Enzo Capuano “Storia Mai Scritta” 1975 Rock Progressivo Italiano
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Enzo Capuano released this mostly instrumental gem on a small label in the mid 1970s. Born in Calabria in 1947, Capuano is a talented guitarist and vocalist who would go on to perform outside the progressive realm for years to come. After this album Enzo would do some acting and have a career in the Chemistry field before returning to singing in the late ‘80s. Often written off by proggers who got the impression this was a strictly singer-songwriter affair it will surprise many who hear it. It’s an interesting progressive album in the form of a long, connected instrumental suite combining some of the Italian folk traditions with a bit different approach than many of the other classic period Italian prog bands. Rather than the manic, wild, anything-goes approach of the day Enzo presents a more measured surface sound that finds its own way of sounding special.
The album’s story is quite enchanting, Enzo himself revealed it to me in our interview: “Storia mai scritta is a suite. The idea for it came very easily to me: one evening I saw two young people in a pizzeria, and watched them while they were holding hands… It was clear that pizzeria was their habitual haunt, the home they were dreaming of, their nest of intimacy. She was already the mother of his children… He already felt responsible for the family they were dreaming of starting together… When I went back to the pizzeria, a few days later, I found it closed…. A notice on the door warned it had closed down for good, and that in the same premises a branch of a well-known bank would open. Through the shutters I could see the place where the two lovers had met, and then I started to think with their own minds, to imagine all they would have heard, said, decided… Perhaps that closure was the beginning of a new course for them… For me, it was the start of a new, lengthy song whose title was originally to be "La pizzeria”. However, as I was developing that theme, the music became more and more narrative in nature, and the words slowly left their place to the melodies and blocks of rhythms and harmonies which make up the structure of Storia mai scritta… a story never written down in words, but rather through the atmospheres that only music can create.“
"Storia Mai Scritta” takes a fairly unique approach with a blend of pastoral symphonic and prog-folk, sometimes reminding me of “Numbers” era Cat Stevens (sans vocals) but stretched out with much more space than Stevens pop approach. Other reviewers have made comparisons to Celeste and Reale Accademia di Musica and I can see why. Vocals occur only on the first and last tracks leaving the vast middle portion of the album instrumental. The other thing that makes the sound unique is the lack of electric guitars and bombast. It shoots for a more introspective approach with many mellow segments while still saving room for some punchy, louder, almost rocking parts. The original sound is obtained by creating a fabric of acoustic guitars (sometimes dual) mixed with synths/mellotron. Occasionally piano and Hammond are also used. The drumming is intermittent and fairly pedestrian but the sound is crisp and brings much energy while other kinds of percussion and sound effects come and go. In some longer and spacier sections it evolves from introspective and peaceful into a dynamic swirl of very good quality acoustic playing and keyboards, along with an active keyboard produced bass sound. Initially the album may sound too uneventful for some but repeated listenings will reveal the intricate arrangements and good melodies present throughout. Capuano sings and handles guitars and keys, backed by the late Mario Panseri also on keys and drummer Giovanni D'Aquila. This would sadly be another one-shot as far as Enzo’s prog output but it is one worth owning for any fan of quality, dreamy progressive. It’s a memorable album that is sadly overlooked. Get a copy of the Mellow Records CD MMP-286 while you still can. Yet another special thanks to Mauro Moroni for having the wisdom to make sure such an album saw the light of day…..by Finnforest …~
Enzo Capuano from Italy put out one album back in 1975. This is a laid back affair with lots of acoustic guitar. I must admit this has been a hard one for me to get into. I suppose my lack of love for Prog-Folk is the reason, I just wish the keyboards took on a greater role.
“In Forma di Vita” builds then a calm arrive before a minute. Reserved vocals follow with what sounds like string-synths. A beat after 6 minutes with vocals takes over. Not a fan. More string- synths follow. I like the keyboards 7 minutes in. “La Nuova Stagione” opens with gentle guitar melodies, it does get fuller after 1 ½ minutes. “Volo Nella Notte” opens with more laid back guitar. It picks up before a minute then we get a calm. It picks up again as contrasts continue. Not enjoying this.The organ though is another story after 2 ½ minutes, it just doesn’t stay long enough.
