Music of Italy

In Italy, music has traditionally been one of the cultural markers of Italian national cultures and ethnic identity and holds an important position in society and in politics. Italian music innovation – in musical scale, harmony, notation, and theatre – enabled the development of opera and much of modern European classical music – such as the symphony and concerto – ranges across a broad spectrum of opera and instrumental classical music and popular music drawn from both native and imported sources. Instruments associated with classical music, including the piano and violin, were invented in Italy.^[1]

Italy's most famous composers include the Renaissance Palestrina, Monteverdi, and Gesualdo; the Baroque Scarlatti, and Vivaldi; the classical Paganini, and Rossini; and the Romantic Verdi and Puccini. Classical music has a strong hold in Italy, as evidenced by the fame of its opera houses such as La Scala, and performers such as the pianist Maurizio Pollini and tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Italy is known as the birthplace of opera.^[2] Italian opera is believed to have been founded in the 17th century.^[2]

Italian folk music is an important part of the country's musical heritage, and spans a diverse array of regional styles, instruments and dances. Instrumental and vocal classical music is an iconic part of Italian identity, spanning experimental art music and international fusions to symphonic music and opera. Opera is integral to Italian musical culture, and has become a major segment of popular music. The Canzone Napoletana—the Neapolitan Song, and the cantautori singer-songwriter traditions are also popular domestic styles that form an important part of the Italian music industry.

Introduced in the early 1920s, jazz gained a strong foothold in Italy, and remained popular despite xenophobic policies of the Fascists. Italy was represented in the progressive rock and pop movements of the 1970s, with bands such as PFM, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Le Orme, Goblin, and Pooh.^[3] The same period saw diversification in the cinema of Italy, and Cinecittà films included complex scores by composers including Ennio Morricone. In the 1980s, the first star to emerge from Italian hip hop was singer Jovanotti.^[4] Italian metal bands include Rhapsody of Fire, Lacuna Coil, Elvenking, Forgotten Tomb, and Fleshgod Apocalypse.^[5]

Italy contributed to the development of disco and electronic music, with Italo disco, known for its futuristic sound and prominent use of synthesisers and drum machines, one of the earliest electronic dance genres.^[6] Producers such as Giorgio Moroder, who won three Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, were influential in the development of electronic dance music.^[7] Italian pop is represented annually with the Sanremo Music Festival, which served as inspiration for the Eurovision Song Contest.^[8] Gigliola Cinquetti, Toto Cutugno, and Måneskin won Eurovision, in 1964, 1990, and 2021 respectively. Singers such as Domenico Modugno, Mina, Andrea Bocelli, Raffaella Carrà, Il Volo, Al Bano, Toto Cutugno, Nek, Umberto Tozzi, Giorgia, Grammy winner Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Tiziano Ferro, Måneskin, Mahmood, Ghali have received international acclaim.^[9]

^ Erlich, Cyril (1990). The Piano: A History. Oxford University Press, US; Revised edition. ISBN 978-0-1981-6171-4.; Allen, Edward Heron (1914). Violin-making, as it was and is: Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-making, for the Use of Violin Makers and Players, Amateur and Professional. Preceded by An Essay on the Violin and Its Position as a Musical Instrument. E. Howe. Accessed 5 September 2015.
^ ^a ^b Kimbell, David R.B. (1994). Italian Opera. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-5214-6643-1. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^ Keller, Catalano and Colicci (25 September 2017). Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Routledge. pp. 604–625. ISBN 978-1-3515-4426-9.
^ Sisario, Ben (3 October 2012). "A Roman Rapper Comes to New York, Where He Can Get Real". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
^ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2003). A–Z of Power Metal. Rockdetector Series. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 978-1-901447-13-2.
^ McDonnell, John (1 September 2008). "Scene and heard: Italo-disco". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
^ "This record was a collaboration between Philip Oakey, the big-voiced lead singer of the techno-pop band the Human League, and Giorgio Moroder, the Italian-born father of disco who spent the '80s writing synth-based pop and film music." Evan Cater. "Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder: Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
^ Yiorgos Kasapoglou (27 February 2007). "Sanremo Music Festival kicks off tonight". esctoday.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
^ Cirone, Federica (29 August 2023). "Cantanti italiani, quali sono quelli che hanno avuto più successo all'estero" (in Italian). socialboost.it. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

[1] Erlich, Cyril (1990). The Piano: A History. Oxford University Press, US; Revised edition. ISBN 978-0-1981-6171-4.; Allen, Edward Heron (1914). Violin-making, as it was and is: Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-making, for the Use of Violin Makers and Players, Amateur and Professional. Preceded by An Essay on the Violin and Its Position as a Musical Instrument. E. Howe. Accessed 5 September 2015.

[books.google.co.uk-2] Kimbell, David R.B. (1994). Italian Opera. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-5214-6643-1. Retrieved 20 December 2009.

[3] Keller, Catalano and Colicci (25 September 2017). Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Routledge. pp. 604–625. ISBN 978-1-3515-4426-9.

[4] Sisario, Ben (3 October 2012). "A Roman Rapper Comes to New York, Where He Can Get Real". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2014.

[5] Sharpe-Young, Garry (2003). A–Z of Power Metal. Rockdetector Series. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 978-1-901447-13-2.

[6] McDonnell, John (1 September 2008). "Scene and heard: Italo-disco". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 July 2012.

[Moroder-7] "This record was a collaboration between Philip Oakey, the big-voiced lead singer of the techno-pop band the Human League, and Giorgio Moroder, the Italian-born father of disco who spent the '80s writing synth-based pop and film music." Evan Cater. "Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder: Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 December 2009.

[8] Yiorgos Kasapoglou (27 February 2007). "Sanremo Music Festival kicks off tonight". esctoday.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011.

[9] Cirone, Federica (29 August 2023). "Cantanti italiani, quali sono quelli che hanno avuto più successo all'estero" (in Italian). socialboost.it. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

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