Dante Today
Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary and Popular Culture
Music Archive
Page 1 of 3 »
Weezer, "Make Believe" (2005)
In the liner notes to Weezer's fifth album, the first lines of Inferno, "Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita," are hidden in the pictures.
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Believe
Professor Fate, "Inferno" (2007)
From CD Universe:
"Professor Fate is a solo project from Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh/Exploder/Mistress) Professor Fate produce cinematic style music, a form of epic classical that fuses intertwined drumbeats with orchestral Rock and electronic sounds. The music screams "soundtrack" in its every audible moment, with grand, sweeping soundscapes that inspire cinematic imagery even in the dark. 'Inferno' presents you with a powerfully potent journey through the caverns of the underworld, inspired by Dante Alighieri's book, 'The Divine Comedy'."
Metamorfosi, "Inferno" (1972) and "Paradiso (2004)
This Italian progressive rock band released "Inferno" in 1972 and, 32 years later, "Paradiso." The album tracks correspond with Dante's journey through the afterlife, although in some cases the musicians did alter some of the sins punished in hell.
HIM, "Venus Doom" (2007)
From a liveDaily review:
"'Venus Doom' is said to have multiple layers, ranging from beautiful melodies to crunchy guitars--a contrast that HIM was striving for.
'The idea to have nine songs was based on Dante's Inferno, 'cause hell has nine layers, so it's like going deeper down into hell and then coming back,' [band's frontman] Valo said."
Decadence, "Decadence" (2005)
The first track on this Swedish band's self-titled debut album is called "Wrathful and Sullen," the lyrics of which allude to the punishment of those immersed in the Styx.
COLOSSUS/Musea, "Inferno" Album (2008)
From the Colossus website:
The Finnish Progressive Music Association Colossus, in collaboration with Musea, released a concept album based on Inferno.The 34 cantos of the poem were assigned to 34 international bands, with each creating a musical piece to represent the canto.
Ancient, "The Cainian Chronicle" (1996)
This Norwegian metal band's second album contains a track called "At the Infernal Portal (Canto III)" which consists of the original Italian and an English translation of Inferno III, 1-9.
http://www.zenial.nl/txt/cainianc.htm
Anna Caterina Antonacci, soprano, "Altre Stelle" (2009)
http://www.theatrechampselysees.fr/saison-detail.php?t=1&s=4
"It is the rare singer who can command the support of an orchestra for a concert of arias. Having the event be fully staged, with sets and costumes, is almost unheard of. But the soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci is a favorite in Paris, as she is likely to be anywhere she appears, and the Theatre des Champs-Elysees is currently presenting 'Altre Stelle' ('Other Stars,' Dante's term about the power of love), a program of landmark French opera arias linked by the theme of unrequited love..."
George Loomis, The New York Times, April 28, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/arts/29iht-loomis29.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y
"(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" by Stan Jones, 1948
http://www.grandcanyonassociation.org/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/40221_lg.jpg
"In the song, a cowboy sees a bunch of dead cowboys chasing a herd of infernal cattle across the sky. One of them warns him that he must change his ways or he will join them in this endless chase. This is reminiscent of the opportunists at the vestibule of Hell, being forced to endlessly chase after a banner." John Ferriss
Link to lyrics: http://ingeb.org/songs/anoldcow.html
Contributed by John Ferriss (Bowdoin, '08)
Alkaline Trio, "Agony and Irony" (2008)
The intro to Alkaline Trio's "I Found A Way" from their new album Agony and Irony contains a voice reading the beginning of Canto I of Inferno.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-found-a-way-lyrics-alkaline-trio.html
Contributed by Charlie Russell-Schlesinger (Bowdoin, '08)
Tangerine Dream, The Divina Commedia albums (2002, 2004, 2006)
Information on Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso can be found at Discogs
http://www.discogs.com/release/180091
http://www.discogs.com/release/710774
http://www.discogs.com/release/794030
Tracks for Inferno
1 Before The Closing Of The Day
2 The Spirit Of Virgil
3 Minotaurae Hunt At Dawn
4 Those Once Broke The First Word
5 Dante In Despair
6 Io Non Mor
7 Vidi Tre Facce
8 At The Deepest Point In Space
9 L'Omperador Del Doloroso Regno
10 Voices In A Starless Night
11 Fear And Longing
12 Fallen For Death
13 Where All The Light Went Silent
14 Charon, Il Barchere
15 La Grey De Los Almas Perdidas
16 Justice Of The Karma Law
17 As The Sun Moves Towards Heaven
18 Beatrice, L'Ame Infinie
Contributed by Joe Henderson (Bowdoin, '10)
Vladimir Martynov, "Vita Nuova" (opera)
http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/09/30/108.html
"Next season, Mr. Jurowski will return to Lincoln Center with the London Philharmonic, bearing Mozart, Mahler, Strauss, a full evening of Rachmaninoff and the American premiere of Vladimir Martynov's opera Vita Nuova, after Dante's neo-Platonic treatise on love in verse and prose."
Matthew Gurewitsch, New York Times, January 27, 2008
http://select.nytimes.com/mem/tnt.html?pagewanted=2&tntget=2008/01/27/arts/music/27gure.html&tntemail0=y&emc=tnt
Background Image: Domenico di Michelino, Dante and His Comedy, 1465
