Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual is a book + 2xLP set examining the Tarantism ritual – a cure for women bit by spiders – said bite inciting madness and sexual abandon (there seems to be no such cure offered to men; whyzzat?) The publisher’s description says:
“We’re excited to present FLEE’s latest project: Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual. Dedicated to the Tarantism dance ritual (an ancient popular belief in which women allegedly become crazy and/or nymphomaniac after a tarantula bite, being only cured by frenetic dancing and music), the book is available now. The projects features a hardcover linen book (printed in both English and Italian) as well as a 2xLP vinyl which will be sold separately or together in custom-made packaging.
“Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual is comprised of a double LP vinyl compilation and a hardcover book. The double LP captures original field recordings of musicians-exorcists registered by Diego Carpitella, Ernesto de Martino and Alan Lomax in the late 1950’s in Puglia, as well as six unique remixes by contemporary vanguard electronic musicians and producers including Bjorn Torske & Trym, Bottin and Don’t DJ. The hardcover publication includes nine essays focusing on various dimensions of the ritual and provides a voice for artists, photographers, sociologists, anthropologists, and catholic priests, as well as witnesses, experts and actors of the history of this music exorcism. It contains original photographs from Chiara Samugheo, former official photographer, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Mattia Zappellaro, to name a few. Original contributions from seven experts such as director Edoardo Winspeare, researcher Claudia Attimonelli and conceptual artist Pamela Diamante are also featured in the publication. The project ultimately aims to document and explain the social context of the music and ritual of Tarantismo.”
Order your copy: https://www.peopleofprint.com/product/flee-tarantismo-odissey-of-an-italian-ritual/.
Meanwhile, it appears that the source of the original audio materials would be field recordings made by a team that included iconic folklorist Alan Lomax that appear these days on one of the Italian Treasury series of releases: http://www.culturalequity.org/rounder-records/italian
Here’s a taste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyo0kxw7Y1I.
