Campo di Marte - Italian prog against war

Thousands of crosses cover the meadow, blotting out the Sun

The golden age of Italian progressive, besides shining a light on well-known giants of the caliber of Pfm, Banco, Orme, Osanna, also contains a proliferation of small youthful endeavors lived far from the mainstream, often condensed into a single album that - like a small tile - enriches the grand mosaic of a season rich in praiseworthy experiences. Among the sci-fi adventures of Return Receipt Requested, the Dantean odysseys of Metamorfosi, the philosophical digressions of Museo Rosenbach or the psychoanalytic sessions of Biglietto per l'Inferno, worth noting is the very brief experience of the Florentine band Campo di Marte, the brainchild of one of the most important guitarists of the Italian progressive scene, Enrico Rosa. Despite recording only one self-titled album in 1973, the Florentine band's contribution should nonetheless not be considered negligible, for several reasons.

Campo di Marte were formed in 1971 with a line-up made up of guitarist Enrico Rosa, Italian-American bassist Richard Ursillo (credited as Paul Richard in the liner notes), drummer/flautist Mauro Sarti and keyboardist Alfredo Barducci (who also plays French horn here). They were joined by drummer Carlo Felice Marcovecchio (ex-Califfi), whose presence allowed Sarti to play flute on several tracks. The traits that set Campo di Marte apart from the prog scene of their time are numerous; for starters, just consider the label that put out their sole LP, United Artists. An American major releasing the debut album of an obscure Italian band. Certainly an anomaly and a (lost) bet on United's part, which testifies to the international interest not only in the progressive scene in general but also in the Italian one specifically, deemed marketable beyond national borders.

Another notable aspect is the idea of an anti-militarist concept album, an unusual thing for typical Italian prog bands, with the exception of the more politically oriented groups such as Banco or those closer to the Rock In Opposition camp (Area or Stormy Six). The poetic lyrics describe the consequences of war that upends the landscape and the lives of men, turning green meadows into cemeteries. No mention of nations or politicians, of just or unjust wars, just the plain statement of the absurdity of war. This comes through both in the band's name (referring both to the area of Florence and to the God of war) and in the album cover, which shows drawings of Turkish warriors inflicting painful wounds on themselves to prove their courage.

The sound has moments of extreme harshness that bring Rosa close to a guitar hero in the Hendrix-like style, comparable to his Italian alter ego Bambi Fossati, the longtime guitarist of Garybaldi. But while Bambi Fossati always remains within the bounds of a rock guitarist tied to the blues tradition, Enrico Rosa shows much stronger ties to the classical tradition, owing to his training, and to the guitar playing of Fripp. There's also a peculiar dissonance between the harshness of the sounds - with a guitar that at times borders on noise ("Terzo Tempo") - and the blankness of Rosa's voice. 

There's also a story of conflict with the major label, which, taken by the power of the track that would come to be called "Primo tempo", insisted it be used to open Campo di Marte. Rosa recalls that conflict like this: "The composition was meant to be a suite conceived as the tale of a minstrel who, with his guitar, described a world where everyone lived in peace and harmony, the Prologue (which became the Fifth and Sixth Movement). It then moved on to Riflessione/Alba, which I also called Chiaroscuro (Second Movement), and Epilogue (Fourth Movement); the whole thing was disrupted by attacks and marching troops. Finally, the acoustic guitar closed it out as if the minstrel were walking away. When everything had been recorded as I had composed it, the record label decided to reverse the order of the record and side A became side B, so I chose to change the titles to Movements. That choice was made to have the album open with heavier sounds, which would have had more impact on first listen, but it bothered me a great deal".

Regardless of its placement, "Primo tempo" is the album's most immediate and best realized track, with top-notch lyrics, great guitar technique and a particularly aggressive bass, considering the usual habits of the Italian prog scene. The flowering fields where a child plays happily immediately turn into cemeteries with thousands of crosses so imposing and numerous that they blot out the Sun. Bones are the only harvest of this mad sowing. There is no just war, only madness; human violence is an event that disrupts the peace of a child running happily through a meadow, surrounded only by the benevolent rays of the Sun. "Secondo tempo" is an instrumental piece with melodic touches, featuring classical guitar and flute, an instrument typical of international prog. "Terzo tempo", far more violent - with an intro bordering on cacophony - alternates prog and hard rock in a skillful blend that showcases Rosa's excellent technique.

With "Quarto tempo" Campo di Marte attempt the tricky path of covering classical pieces, something various prog groups (and others) were trying their hand at in those years with mixed fortunes. This time it's Bach's "Preludio" and "Fuga N.2" in C minor; the attempt, while underlining Rosa's ambition on one hand, on the other exposes the typical limits of this difficult operation of bridging two very different worlds. In "Quinto tempo" acoustic guitar, flute, keyboards and vocal harmonies alternate in a pleasant back-and-forth of acoustic and electric instruments. "Sesto tempo" is pure prog, with the return of Rosa's distorted guitar and the appearance of the French horn played by Alfredo Barducci.

Within a shifting, complex structure, the unexpected interlude with an almost western-style rhythm à la Morricone stands out. Closing the album is "Settimo tempo", the longest track and the most ambitious in terms of compositional variety, swinging from overtly Hendrix-like moments to dizzying peaks in the style of Fripp, right up to brief passages that foreshadow Rosa's later passion for jazz. This is a summa that, together with "Primo tempo", stands as the Florentine band's most important legacy.

By the time Campo di Marte is released, the band has essentially already split up. Rosa has written material for a second album, but the label refuses to release it. Disillusioned with his country, the guitarist moves to Denmark, where he still lives today, carrying on a prolific musical career.

In 2003 — in an era of rediscovery — Enrico Rosa and Mauro Sarti reunite for a short tour in Tuscany and release Concerto Zero - Live 1972/2003: two CDs, the first containing old recordings from 1972, the second the more recent ones from 2003.

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