I have to say that the teacher who carried me to understand the more important things (who that I feel to be in the same line regarding music) was been Enrico Lucchini. Considered by all the Master of the Masters, Enrico wasn’t mentioned or worse was kept “hidden” by most people (I never knew why, but after I understood very well....). He had left an unfilling void in Italy!

S. B.: I have to compliment you for your work on the tribute to beethoven that for me is absolutely respectful and almost fearful on face up this venture, because that’s been, isn’t it?

M. A.: Thank you! I couldn’t did anything else running into an opera like that! I still say to myself “Inserting this or that drums’ score, how I ruin better the Ninth?”

S. B.: How did you set up your drums? I ask you that because, listening to the cd, I had the impression that you had played as a percussionist of a symphony orchestra more than as a real drummer, I’m wrong?

M. A.: It’s almost exact, and I like that you grasped this fine thing. Playing drums in the Ninth I tried to respect some rules of this instrument paying attention, in the choice of rhythms, that they was part of the standard; but I wanted to let a part of it to the improvisation. Not exactly in jazz style (it’s better to let the great drummers do that), but we can talk about a “classic-jazz” style. I don’t know if I made myself clear, but it’s what I try to do following the rhythmical-harmonic-melodic walk etc. with the “weapons” that I have at my disposal. Always trying to not hang over the orchestra and catching (especially with the cymbals) those that I call “bends”, “glows” etc. and colors of music. I want to “underline” that it’s never a planned work but it’s more instinctive (always with all due control) through the “weapons” at disposal.

S. B.: M aybe we’ll have the possibility to listen to you as a “normal” drummer, what are you doing at the moment?

M. A.: I had and I created by myself some more “normal” opportunities, both with well-known names like Ricky Gianco (as you said before) and Aldo Tagliapietra leader of Le Orme, but also with dozens of dozens of less-known groups who I had collaborated with for concerts, albums, demos etc. always with the same professional spirit. At the moment I’m working on a project of “mediterranean jazz-latin” (I recorded in studio also the bass-line because we didn’t find an appropriate bass-player....); just now I finished to recording an album of author-songs and other.... I invite you, at this point, to visit my website www.massimoaiello.com for more information on past, present and future.

S. B.: As a drummer, who are the musicians that had influenced you more?

M. A.: Well....they would be hundreds....I list you a bit of them for the reason that I will explain at the end of the answer....Some of the more significant drummers for me are: Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim, Alex Acuna, Peter Erskine, Kenny Clarke (look: my teacher Enrico Lucchini, for example, he had taught in the 70’s with Kenny Klarke in his drum’ school in Paris), Jack DeJohnettes, Tommy Aldrige, Phil Collins, Ricky Lawson and many others. Between the percussionists there are: Trilok Gurtu, Mino Cinelu, Airto Moreira, Manolo Badrena, Tito Puente, Don Alias, these are some of the more famouses, but I like many others not famouses. Classical musicians: Beethoven, Stravinsky, Mozart, Chopin and many others “greats” of classical music and its performers like Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Rubinstein, Rostropovich, Pollini, Askenasi, Maria Callas, Caruso; conductors like Arturo Toscanini, Karajan, Abbado, Daniel Oren and others. And more: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Archie Sheep, Pastorius, Pino Daniele (old records), Zawinul, Shorter, McLaughlin, Hancock and many others like: historic groups of Weather Report, Jethro Tull, Steps Ahead, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc., etc., etc., etc..... I listed many musicians who had influenced me both in past and present for throw out a bit of the “traffic” and the “good confusion” that I have in my head when I play (and also when not.....).

S. B.: Since you done a tribute to an artist like Beethoven, what do you think about a kind of music as the heavy metal that it’s usually mixed with classical music?

M. A.: In the past are been done some good things and I think that it needs to continue without holding the same composing way. It needs to go out from the usuals (wared) harmonics and compositive’s rules in general.... There will be the result of differents and good ideas. I disagree with who say “This kind of music is made that way” for shortage of ideas and enterprise. For example, I think that if someone would said and done a thing like that with classical music or with jazz, all it would been bogged down. It’s the same for the others kinds of music, wich often become surrogates that repeat themselves continously because they lack the research.... And yet sometimes there are good minds, but they don’t let go themselves to exploration, staying to the few usual individual and/or group’s knowledges and inspirations.... I think that we would must expose us more. I take this for granted in all genres and for all the artists.

