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posted on July 25, 2019 by

Tina Turner: By the Book

“What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?

‘In 2017, my kidneys were failing and I went through a prolonged period of dialysis. Every time I went to the clinic, I brought the same three books with me: The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra, The Divine Comedy, by Dante, and a book of photography by the extraordinary Horst P. Horst. I needed something for the spirit, something for the intellect and something for the senses, and the ritual of studying the same books while I was undergoing treatment was comforting to me because it imposed order on a situation I couldn’t otherwise control.’

“You’re hosting a literary dinner party. Which three writers are invited?

‘I like a dinner party to be a lively mixture of different kinds of people — young, old and everything in between. So my first choice would be Dante — after all my years of studying The Divine Comedy, I need to ask him a lot of questions! I could be his Beatrice! Since I can’t choose between Anne Rice and Stephen King, I’d set places for both of them. Their books have kept me awake for many a night because there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good scare! And I’d definitely serve Thai food, because I like things spicy.’ ” […]    –Jillian Tamaki, The New York Times, October 18, 2018

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posted on July 22, 2019 by

Basil O’Glue – Dante [Slideways]

“Tim Penner’s Slideways Music returns from a five month hiatus with a new single from Basil O’Glue. The Greek artist and Saturate Audio label boss is much loved for his progressive minded creations which have found a home on Armada Music, Coldharbour Recordings and John OO Fleming’s JOOF Recordings. Now the long time Markus Schulz favourite makes his Slideways debut alongside remixes from Dowden and SHFT.

“For an artist who has spent over a decade charming fans with energetic beats and mystical melodies he continues to amaze with each and every outing. His latest entitled ‘Dante’ is a wonderful progressive techno cross pollination. Beginning with tough beats and percussive flurries the piece evolves methodically as icy pads and ethereal motifs engulf the framework. Astral arps add further depth, burrowing deep into your subconscious, playing off the meditative rhythms and eventually initiating the main break. Cinematic spheres and tasteful yet tense modulation dominate the centrepiece, building anticipation before a tepid rush sets up an emotive finale.

“The first interpretation of ‘Dante’ is provided by Dowden who is making his Slideways debut. Previously known as Onez!e, the Canadian artist has found a comfortable home on John 00 Fleming’s JOOF Recordings and ICONYC since conceptualizing the new moniker. Known for his peak time creations, Dowden strips ‘Dante’ down, reshaping the groove with bulbous beats and muscular bass stabs. Devilishly hypnotic, it’s glassy clusters and techno inspired rhythms take you deep into the heart of the groove, before the main arp elevates the mood during a memorable second act.” […]
–Release Promo, Progressive Astronaut, September 17, 2018

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posted on July 22, 2019 by

Marching Toward Victory

“GREENSBURG – The Decatur County Marching Band (DCMB), along with an army of parents and supporters, are marching toward victory today at the Indiana State Fair Band Day.

“The DCMB has 58 marching members and seven students in the color guard from Greensburg, North Decatur, and South Decatur high schools, all under the tutelage of Jacob Crossley, North Decatur band teacher.

“In its third year, the DCMB’s show this season is themed ‘Paradise Lost’ and is a combination of Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dante’s Inferno. The band’s music and formations help tell the story of a man’s journey through the nine rings of Hell.” […]    –Amanda Browning, Daily News, August 4, 2018

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posted on July 16, 2019 by

NEUTRIK Launches “NA2-IO-DLINE Intelligent Dante I/O” Interface

“With the increasingly critical role of digital audio networks in simplifying the routing and distribution of audio signals for fixed, touring and event applications, the requirement to interface analog signal devices within Dante-based networks is becoming more important.

“The new NEUTRIK intelligent NA2-IO-DLINE Dante I/O Interface “enables integration of analog signal devices within a Dante AoIP network in just a few easy steps,” according to the company press release.

“In response to the many requests we have received from customers, we have developed a cable-based product that connects the analog world to the Dante world,” says Florian Frick, product manager at Neutrik AG, in the announcement.” […]    –CI Staff, Commercial Integrator, May 1, 2018

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posted on July 16, 2019 by

Bryan Waring’s guide through Dante’s Inferno

“Picture yourself in a dark castle high upon the Scottish hillside, as you rest comfortably in a tall red velvet chair alongside Dracul-the Master of Ceremonies. Sounds gothic? Bryan Waring’s senior composition on Sunday, April 15, 2018 fulfilled a partial degree requirement for Bachelor of Music Performance. The eerie theatrical program was “a pleasant surprise,” says Waring’s mother, Bonnie. The Corthell Concert Hall located on the woodsy USM Gorham campus was the quintessential location befitting the hellish operatic overtones that played into the night from 8 p.m. to approximately 9:30 p.m.

