Amiata Records is an independent cross-cultural record label founded in 1992 by Matteo Silva and Marc Eagleton with headquarters in the historic center of Florence and offices in London, Lugano and Rome. Amiata derives its name from the mountain in southern Tuscany, one of the most un-spoilt areas of central Italy.[1] AMIATA's motto is "The Most Meaningful Sound Next to Silence", a phrase taken from a 1995 review of AMIATA releases in Audiophile Recording, a British audiophile magazine.[2] Amiata has established a strong international reputation for its outstanding recordings of world music, ethnic music, authentic folk, innovative contemporary classical music, ancient music, jazz, relaxation music and even cutting-edge electronic music.[3][4]
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The first AMIATA release was Ad Infinitum in 1992 by italian composer and label founder Matteo Silva. For some years Amiata Records specialised in new music, releasing recordings by experimental artists like Michael Vetter and Gianfranco Pernaiachi; minimalistic composers like Terry Riley, Hans Otte and Steve Reich, outstanding vocalists like Sainkho Namtchylak, Faraualla, Amelia Cuni, saxophonist Angelo Ricciardi, flutist Andrea Ceccomori, guitarists Dominic Miller and Paolo Giaro, bassists Andrea Donati and Enzo Pietropaoli and string quartets like the Bernini Quartet. The label's output shares a certain common aesthetic framework, including a very characteristic audiophile recording sound, repertoire consisting mostly of original compositions by the artists and often large booklets, sophisticated packaging and minimalist cover art. Some have credited the label's early aesthetic approach as a precursor, for better or worse, of the new-age music movement and the Italian daughter of German jazz label ECM. There is a clear link between some AMIATA recordings and so-called world music, especially the folk recordings and arrangements by the Fratelli Mancuso, the work of Antonio Infantino and Ustad Nishat Khan. Other examples of AMIATA's world music are records by the Bauls of Bengal, Tibetan Lama Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Indian virtuoso Zakir Hussain, Gabin Dabiré and the Ensemble Club musical Oriente Cubano. The AMIATA New Series was created to document Western contemporary classical works—the first of these was the world-premiere recording of Hans Otte Aquarian Music who gave to the series a certain minimalist approach confirmed by other releases of music by Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Ludovico Einaudi, Arvo Pärt. On many releases, the multicultural and classical sides of AMIATA are combined: for example, Ustad Nishat Khan's Meeting of Angels features him playing sitar solos over the Ensemble Gilles Binchois singing Gregorian chant. The label was distributed in the USA for many years by Ryko Distribution and after Warner Bros. Records acquisition of Ryko by the independent MVD Entertainment Group. Matteo Silva continues to take an active interest in the music released by the label, acting as producer on most of its recordings. The typical AMIATA session is just three days—two days to record, one day to mix. Silva in general dislikes overdubbing.[5]
Its catalogue now numbers over a hundred titles creatively presented in 7 series, which are Secret World, Roots, New Music, Cutting Edge, Inner Arts, Classica and Multimedia Arts. Amiata offers musical sounds for curious souls and intelligent ears and for people who, leaving behind prejudices, are inquisitive enough to journey into new lands.[6]
The label is world-renowned for the design and packaging of its album covers. This was profiled in a 2006 in an exhibition in Florence. It is interesting to note that while newer CD releases frequently use o-sleeves that cover the traditional jewel box, the inlay cards never use two-sided printing or clear trays.
Fratelli Mancuso - Requiem
Whisky Trail - San Frediano
Ayub Ogada - Tanguru
Club Musical Oriente Cubano - AlgoRitmo
Whisky Trail - Chaosmos
Fratelli Mancuso - Cantu
Synaulia - Volume II
Fairy Tales of the World - A collection of twelve CDs containing fairytales from as many countries on five continents, each read by an actor and set to music from the place where it originated. Each CD will be inserted in an illustrated book with the full text of the fairytale. An introduction to cultural diversity aimed at young and old alike from our edutainment program.
- Winner price of one Naird Award (U.S.A.) as Best Independent Record Label
- Nominated to the Grammy Awards (U.S.A.) twice
- Production of “Magnificat”, an album ordered by the Vatican for “The Jubilee 2000”, with the collaboration of Ennio Morricone, José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé, etc.
- Production of the popular work (15 CDs), “World music”, for newspapers such as “L'espresso” and “la Repubblica”.
- Production of the Encyclopedia “Musiche del Mondo”, 65 volumes published by RCS Fabbri Editori
- Production and release of Synaulia, Music from Ancient Rome Vol. I. and II. An important cultural project which has become a landmark of music archeology.
- Synchronization of different tracks into several internationally well-known success movies such as , among others, The Gladiator (2000 film) by Ridley Scott, The Talented Mr. Ripley (film) by Anthony Minghella, The Village (2004 film) ….
- Synchronization of different tracks into several award winning documentaries
- Synchronization of different tracks into several TV advertisements (e.g.: Nissan, Carling, California DC.)