“The power to dream, to dictate the rules, to fight to drive madmen out of the world belongs to the people”, therefore also that of saying no to war. The cycle of four meetings organized by the municipal administration of Legnano as part of the “La Bella estate” program begins in the name of one of the songs that symbolize Patti Smith’s pacifist commitment “The culture of Peace in a world of wars”. at a historical juncture dramatically characterized by the multiplication of conflicts. The title of the first appointment, on Wednesday 26 June at 6pm in the park of the library in Via Cavour, is, in fact, “People have the power” and will see the musician, composer and historian of the musical discipline Enrico Merlin reflect, starting from the verses of the singer-songwriter of Chicago, on “pacifist” music.
Merlin, in the role of guitarist and sound manipulator, has participated in around 60 record productions; he won four different festivals in 2021, including Los Angeles, Singapore and London, for best soundtrack with the music of the short film Aria by Barbara Sirotti; he was the leader of several bands including Tiger Dixie Band and Funky Football, Molester sMiles and Merlin UN-Covered Music Project and, between 2015 and 2019, he was elected by the readers of Jazzit magazine among the ten best Italian guitarists. On the musicological side, he is recognized as one of the leading experts on the music of Miles Davis and, in the 1990s, he was appointed by Gordon Meltzer (the artist’s last producer) as writer of the official discography on behalf of his heirs. In November 2012, for Il Saggiatore, he published 1000 records for a century. 1900-2000, 960-page volume dedicated to the history of Western music of the 20th century seen through the evolution of the phonographic medium and the innovative principles of musical languages. He writes periodically for the Italian magazine Jazzit and regularly holds seminars at music specialization schools and conservatories.
The other appointments of the series, all at 6pm and in the library park, are
– 10 July “The parties and Italian public opinion in the face of wars. A comparison between the past and the present” with Massimo Rebotti.
– 12 September “Fixity of summer: death and desire in Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony” with Carlo Serra.
– September 26 “Disarming words. Women writers against the war” with Rosângela Pesenti.
Entrance is free. In case of rain the meetings will be held at Palazzo Leone da Perego.
