Documentation, Progetti/Projects, Trasformatorio 2021

United Colours of Cosio

A sinfonietta inspired by the colours of Cosio, co-created by the locals and adding new sounds to the village’s eternal now

I arrived in Cosio with Bas, carrying the drawings from the villagers and other artists that had been sent to them, a carload of instruments, and our minds, mouths, eyes, ears and hands open to inspiration and improvisation.

We set up 5 or 6 ‘nets’ at places around the village, to catch notes, sounds, more drawings and words to gather as scores. Instruments were left for passers-by to find, with clear instructions ‘Si prego di toccare’ (please do touch), and giant musical sheets for people to fill in according to their whim. Stories were gathered from books and locals. We collaborated with the village choir, directed by Maestro Marco, with local musicians, and with the other artists, exchanging songs and suggestions. We improvised accompaniments to spoken word poetry, carnival acts, and dance movements. I even included a musical scale where the notes were written by burrs that attached to my trouser legs when I wandered through the grass. 

Returning to our laboratory, housed in the local music hall, where they also slept and lived, we put all material on the wall to alchemize into a score.

The work was in constant formation, and played in various stages and forms to the village  and on the radio. 

Back home, I edited the material and thought it over, worked it through. I mixed a small example: Life in the village, it’s difficult – blending the stories of Luciano Duovolta, of the girl with the ‘tastiera’, of Anna and Linda’s dreams caught by the drum, of villages alike in other places, of Piero Simondo and Arthur Rimbaud, of many that master able bodies, and brothers caught in theirs.

From all the recordings, drawings and colours, we have edited our first sinfonietta of Cosio colours. More will surely follow. 

Grazie Cosiosi, it was a wonderful experience collecting your colours and sounds.

— Hansko Visser & Bas Alblas, United Colours of Cosio, 2001

Life in the village, it’s difficult – first piece from United Colours of Cosio

Si prego de toccare 

Kirsten, thank you for your letter, and a good evening to you, too! ‘been thinking, while driving back ‘home’: i think that’s exactly what i love to try and and do whenever i work somewhere: find my connection with those who have been there before too, and/or those already (and still) in my life…

It’s s why i asked Jamie D. to recite my poem about Rimbaud’ s last year in Harar, (and then play it over what Bas and I played the other morning in front of Piero Simondos house in the Rua Verdi, just past een beetje hondepoep), GiunA rushing by in Blu. It was great to do. we felt very alive and yet close to those who aren’t.

It’s what we feel, being present with the people present; alive.

Adding some sounds to their (and our) eternal now.

Building the drum, with Linda and Anna, talking with Mirko or singing with Marko, crying a bit with Alessia or boxing with Giovanni T. Drawing with Roberto, catching peoples dreams, or dancing with Dierck.

Sharing Mariella’s bread while rehearsing with the PanoManeChoir. Greeting the friendly neighbour lady with the light brown dog in the lower square. 

And finally doing coffee with F at the roestige hoekje, where paying our respect.

Grazie Cosiosi, it was a wonderful experience collecting your colors and sounds.

Fabio for fresh figs and tomatoes; Pro Loco for food and wine! ( the neighbours for patience) the teacher, Mirko s wife; both Marko’s and Simona for music, dwarfs and judges, the Napolitani for wood and pizzas;  the children that played the Big Drum for Noise, trattoria Maria for even more food and wine, The Bar at piazza San Sebastiano for a place to sit and talk with Cri; Maria Louisa for wisdom, Armanda. And Piero Simondo and his friends still around… 

– Hansko and Bas, composers

Life in the village; it’s difficult

werd opgenomen door Bas en Hansko van Plan Kruutntoone, buiten in het Verdi-steegje, voor het huis van Piero Simondo, afgelopen herfst en voor een deel in het roestige hoekje, net buiten het dorp. (Cosio d’Aroscia).

je hoort verder de klokken van Cosio (voor Luciano) en de stemmen van GiunA en Jamie D Huxley.

