In the late 1970s, record executives exerted pressure on Le Orme to conform to the musical trends of the time. However, the band's response was far from compliant: they halted concerts and immersed themselves in studying classical music instruments. This period of exploration and study culminated in 1979 with the release of the album "Florian," named in homage to the famous bar in Piazza San Marco, Venice. Characterized by "chamber music" sounds, the album achieved lower commercial success compared to its predecessors. Among the standout tracks on "Florian," "Fine di un viaggio" portrays a bitter awareness of the end of an era in music. The chorus, with Tagliapietra singing "Cambia mister Tambourine man / A me non servi più" (Change, Mr. Tambourine Man / I no longer need you), may have inspired Franco Battiato's song "Bandiera bianca" two years later, highlighting musical intertextuality. Despite its artistic merits, the decline in sales due to "Florian" caused disagreements within the group. While Pagliuca and Serafin saw potential in the new genre, Tagliapietra vehemently opposed it. Despite these divergences, Polygram demanded another album, leading Le Orme to produce "Piccola rapsodia dell'ape" in 1980. This work, created with little enthusiasm, practically marked the unofficial dissolution of the group, with Serafin permanently abandoning guitar for violin. A twist of fate saw producer Gian Piero Reverberi achieving worldwide success with chamber music through Rondò Veneziano. The electro-pop turn and internal crisis peaked between 1981 and 1992. Le Orme participated in the 1982 Sanremo Festival with the song "Marghera," later transformed into "Marinai." Following a series of internal disputes, Pagliuca withdrew, leaving producer Roberto Colombo to take his place in the final night. The group continued with the production of the album "Venerdì" in 1982, characterized by new romantic and electronic sounds of the era. In 1983, Le Orme concluded their association with D.D.D. by releasing the single "Rosso di sera/Sahara," accompanied by a music video showing Dei Rossi with a synthesizer instead of drums. Pagliuca's departure in 1992 marked the end of an era for Le Orme. Michele Bon and Francesco Sartori took his place, and the group continued performing live with various session musicians. This historical period witnessed a rediscovery of symphonic rock by the public, paving the way for the band's resurgence with the album "Orme" in 1990, artistically supervised by Mogol and featuring contributions from Angelo Branduardi and Mario Lavezzi. The ongoing changes in lineup and growing internal tensions underscored the end of an era for Le Orme but also marked the beginning of a new phase in their musical evolution.
Today's listening recommendation is "Fine di un viaggio" from the album "Florian."