“With friends, family and 35 supporting musicians at his fingertips, Waring directed his show through the gates of hell into Dante’s Inferno, the prevailing theme. In a pre-performance interview Waring made it clear that his intentions to include “elements of opera, death, Broadway, rock and roll, and jazz” for the subliminal background connected the “nine Circles of Hell.” It’s tempting not to label the recital as a play or concert since a few pieces of music involved at least five other instruments in addition to a piano or two. Vocals were exchanged between a chorus and a quintet as Waring made a ghostly passing through Circle I-Limbo into Circle V-Wrath.” […]    –Jamela Lewis, The Free Press, April 22, 2018

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posted on July 11, 2019 by

Why Dante’s Inferno Stays Relevant After 700 Years

“The 14th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri couldn’t have foreseen contemporary forms of hideous, malicious behavior—the Holocaust, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, genocide committed by ISIS.

“Yet, Dante’s nearly 700-year-old, three-part epic poem, the Divine Comedy—of which Inferno is the initial part—remains an influential piece of literature in exploring the origins of evil.

“Dante’s work has influenced or inspired music, novels, films, mobile apps, and even video games. Medieval manuscript illuminators and artists, including Sandro Botticelli and Salvador Dalí, have produced paintings mirroring stories Dante told. Most recently, Dante’s work was adapted for the crime and mystery film Inferno, starring Tom Hanks.

“When you have an actor like Tom Hanks starring in a movie adapted from best-selling novelist Dan Brown, you’re bound to get more questions about Dante than usual,” says Fabian Alfie, a professor in the University of Arizona department of French and Italian.

“But interest in Dante has never waned in the 700 years since he died,” Alfie says. “There is an unbroken tradition of Dante’s influence in Western culture since the 14th century. Dante has never stopped being popular because his poem deals with questions that are always relevant.”

“Ultimately, Alfie says, Dante was attempting to address the “big questions” associated with being: “What is evil? What is human nature? What is redemption, goodness, sanctity?” […]   –Monica Everett-Haynes, University of Arizona, Futurity, November 17, 2016

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posted on April 30, 2019 by

“Dante’s Nightmares and Dreams” Wichita State Wind Ensemble and Contemporary Dante Theatre (2019)

“Dante’s Nightmares and Dreams ​is a stunning collaboration between the Wichita State Wind Ensemble and the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre. Featuring live music, film, and dance, Dante’s classic tale, “The Inferno​,” is brought to life in a veritable feast for the senses.”   –Becca Yesner, The Sunflower, April 24, 2019

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posted on April 9, 2019 by

Dante HH

Dante HH is a “psychobilly blues, hard rock” band from L.A. —Dread Central

The motto, Dosis facit venenum, implies “The dose makes the poison.”

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posted on February 5, 2019 by

Os Mutantes, A Divina Comédia (ou Ando Meio Desligado) (Polydor, 1970)

os-mutantes-a-divina-comedia-ou-ando-meio-desligado“Along with the fascinating cover art — which finds the middle ground between the lurid, low-budget, exploitation cinema of filmmakers like Jean Rollin or Mario Bava, with the higher aspirations of gothic literature, à la Edgar Allen Poe — the literal English translation of the title suggests further hints towards the notions behind the album, with A Divina Comédia (ou Ando Meio Desligado) interpreted as The Divine Comedy (or I Walk a Bit Disconnected), with the reference to walking disconnected pointing towards 1960’s stoner culture and the various preoccupations with the living dead (once again, check out the Gustave Doré referencing cover art for more…). It sums up the spirit of the album perfectly, with continual references to Dante’s eponymous collection, religious cults, black mass, Satanism and the teachings of Aleister Crowley. It’s all a bit more tongue-in-cheek than the influences would suggest, with the band famously making loving pastiche and parody of the California rock scene, as well as including a straight-as-straight-can-get version of a doo-wop song that ties in nicely with similar tracks that Frank Zappa was creating for the first Mothers of Invention album, Freak Out! (1966), in particular the likes ‘Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder’ and ‘How Could I Be Such a Fool’?” — Robin Tripp, Review for Head Heritage, June 19, 2007

Contributed by Pearl Nelson-Greene (University of Kansas, 2020)

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posted on January 21, 2019 by

Wertyo, Tartarus (2019)

“Hailing from Alberta, Canada, Wertyo began as a Vaporwave artist, releasing two EPs in the genre. Together, they were streamed over 1 million times from people all over the world.  Enter Tartarus, Wertyo’s first feature length album. No longer vaporwave, this concept album changes from romantic era classical to avant-garde jazz over the course of its 25 tracks.  Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the album follows the poem through its three cantiche– Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.”    —Wertyo

 

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