“Risveglio” opens with mellow guitar. It’s fuller before a minute. A calm follows before it picks up again with strummed guitar. “Dal Tempo Vissuto” features intricate guitar with light drums and string-synth-like sounds. A calm ends it. “La Natura Dentro” is pastoral once again with not a lot going on until around 2 minutes. It does settles to a calm before picking up again. “Memoria” opens with strummed guitar followed by drums then keyboards before 2 minutes. It settles before 3 ½ minutes as the tempo continues to shift. “Il Buio” has vocals and a light beat with guitar. It picks up after a minute. The sound of traffic ends it.
Barely 3 stars but fans of Folk will find lots to enjoy on this reflective recording…..by Mellotron Storm ….~
A very rare Italian solo, Enzo Capuano’s music cuts the line between Italian canzone (Battisti, early Storm Six and many more) and a symphonic soundtrack type of music. The vocal music is typically romantic, grandiose, and rather formulaic, yet the instrumentals are much more interesting. More in the usual Italian 70s rock style, they encompass dramatic key changes and fat analog synth lines. Not always that memorable except for the eight-minute “Memoria,” you should still check it out if you like Italian symphonic or classical rock….by Mike McLatchey…~
For years, I’ve seen this album for sale in prog catalogs, but because it’s been mostly ignored by the prog world I figured Enzo’s music wasn’t worth checking out. Well, my friends, Enzo Capuano’s Storia Mai Scritta is a gem! I’m not sure why this CD hasn’t received more attention from prog fans, but the music is equal in quality to better known Italian groups like Celeste, Reale Accademia di Musica, and even St Just. While most of the 70s Italian prog bands focused on creating electro-acoustic music that bursted with energy and virtuoso playing, like the bands I mentioned above Enzo went for a mellower, acoustic guitar and piano-led, sound that emphasized warmth and simple melodies over complex instrumental explorations. Enzo’s music brings back a traditional Italian acoustic folk sound while updating it with 70s synths, Hammond organ, and drums. While the music is mostly instrumental, several passages feature romantic vocals that never get overly melodic or dramatic. Enzo, vocally-speaking, seems to hit the right mood with a small amount of notes. I can’t really see anyone having a problem with his style or his voice, since it’s pleasant. Storia Mai Scritta, at first, might sound song-oriented, yet after a few listen most listeners will realize that the LP consists of 8 parts that flow into one another to make a whole. Even when the tracks fade out, I can hear certain themes and melodic patterns reappear on the following tracks. Overall, here goes another high-quality Italian prog album. While Enzo seems to have been ignored by prog collectors, I’m positive that Storia Mai Scritta will be enjoyed by 90% of the listeners who give it a chance. - Steve Hegede
Enzo Capuano released this mostly instrumental gem on a small label in the mid 1970s. Born in Calabria in 1947, Capuano is a talented guitarist and vocalist who would go on to perform outside the progressive realm for years to come. After this album Enzo would do some acting and have a career in the Chemistry field before returning to singing in the late ‘80s. Often written off by proggers who got the impression this was a strictly singer-songwriter affair it will surprise many who hear it. It’s an interesting progressive album in the form of a long, connected instrumental suite combining some of the Italian folk traditions with a bit different approach than many of the other classic period Italian prog bands. Rather than the manic, wild, anything-goes approach of the day Enzo presents a more measured surface sound that finds its own way of sounding special.
