Anticipating the release of the new album CIRCLES (Oct 13, 2023) here it comes a special song that forms part of it.

Among the tracklist this is the only not-original one, as it is a “mode” dating back around one thousand years, by the Shona people situated between Limpopo and Zambesi river, descending from the Great Zimbabwe Empire. It’s a music born and usually played on mbira and its lyrics slightly changes according to the situation but mainly it means “to build a refuge, in the middle of the bush”, or “finding a shelter, when among difficulty”

For the first time this song is presented in an original arrangement for 14-pieces classical orchestra, plus mbiras. In particular the original mbira parts are splitted here into the mbira dzavadzimu played by arranger Marco Zanotti, the mbira nyunga nyunga played by Anna Palumbo and harpsichord by Valeria Montanari. Also, this arrangement features hosho and ngoma parts, as usually played in Zimbabwe, in addition to a strings quartet, double bass and a woods quartet.

Marco Zanotti came up with the idea of this arrangement after a long stay in Zimbabwe in 2020 studying mbira with maestros Salani Wamkanganise Nagaadza and Kudzai Kadzai and attending traditional ceremonies.

Nhemamusasa is part of “CIRCLES”, the new concept-album of Classica Orchestra Afrobeat, to-be-released on Oct 13, 2023, by Brutture Moderne ed.

Press office: l’Altoparlante