S. B.: Why did you work on recorded bases and not with a real orchestra? What’s the reason why you chosen the performance of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra?

M. A.: I wish! It would be easier for me to play in front of the conductor.... but I let you imagine the costs of this operation; so I had to do like when I play it live, that is on recorded base. The choice of the orchestra it’s been obviously that because it was an album totally produced by Azzurra Music and so I had it at my disposal free. But I am very happy because, in my opinion, it’s an exellent performance conducted by a great conductor as Walter Attanasi, check it out.... Anyway I would like so much play it live with the orchestra and the choir. It would be already the orchestra, the choir and especially the conductor [one of the best young conductors (37 years old) at international level] in Hungary that believe and would approve this project.... but there’s not enough funds. Maybe one day....

S. B.: Do you think to make some other record like this, tributing to some other masters, like Mozart or Chopin for exaple, or this Tribute to Beethoven will remains an extemporaneous episode?

M. A.: I have more projects: since many years I’m thinking about the Igor Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps” (of which I formerly performed live the final more than once, some of those times when I was playing with Aldo Tagliapietra who has left me a place because he also likes my interpretation), but Azzurra Music doesn’t have the record of this opera and ask it to other labels (only the big companies have it, I think) could costs too much, but I still don’t despair….never say never, maybe with another label….I’m thinking also to the Beethoven’s Fifth which I would insert in a CD with “Le Sacre du Printemps”, which represent together an historic period in music’s evolution…. And then there would be other operas were drums could be inserted (all operas, why not? In my opinion it can fit in well….). I hope that it will doesn’t remain an isolated episode.

S. B.: Well, we’re arrived to the end of this interview; what do you want to say to our visitors?

M. A.: In first I want to thank and invite them to listening to the Tribute To Beethoven (and others cd’s of mine) and I wish to receive by e-mail their precious criticisms, any kind they will be. I hope to made myself exhaustive, to have been not argumentative and don’t have spoken too much. It’s my first real interview and for this I thank you Stefano for the pleasure and the opportunity that you given to me. I want to say also, thinking over, that we all live a sort of interview every day and this is the sensation that I had here; it’s been simple and spontaneous to give these thoughts because (not in these “clothes”) I give them daily to the music lovers, to the pupils (even if I don’t like to call them like this, because it would presume that I am a teacher and I don’t feel so!) and to all persons in general....Thanks to all! Bye!

2003 ITALY: CARPENETO (AL): RADIO GOLD POPOLARE NETWORK: format mp3 (www.radiogold.it)

Approaching to the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony we must have the maximum respect, because it’s one of the most important masterpieces of musical literature.

This opera can be carried out in a superior level; this fact it’s demonstrated by the Massimo Aiello’s cd, where he offer a coloured drum’s accompaniment to the Beethoven’s famous music. This elaboration isn’t only full of fantasy, but it seems to be unique too, it doesn’t take nothing away from the so rich Beethoven’s opera, but it enrich that. I support with all my heart the talented drummer-composer Massimo Aiello and I would work with him very willingly also for a live concert.

Csaba Somos

Musical director of the Debrecen Opera (Hungary), hungarian orchestra’s conductor