“Storia Mai Scritta” takes a fairly unique approach with a blend of pastoral symphonic and prog-folk, sometimes reminding me of “Numbers” era Cat Stevens (sans vocals) but stretched out with much more space than Stevens pop approach. Other reviewers have made comparisons to Celeste and Reale Accademia di Musica and I can see why. Vocals occur only on the first and last tracks leaving the vast middle portion of the album instrumental. The other thing that makes the sound unique is the lack of electric guitars and bombast. It shoots for a more introspective approach with many mellow segments while still saving room for some punchy, louder, almost rocking parts. The original sound is obtained by creating a fabric of acoustic guitars (sometimes dual) mixed with synths/mellotron. Occasionally piano and Hammond are also used. The drumming is intermittent and fairly pedestrian but the sound is crisp and brings much energy while other kinds of percussion and sound effects come and go. In some longer and spacier sections it evolves from introspective and peaceful into a dynamic swirl of very good quality acoustic playing and keyboards, along with an active keyboard produced bass sound. Initially the album may sound too uneventful for some but repeated listenings will reveal the intricate arrangements and good melodies present throughout. Capuano sings and handles guitars and keys, backed by the late Mario Panseri also on keys and drummer Giovanni D’Aquila. This would sadly be another one-shot as far as Enzo’s prog output but it is one worth owning for any fan of quality, dreamy progressive. It’s a memorable album that is sadly overlooked. Get a copy of the Mellow Records CD MMP-286 while you still can. Yet another special thanks to Mauro Moroni for having the wisdom to make sure such an album saw the light of day - James Russell
A little known album, Storia mai scritta is definitely a much more progressive album than the works of similar singer-songwriters like the expensive Affresco by Franco Maria Giannini or Antico teatro da camera by Gianni D'Errico.
A singer-songwriter from Calabria, but raised in Bologna, Capuano released this, his debut album, for the just born small independent Divergo label, and it is a surprisingly good album.
An eight-part 36-minute long suite, Storia mai scritta, is in fact mostly instrumental, vocal parts just covering the first 6 minutes and a final reprise, and based on Capuano’s impressive 12 string and classical guitar playing, with good keyboards (mostly synth, but even organ) and a rhythm section. The result is not far from Alan Sorrenti’s Aria or Claudio Rocchi’s Volo magico n.1 suites on the albums of the same title, starting with vocal parts and evolving into a long instrumental with a complex musical structure.
Helping Enzo Capuano, on vocals, acoustic and classical guitar, synth, are keyboardist Mario Panseri (with which Capuano had collaborated in his Adolescenza album on RCA from 1973) and drummer Giovanni D'Aquila, while the bass parts are obtained with the synthesizer.
After this LP, Capuano dedicated to composition of movies and cartoon soundtracks and to his singing studies, graduating at the Milan Academy of Music. Since 1989 he is a professional opera singer (vocal range: bass). - ItalianProg.com
Enzo Capuano was born in Catanzaro, Calabria, in 1947. The family moved to Bologna where Enzo was raised. After studying Chemistry at University, he began a singing career in Milan and also worked as an actor. He collaborated on his keyboardist Mario Panseri’s 1973 album titled “Adolescenza.” After the release of his own quality progressive effort “Storia Mai Scritta” in 1975 on the Divergo label, Capuano did some soundtrack work for films and even cartoons before returning to the study of music at the Conservatory G. Verdi in Milan. He graduated with degrees in electronic music and vocal studies but continued work on his singing technique. In the later ‘80s he gave up his Chemistry career to pursue singing Opera and has been very successful. He has performed all over Europe in the great Opera houses and sings in the bass range.
Enzo told me “Talking about my production, I always thought that Storia mai scritta is still modern, still a suite of feelings and state of soul of these days.” He also told me that he had little studio time and budget to complete his album and knowing this makes the results of “Storia” all the more impressive. - ProgArchives.com….~
- Enzo Capuano / vocals, acoustic guitars, synths
- Mario Panseri / piano, organ, synths, archi elettronici
- Giovanni D'Aquila / percussion
Tracklist
Storia Mai Scritta
Parte I: In Forma Di Vita 7:58
Parte II: La Nuova Stagione 2:27
Parte III: Volo Nella Notte 4:30
Parte IV: Risveglio 3:50
Parte V: Dal Tempo Vissuto 1:28
Parte VI: La Natura Dentro 5:10
Parte VII: Memoria 8:04
Parte VIII: Il Buio 3:31
