Federico Albanese - The secret chambers of the soul

What sets Federico Albanese and his (currently) sole album apart from all the instrumental music we now hear everywhere? A seemingly obvious element that, in the end, proves incredibly decisive: the balance between emotional drive and aesthetic elegance. It's a balance that has been the subject of research for almost every exponent of the so-called modern classical scene for years, yet no one had ever managed to achieve it to the same degree - not even the pioneer of the genre's success in Italy, Ludovico Einaudi, who was in some ways his mentor, and whose daughter he shared his first artistic steps with in Le Blanche Alchimie. A few years ago, Albanese left Italy and settled in Berlin, decidedly more fertile ground for his music and the continuation of his career: it's therefore no surprise that Denovali was the first to discover and champion his talent - a label whose catalogue and knack for discovery we've already praised at length (and, as long as it keeps deserving it, we'll keep doing so). We caught up with Federico to have him tell us about the evolution of his career and try to sketch a more precise profile of him.

Yes, you're right. Personally I've always felt fairly detached from Nineties new age music, although now you remind me of when, as a kid, I used to buy the magazine "New Age" with the accompanying CD. Back then, that was really the only way to hear strange experimental music. That's how I discovered artists like Philip Glass, Mike Oldfield, Brian Eno, or even Moloko, I recall... Radio didn't play this kind of music and magazines didn't write much about it. Today, I think, the times are probably more ready for this kind of musical approach.

Taking your own case as an example, where did the journey begin that has now led you to release your album?

It's been a long, intense journey, lasting several years - almost a lifetime. I set off on my musical search many years ago, returning to the piano to compose some pieces for the first La Blanche Alchimie album. From there, I increasingly began working at the piano and writing songs in the shadows - more for myself, to find a personal musical key. My own way of expressing things and translating them into music. By the time I moved to Berlin, I had already built up quite a bit of material, and I felt it was the right moment to bring it into the light.

The forerunner of this success in Italy was probably Einaudi, and I know you've also collaborated with him. Can you tell us about that experience?

Yes, I happened to collaborate with him a few times in the past. Having had the chance to work with an artist of his stature and experience was a great education - perhaps the best one.

"The Houseboat And The Moon" is, in my opinion, one of the finest records of recent years, one that fits into that universe usually labelled modern classical... What do you think of that definition? Do you think it makes sense - or is even possible - to put a label on your music?

Thank you for the kind words. Defining music in general is, I think, always difficult, sometimes misleading. I always find it hard to define my own music - it's more of a marketing prerogative, I'd say. All things considered, the term modern-neo-classical fits well enough. Although there's a great melting pot of genres at play, from pop to jazz, by way of ambient... Really, the term "classical" refers more to the instrument used, the piano. I find it's simply a new way of conceiving instrumental music that, in part, is heir to the legacy of Debussy, Satie and so on.

One of the most significant aspects I've found in your way of composing is the ability to contain emotions and sensations within a decidedly sober language, never over the top, intimate yet "reserved". Do you consider emotional transmission an important part of making music?

Fundamental. It's the thing that matters most of all: being able to convey an emotion or a feeling. I look for images and try to describe them through music. My hope is that listeners can not only hear, but also see, touch, smell.

Calling you simply a "pianist" is certainly reductive, given the almost chamber-music dimension your pieces inhabit. What instrument do you consider the main one, both in composing and performing your music?

I absolutely don't consider myself a "pianist" - partly because, in my mind, that term refers more to figures like Gould and so on: a composer, I'd say. I use the piano as my main instrument for its complexity and completeness. But I think every instrument used to write a piece has an importance equal to all the others. I don't make distinctions. Sometimes, for instance, I'll start by writing a cello solo, and then the piano and everything else arrives, or I'll start with sounds and effects.

What do you think about the use of electronics in your music? One track in particular comes to mind, "Disclosed", which is actually a bit of an outlier compared to the rest of the album. Does the discreet, meticulously crafted use you made of it there effectively represent your view on the matter?

