Demetrio Stratos, his latest work is released on vinyl
The Die Schachtel label presents one of its most historically significant archive releases: “Satyricon ’79”, which includes lost and never before released recordings from the theater compositions of Demetrio Stratos, created for the revolutionary “Satyricon” production of the Teatro dell’Elfo in Milan in 1979.
Stratos’ last work before his untimely death, forgotten for almost half a century and now published in two editions on vinyl, it is a bold sound collage that vivisects and recomposes music by experimental composers (James Fulkerson, David Behrman, Joan La Barbara), ethnic sources (the Balinese Kecak, the Turkish Nay flute, the Yugoslav bagpipe), recordings of whale songs, extended vocal techniques and synthetic interventions by Paolo Tofani on magnetic tape.
“Satyricon ’79” collects lost and never-before-heard recordings of Stratos’ compositions for the historic 1979 theater production directed by the Teatro dell’Elfo — the last work created by the composer and singer during his all-too-brief life. Almost entirely forgotten and unknown, this final masterpiece reemerges into public consciousness after nearly fifty years, fusing extended vocal techniques, Balinese instruments, visionary electronic interventions and pioneering recordings of whale songs with radical results.
As Stratos himself explained:
“The musical operation carried out on the ‘Satyricon’ is particular: the composer-musician here does not compose, but takes already made music, vivisects it, merges it, intervenes and recomposes it on magnetic tape. The structure of the signifier, from a morphological point of view, presents itself as a conceptual collage.”
An immersive theatrical event, conceived to inaugurate the historic home of the Teatro dell’Elfo in 1979, “Satyricon” marked a radical turning point for the company, until then known for street theatre. Stratos, together with Area colleague Paolo Tofani, worked in a transformed stage space—a wooden arena with a sand floor—to sculpt an immersive sonic universe that subverted the conventional functions of stage music.
Instead of simple accompaniment, the music became an autonomous sound dramaturgy.
Arguably the most complex and ambitious of Stratos’ recordings — and a preview of what he might accomplish — “Satyricon ’79” was also his last composition. In fact, shortly after the performances, Stratos was hospitalized for the illness that would lead to his death at just 33 years old.
Released by Die Schachtel in two limited editions — a deluxe collector’s edition of 200 copies, with hand-numbered certificate, LP in dustproof inner sleeve, large poster and a 60-page LP-format book in English; and a standard edition of 300 copies including LP and poster — this sound work, restored and remastered from the original analog tapes, represents a crucial piece in the life and work of Italy’s most important and visionary experimental vocalist.
