STALTERI, ARTURO - From Ajanta to Lhasa

"From Ajanta to Lhasa is an intense and unique work with mystical and exotic references that sees the light for the first time in 40 years, and find its place among the must-haves artifacts of the Italian experimental/minimalist scene. In 1979, upon returning from a two-month trip to India, Arturo Stàlteri, a pianist of undisputed value and founder member of Italian prog duo Pierrot Lunaire, withdraws in his studio to set this strong experience to music. References to the overseas minimalism by Terry Riley, Philip Glass, and La Monte Young are obvious, as well as clear hints to Popol Vuh. The suite from which the album takes its title is inspired by the days Stàlteri spent in Ajanta exploring the cave paintings which made a great impression on him. The days he spent in Goa can be found in "Floating Moon", specifically an evening when a giant moon shrouded in fog, looking like a huge ball floating on the ocean, magically appeared. From Ajanta to Lhasa is the result of a search for an inner dimension free from the conditioning of Western civilization." - Soave.