Show 924: Ritmi Rurali by Radio Papesse

Radia Show 924 stems out of Radio Papesse’s long lasting kinship and collaboration with Liminaria Festival and curator Leandro Pisano. Last Summer 2022 Liminaria hosted residencies, workshops, sound installations and guests, among which Joe Sannicandro, who worked primarily in Colle Sannita and San Martino Valle Caudina, in Campania, in rural Southern Italy.

Radia Show 924 is a collage of two sound pieces he produced during his residency: Ritmi Rurali and Dopo il diluvio.
 

RITMI RURALI (SUONANO ANCORA)

Ritmi Rurali (suonano ancora) is a 15′ sound collage comprised of ambient soundscapes and interviews recorded in the rural village of Colle Sannita, South Italy.

Sannicandro paternal grandfather’s mother grew up in Colle, and her family had deep roots in the area. Knowing this, Leandro Pisano organized a workshop and talk for him in Colle in the framework of the 2022 edition of the Liminaria sound art residency programme. Sannicandro conducted a multi-day workshop, mostly leading soundwalks with young students. He also interviewed townsfolk of all ages, and made all kinds of recordings of the town based on those conversations.

The resulting work is Ritmi Rurali (suonano ancora). He set the length of the piece to 15 minutes, which is also the interval at which the church bells ring (day or night). The artist was a little surprised at how used to the incessant tolling the people of Colle are. We are increasingly numb to background noise and, even if we hear, we often do not listen. For this reason, he relied heavily on the sound of the bells in Ritmi Rurali.

DOPO IL DILUVIO – PART A

Dopo il diluvio is a bilingual guided soundwalk to San Martino Valle Caudina. Whenever it is possible, we recommend you listening with headphones. The entire 4 part soundwalk, the instructions and map are available here. After Semi rurali (14') you’ll listen to Dopo il diluvio's first part.

Joseph Sannicandro is a writer, researcher and cultural organizer dealing with sound and currently based in Montreal. His research interests concern incorrect communication, (non) popular culture and the work of creativity, with particular interest in analogical humanities. Sannicandro is currently a PhD candidate in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota. He holds an MA from the Department of Art History and Communication Studies at McGill University, a BA from SUNY Purchase in History and Philosophy, and also studied Writing, Political Theory and International Relations at The New School and SFSU. His PhD thesis, currently in progress, explores the nature of community activism through a cultural history perspective of aesthetics and politics in post-1968 Italy.