2003 ITALY: MONSELICE (PD): FRANCO SILVESTRIN: (francosilvestrin@tiscali.it)

The relation to the classical world is always a very difficult path to follow: to the listener, as the function of earing (enjoyment), emotional and rational, must resist to the assaults of the authority expressed by the source (author); to the player, who very often finds himself caught in the dichotomy between the personal interpretation and the strenght represented by the style. And we have to consider classical the experience coming from all the masters who gave to the music indelible instruments and styles that became a steady reference in the changing process of the works. All this happens in spite of the different musical kinds and of the problems caused by the cultural resorting to the genres. When the source gradually desappears or when it becomes untouchable from the artistic point of view, the possibility of a different creative intervention crumbles down under the new “pruderie” (the one written on the epigraph of the modern jazz): so, the musical operator feels the nasty sensation that belongs to the soldier walking on a mined area. Aiello didn’t make neither a review nor a second reading (the listener should be offended by the epithet). It’s not a fight against the author capable of fascination and intimidation, nor an easy journey on a easy way, as it was created by an authoritative hand. This work doesn’t represent a kind of “frenzy of exaltation” and it isn’t a ingenuos and silly assent to a convenient strategy of communication. Real musician, serious and with a deep respect for the Music, Massimo Aiello proposes, according to a long meditation about his own musical activity, a sign of independent and mature creation, clearly understanding its artistic dignity and motivation: and that is not easy to be found in the field of the contemporary production. We can find in his rhythmic reading (but the word doesn’t appear sufficient), sometimes strong and shouting, sometimes almost silent (we are brought to think he doesn’t want to annoy the Master or to shine brigth on the stage), the clear sign of an original project of music. We could call it “jazz” only if we are capable to distinguish distinctly its shape. I leave to the listener the great pleasure to go into this musical field, sharing the visual and acoustic entreaties borning at every measure and waving at new and sensible rhytmic quality spreading away from a rarely perfect Symphony: the one that reconciled its Author with the human existence.

L’approccio ai classici è sempre un terreno di confronto impervio: per l’ascoltatore, la cui funzione di ricezione (fruizione) emotivo-razionale deve resistere
agli assalti dell’autorità espressa dal modello (autore); per l’esecutore, spesso costretto (imbrigliato) nella dicotomia personalizzazione/adesione pedissequa all’impronta stilistica di riferimento. E per classica si intenda l’esperienza di coloro che hanno dato alla musica strumenti e stili indelebili, traccia di riferimento immobile nel divenire delle opere e dei repertori. E ciò a prescindere dalle tipologie musicali e dall’arroccamento inevitabilmente provocato dal ricorso culturale ai generi. Quando il modello si allontana lungo l’asse temporale o quando sale ai vertici della rappresentatività artistica (“non si tocchi il mostro sacro”), l’area di intervento creativo-divergente si vede inesorabilmente costretta nelle maglie della nuova “pruderie” (quella scritta, ad esempio, sull’epigrafe del jazz moderno) e l’operatore musicale finisce per soffrire la spiacevole sensazione di muoversi in campo minato. Quella di Aiello non è una revisione, né una rivisitazione (l’epiteto potrebbe e dovrebbe indisporre l’ascoltatore); non un braccio di ferro con un autore che intimorisce ed affascina nel contempo, né una facile corsa nel solco già tracciato da mano autorevole e, quindi, rassicurante e garanzia di successo e di liceità. Non un approccio di “delirante” autoesaltazione del “faber musicus”, e neppure l’adesione ad una strategia comunicativa conveniente o, per contro, ingenua e di poco momento. Musicista autentico perché serio e improntato ad un raro (purtroppo) rispetto della Musica, Massimo Aiello propone in punta di piedi, ma con la serenità di una lunga meditazione sul profondo significato del proprio agire musicale, un gesto creativo indipendente e maturo, consapevole della propria dignità artistica e della propria motivazione, come ormai accade di rado riconoscere
nella produzione contemporanea. C’è nella sua lettura ritmica (ma il termine non è autosufficiente), a volte energica e gridata, a volte trasparente, quasi per non rubare la scena al Maestro o per non turbare la quiete perfettadell’assunto, il segno riconoscibile di un progetto originale di musica, spalancato su una dimensione che dovremmo chiamare jazz, qualora fossimo in grado di delinearne distintamente i confini. All’ascoltatore il piacere di addentrarsi in questo terreno musicale, partecipando alle sollecitazioni eidoacustiche che nascono ad ogni misura e lasciandosi trasportare da una nuova e sensibile qualità ritmica che, abbracciandone
le voci, si fa prendere per mano da una Sinfonia di rara perfezione: quella che, non a caso, ha sancito la riconciliazione del suo Autore con l’esistenza.