Per Dove? Traditional music from Appenino

Per Dove is an album by Stefano Valla (piffero —a Piedmont oboe— and vocals) and Daniele Scurati (fisarmonica —a chromatic accordion— and vocals). They pursue their exploration of the repertoire from the region around Pavia, at the boundaries of the four provinces (Genova, Piacenza, Alessandria and Pavia), a mountainous area which goes down to the sea. It is known for its rich song tradition, yet it also has another characteristic feature: its love of the “piffero and fisarmonica”, a devilish pair that has a knack for inducing dance (polkas, mazurkas, waltzes), happiness and melancholy. Valla and Scurati are both the scrupulous heirs of a fragile heritage and the respectful innovators of a style, collecting a heritage, retaining its memory, exchanging, passing on and renewing. All in voices “that laugh and cry”… This album was recorded in their village of Cegni and some of their friends joined in on vocals, violin and bagpipes.