Storia progressive di un vino particolare,il Villa Calcinaia Vigna Bastignano da IGT a Chianti Classico Riserva “cru” aziendale con esposizione unica e particolare e capace di dare lustro al terroir di Greve in Chianti. Ce lo presenta in questa intervista Sebastiano Capponi a Vinitaly 2011 che ripercorre anche un fatto che pochi conoscono…ovvero la visita del gruppo progressive rock Dream Theater che si trasforma in una canzone sul Chianti Classico…[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8qVIAQJsGU[/youtube]
Ecco come ci racconta l’incontro Sebastiano:
Il contatto avvenne tramite un mio caro amico di NY Mark Snyder che era il loro tecnico della chitarra. Tra l’altro c’è un articolo su di lui sul numero di Agosto di Guitar Aficionado. Ma la circostanza più buffa fu che ad avvertirmi del fatto fu il mio commercialista che mi chiamò al telefono per chiedermi se conoscessi i Dream Theater. Dopo un momento di iniziale sorpresa, dato che i commercialisti quando ti chiamano a Giugno non vogliono parlare di progressive rock bensì di tasse, gli risposi affermativamente ed egli mi disse di avere il testo della canzone sotto gli occhi e che non vi fossero dubbi su chi fossero i protagonisti della canzone se non il sottoscritto e il di lui fratello.
Ecco qui il testo della canzone con i riferimenti e il video
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4yzYKIiV9Y[/youtube]
E qui il racconto (in inglese, della giornata):
Dear All,
You may, or may not, be familiar with a progressive metal band called “Dream
Theatre”; if not, there is nothing to be ashamed of as my own musical
culture stops with Francesco Landini (14th century – a joke actually: I
rather like Cole Porter). Anyhow, the above group recently released an
album called Black Clouds and Silver Linings, which, from what I gather, has
been enjoying quite a bit of success. The question you may be asking is:
why the heck should we care, given your stated taste for musical genre
recently crawled out of a sarcophagous. Well, for once I have decided to
shelve Rossini, Sibelius and Gershwin; and for a very specific reason.
The album contains one song in particular – a pretty long one to be
honest (18 mins), titled “The Count of Tuscany”. The lyrics (see attached)
are somewhat
fey, or downright sinister if you prefer; unless you know the genesis of
this particular musical piece. It regards Villa Calcinaia, myself and, in
particular, my brother Sebastiano.
A few years ago my brother asked if I was willing to come up to the
villa and meet the members of a rock band. I originally demurred, given my
above stated musical tastes and the need to finish writing a book. However,
at Seb’s insistence, I relented and, arriving at the cellar I met with a
group
of people prefectly befitting the popular image of rocksters: earrings,
pony-tails, tattoos and what not. Well, you can immagine my surprise to
discover these individuals were no “sex, drugs and rock-&-roll” gang, but
instead square as cubes, family men, downright professional, with a sense of
metaphysics and musically very cultured indeed.
Seb and I took them around the cellars, the vineyards and the property
in general, I smoking as usual (in the lyrics I am described as “sucking on
my pipe” ). Apparently we completely spooked the lot out – one could have
expected the opposite – since in the song’s refrain they stress a lingering
fear of not being able to get out of the place: “Dr. Frankenstein, I
presume” sort of situation (it is possible that their terror was more due
to the fact of not being able to have anymore of our wine, but as a
historian I have to stick to sure facts). They did manage to leave,
however,
otherwise I would not be writing this piece.
On a final note: during the meal we discussed opera and I suggested
they should write one. Maybe with the “Count of Tuscany” as the main
protagonist. Or even better the wines from Villa Calcinaia, since it was
those that got us hooked-up in the first place.
Niccolo Capponi