A good while ago, Lorenzo Masotto sent me a selection of photos and videos that were captured during the recording sessions of his new album Earde. We were initially thinking about possible social media content ideas, but this collection is so incredible and shows the care and passion from the people behind this project. So it simply had to be immortalised away from the algorithms within a blog post...

Lorenzo, along with his friends and collaborators recorded Earde within the natural acoustic setting of a church in Verona. I've been to Verona with my wife and it's a magical place. One of my fondest memories in fact, is of the incredible acoustics inside Il Duomo; the sound of our boots echoing and reverberating as we walked slowly, taking in the beauty and antiquity of that huge, old building.

I assembled a short film below using the documentary footage Lorenzo sent to me and combined with the stories and insights Lorenzo shares through his interview below, we hope you can get a sense of what went into this record. If you like the sound of it all, you can check out the album via the link at the bottom of this blog post...

HT: Could you tell us a little bit more about the church where you recorded? Where is it located? Any historical details you’d like to share with us? Did you record in any other location to this church?

LM: It is a deconsecrated church that belongs to a photographer friend of mine, who also took the cover photo for Earde. It is often used as a photography studio and sometimes for concerts and exhibitions. It is located on the outskirts of Verona. The place has intense vibrations and a very captivating natural reverb. I played on an old August Förster, a German piano that I found really interesting. The piano is in the church, and although I don't know its history, it still sounds really good. Some parts of the choir, the string trio, and the solo voice were recorded in the studio. This allowed me to work on certain tonal details with greater precision.

HT: You conducted and recorded a performance by the Voce dei Colli Choir. Could you tell us a little more about them? How long have they been gathering? How often do they meet to practice?

LM: The Voce dei Colli Choir was founded in 1971 in Colognola Ai Colli, a small countryside town about a 30-minute drive from Verona. It is the town where I was born and raised. I have been the choir conductor for eight years. We rehearse twice a week and often perform both in Italy and abroad. I love choral singing; I believe it is the ultimate expression of musical harmony.

HT: Could you tell us more about the recording set-up? Did you have an engineer? What equipment did you use?

LM: For the piano recording, my two sound engineer friends and I used eight microphones. This was because we wanted to capture every small nuance of the sound. All the piano recordings are unedited—everything you hear on the album is exactly what I recorded that day, with no cuts or stitching. I believe this can be felt when listening: fingers, microphones, album. Direct, without embellishments.

HT: How did you approach the composition? How much of the music was notated and how much improvised?

LM: Writing is usually the final part of my compositional process. The main idea is born in my mind, where it stays for a while. I mentally sing it and search for a first, raw development—a process that disconnects me from the outside world for days. Then, as soon as I can sit at the keyboard, I develop the idea by searching for the harmony. Sometimes the development is pure improvisation; other times, it follows a more "academic" counterpoint approach.

HT: I understand that in the track Falling Sun, you composed the music specifically for Stefania Avolio’s voice? Could you tell us a little about how you both approached creating this track? Who wrote the lyrics?

LM: Yes, Falling Sun is a song that came to my mind during a fantastic walk in the Lessinia area, a mountainous region in the province of Verona. As I was descending back to my car, the sun was setting, and I remember a breathtaking sunset with spectacular colors. The colors exploded like fireworks against the shimmering white snow. That moment of inspiration brought me a melody and the beginning of some lyrics that kept repeating in my mind: Falling Sun, into my heart.

When I got home, I wrote the piano part, completed the lyrics, and handed the song to Stefania, asking her to sing it with a broken, emotional voice. Even today, after performing it many times, we still feel deeply moved when we play it. It's a song I am very proud of—one of my compositions that I love the most.

'Earde' is available in a limited run of 100 12" vinyl editions as well as a digital option in a range of high quality format options. You can take a listen to the album in full or buy a copy HERE!