Bas en Hansko waren aan het werk voor Trasformatorio, nadat ze twee corona-inhaalconcerten in Turijn en een studiosessie voor hun Plan Kruutntoone Solo album hadden gedaan.

Onderweg sliepen ze heerlijk op parkeerplaatsen en veldjes, in de auto, naast de instrumenten.

Met dank aan Trasformatorio, aan Ceda i Olgica Foundation en het meisje met het toetsenbord, een beetje geluid komt van Tijn (dj Evenodd) en werd opgenomen in de Bilt, ook buiten…

il guscio increspato
un bianco fragile
un tocco di blu
protegge ancora abbastanza
per lasciare andare la madre
credimi e fidati di te
e vero
sei vera
life in the village: 
always being seen i hate it, being seen: i need it, 
always being heard: i hate it, being heard: i love it
to hear everything: it s difficult.. 
the eggshell cracked
a fragile white
a touch of blue
it still protects enough
to let the mother go
believe me and and yourself
you’re true

Marone Text of Colours

marone,
delle goccie d pioggia 
mentre sciendevano
tra i seni di Djidjo
giallo, girasolo
Luciano ‘Two-Times” G.
made it ’till almost ninety-three
when, at eigthy-nine it seemed
he had to live another Three:
The firemen, Brothers of the Cross,
the Doctor and the Pretty Nurse
the Grandson and the Neighbours Wife
saw him suddenly get alife
when he woke up like 
Lazaro
sat up and did not seem pleased
to see the crowd 
that gathered round
his bed
and said
now what the f… you re all doing here?

Now yesterday, he really died
they finally set him free
t was no rehearsal, though
they brought him past Antonio
around the bend, the Cimeterio
Good Bye forever Lucio
the Bells all ring in Cosio
and we pay pour Respect.

pane
tocca
riva
nubbi
saluta  onrust
manca
pana
tocca
nubbi 
riva
manca
tocca
pane
in paese
tutti ponoso sempre vedermi; io odio
qualc una qualca volta mi vidi: i ho bisogno
tutti ponosso sempre ascoltarmi: li amo
io sempre audio tutti: e difficile

our neighbor is quiet
she has a dog the color of her hair
she puts her clothes to dry upstairs
and when she passes friendly she
nods and says bion giormo quietly

she s nice.
the pink house
i came to this place 
for love
traded red for pink
moda for potatoes
and money for bread
ice cream for zuchini
grey for green
the bank for the bed

please never leave me
in the morning
without having been kissed
cause when you did
you left
and now you are dearly missed
the birds nest:
the birds nest has one direction: out
birth knows one direction; live
life knows only one intention:
death knows only one solution: be

il gnido degli ucelli
conosce solo una direzione: fuori
nascere conosce solo una direzione: vivi!
la vita ha una intentione
li morta conosce un soluzione: nasci

Sister  A, 
always postponed
herself
but cared and carried,
worked and phoned
and always calculated
(stars that shine
may long have gone
when we see them,
camminando)

Emanuele, Pipo, Giuseppina,
Maria Louisa, Linda, Anna,
il tuo lavoro
me aiuto molto
in fare la struttura
nell’ il mio laboratorio
del igneneri della anima!
grazie mille

dear allesia,
(she has a book, hasnt she?)
lucid bright
luce lucida
the egg shell cracked
il guscio increspato
a fragile white
un bianco frahile
a touch of blue
un tocco di blu

it still protects enough
protegge ancora abbastanza
to let the mother go
per lasciare andare la madre
believe me and and yourself
credimi e fidati di te
e vero
sei vera
you re true
her hands are small
le sue mani sono piccole
the power s in the mind
la potenza e nella mente 

she has a book hasnt she?
egli ha un libro, non e vero?
alessia: vado calma nella casa dell nemico- mani legate- vincero’

Gianni Tallone
too long with c.o.monoxide alone
at birth already accident prone
and even before
in fatal bath room
core was saved
mouth begot poor
but eyes grew richer
a golden brown
though brows forever in a frown
they re friendly
your place is here
even if it is
unvoluntary
we see you
and see you re so friendly.
it must be a hell of a job,
il pescatore (m)