Defending the Indefensible : Rondo Veneziano

I've never heard Rondo Veneziano, so I can't really defend them, but Gian Piero Reverberi wrote and produced some pretty good music in the '60's and '70's. I've always heard the R.V. records were crap, but I wouldn't mind giving them a chance some day.

I just downloaded the songs "Rondo Veneziano" from 1980, "La Serenissima" from 1981, and "Casanova" from 1985. I don't dislike any of those three, and quite like "La Serenissima". I feel it's too bad about it being as gimmicky an idea as it is, but I'd much rather listen to this than, say, Tangerine Dream from the same period or Mannheim Steamroller. I'll probably buy some of their albums if I run across them some day.

They were simply awful. I have a theory about groups like this: for some people an RV album would be their only 'classical' record. For posh old grannies, it would be their only 'pop' record. They used the same bluddy drum loop on everything. Their only saving grace was the element of humour, whereby the 'oboe player' had a hole cut in his mirror-mask. In short ... gah!

Well, thanks Pangolino, for defending the indefensible.
Yeah I knew RV as the epitome of European 80s elevator muzak. "Gah!" indeed. Apparently Reverberi's appreciated and managed to popularize classical music and "version" traditional Venetian pieces in a modern style, which is arguably cool. But man.

It's not only pop arrangements of traditional and classical music, though - there seems to be original music as well. I guess I'm coming at it as someone that listens to a lot of film music, which pretty often combines elements of classical, tradional and pop musics. Something like "La Serenissima" sounds, to me, not that different from part of an early 80's action film score, given the repetitive, disco-classical style. I guess that's where I'm coming from when I defend it. The few pieces I listened to didn't have nearly the emotional and structural range that I'd appreciate in a film score, but neither were they just MIDI-Vivaldi or corporate-video generation "success-theme" library music, which I wouldn't bother defending and don't want to hear. He seems like a talented man who's comfortable slumming at Epcot Centre. In a way, their gimmick-aspect reminds me a bit of Rockets, even though I can't imagine anyone thinking they were as cool.

OMG! rondo veneziano!!! my litlle cousin used to dance to it cause my auntie got their album. when i was 5 -in 85- she kissed me whil she was dancing n there was la Serenissima on.

corporate-video generation "success-theme" library music
Yum ! I can get morbid like that sometimes, any pointers ?

La Serenissima is highly filmesque indeed, must feature in a few dreadful French and Italian movies.

Well, I must say your missing out. Rondo Veneziano is enchanting music. Shame your not capable of enjoying it - not 'street' enough I guess.

know where i can pick up the video to La Serenissima?