Thank you. I see electronics as another musical instrument in its own right. I use it as a means to achieve a specific goal. On the whole, it helps me create spatiality and give the piano a different light. By mixing sounds and effects and placing them in space, I try to achieve a variety of nuances and colours. "Disclosed" is certainly a good example, but it's present throughout the record in relation to the piano, as an outline or a backdrop, like a primed canvas on which the painting takes shape.

This kind of instrumental music is enjoying huge success across Europe, to the point that, in my opinion, you can already identify two separate strands: one more academic in nature (I'm thinking of Max Richter or Nils Frahm) and another more "popular" one (in the positive sense of the word). Which of the two, if you agree that this distinction exists, do you feel closer to?

I really couldn't say. I believe every composer, first and foremost, pursues their own personal path of research. Sometimes it happens that this research wins over the public and becomes popular. I think that's just part of the natural course of things.

More broadly, what's your relationship with the music of your contemporaries in this field? And who are the musicians who represent an important source of inspiration for you?

I really admire the work of several of my "contemporaries". As for inspiration, music is certainly part of it - the great masters of the past are always an essential foundation, as is good music in general, whatever the genre. Personally, I draw a lot from figurative art, cinema, literature. Ideas for tracks often come to me from an image, an idea, a story that grows in my head.

In a recent conversation with Fabrizio Paterlini, it was said that, despite the growing attention being paid to this kind of music, in Italy it's always difficult to break through, or at least to find a balance between art and profession... What's your experience been like in this respect?

It's difficult pretty much everywhere to find a balance between art and profession. When you choose this path, you have to factor in sacrifice, hard work, and a lot of patience. My feeling about Italy is that there's often a tendency to discourage art rather than promote and encourage it. In my case, I've found in the past little open-mindedness towards more "experimental" genres with a more European outlook. It seems Italy is still hanging on to a traditionalism that struggles to be uprooted, and that concerns pretty much everyone, not just the record industry or the music business, but the audience itself too. Despite this, the underground scene in Italy exists, and it's strong. The hope is that it surfaces more and also makes its mark abroad.

More generally, what's your relationship with Italy? I know you now live in Berlin - was that purely a personal/life choice, or was it also tied to artistic and professional needs?

It was a choice made for both reasons. Music is my life, and I had to move in order to keep pursuing my research. I've always had a good relationship with Italy, I'm happy to go back, but only for short stretches. I feel my path lies elsewhere now. Berlin is a place that's giving me a huge amount, both professionally and "humanly", so to speak.

Another distinctive feature of your (still short) recording career is having made your debut - deservedly so - on a prestigious, well-regarded label like Denovali, a platform hugely admired across Europe and beyond... How did you get in touch with them? Do you think it might have been an important arrow in your quiver?

Denovali is an extraordinary label, I couldn't have asked for better. It's made up of people who work hard and support you constantly. Look, it happened in the simplest way possible. My manager sent them demos of a few tracks, and they liked them. He then sent them demos of the whole album, and they said okay, welcome aboard. Without a doubt, having released music with them is a great privilege, and I'm thrilled with how things are going - the work is constant and at a great pace. A hugely important arrow in my quiver!

Two years ago, as part of Milan's Piano City Festival, you took part in a particular experience: a house concert. Do you think such an intimate setting suits your music well (which, in my opinion, is equally intimate)?

It really was an important moment, one of the very first - perhaps the first - solo piano concert of my life. An extraordinary experience. Perhaps a turning point, that's where I finally understood which path to take. One of my first approaches to what was, for me, a new live dimension.

More generally, what's your relationship with performing live?

Definitely a great relationship. It's without doubt the best setting, an opportunity to experiment and give the pieces a different light each time. Right now I'm on my own, working by processing the live piano sound with pedals and effects, which makes every show different. In the future I'll certainly also have a bigger show, with other musicians. First and foremost the cello.

What plans do you have for the near future?

Lots of projects. I'm starting to work on a new album that will come out next year, and in the meantime, in August, an Ep of remixes from the album will be released. Four tracks reworked and revisited by four different artists. It will be available in a limited vinyl edition and digitally. I'm very happy with this work — collaborating with other artists, producers, is always a stimulus to renew yourself and experiment.

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