Diego Minciacchi

A professor of neurology at the University of Florence and one of Italy's foremost experimental composers, Diego Minciacchi creates fascinating music from raw scientific data and appends cryptic titles to his pieces that give them something of a whimsical, if not philosophical or mystical, context. The Aforesaid, Minciacchi's 2001 release on Col Legno, is a collection of five chamber works from the early '90s, a time when he found his voice and developed a feasible methodology in his works for various solo instruments or small groups with electronic media. For lack of knowing Minciacchi's elaborate procedures -- adopted, by analogy, from systems in the biological world -- some listeners may feel inordinately challenged by these complex works, or at the very least be puzzled by the rambling, unconventional titles, such as EARTH WILL HAVE HER SAY ..or.. SAY WHAT? (if you're searching for specific landmarks) (1990), or Cimeli Zoomorfi:...ich sah ein anderes Zeichen...or the..."Uncegila's seventh spot".