Le Orme stand alongside PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso as one of the “big three” of Italian progressive rock. Formed in Venice in 1966, they began as a beat group before reinventing themselves as one of the defining bands of RPI — a keyboard-led trio whose melodic, symphonic sound was crowned by one of the genre’s great concept albums. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their classic era.

The short version

For the heart of Le Orme, start with Felona e Sorona, Collage, Uomo di Pezza, Contrappunti and Florian. Between them they hold the band’s masterpiece and the full sweep of their classic run. The full ranking is below.

One of the big three of Italian prog

Le Orme began as a Venetian beat group — until a 1970 encounter with Emerson, Lake & Palmer convinced them to bring symphonic prog to Italy. As a keyboard-led trio with no guitarist, they built a melodic, organ-and-synth-driven sound crowned by their 1973 concept masterpiece, Felona e Sorona — so admired that Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator wrote English lyrics for its international release. Alongside PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, they are pillars of RPI. A note on the catalogue: the nine albums here are their classic 1969–1979 era, with later reunion albums beyond.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing songwriting, ambition and atmosphere across their golden decade. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate — and with a catalogue this rich, your own favourites may differ.

The essential five

At the summit sits Felona e Sorona (1973), their concept masterpiece and one of the towering achievements of Italian prog. Collage (1971) is the album where they found their progressive voice, and Uomo di Pezza (1972) is a beloved high point, home to the tender “Gioco di bimba”. Contrappunti (1974) is their most intricate and ambitious set, while Florian (1979) is the gorgeous, all-acoustic chamber album that proved how far their artistry could reach.

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Reliably great

The next tier is rewarding too. Verità Nascoste (1976) is a confident return to their symphonic strengths after a stylistic detour, and Storia o Leggenda (1977) is a melodic, song-focused set from the close of their classic period.

For completists

Two albums sit lower. Smogmagica (1975), recorded in Los Angeles with a more American, accessible sound, is their most divisive record — intriguing, but a sharp turn from the classic trio. And the early Ad Gloriam (1969) belongs to their beat-and-psych beginnings, before they became a prog band at all. Both are for the devoted rather than the newcomer.

The classic era, in order

Their classic era, 1969–1979, in chronological order — with later reunion albums beyond it. Click through to the full write-up on any record.

Where to start

Begin with Felona e Sorona — their masterpiece, and a perfect introduction to Italian symphonic prog. From there, Collage shows the birth of their classic sound, and Uomo di Pezza offers some of their most beloved songs.

Prefer to own them? Find these on Amazon: Felona e Sorona · Collage · Uomo di Pezza

The players

Le Orme’s classic era was the work of a tight trio: Aldo Tagliapietra on bass and vocals, whose high, expressive voice was the band’s signature and who wrote much of their material; Tony Pagliuca on keyboards, whose organ, synths and mellotron supplied the symphonic colour; and Michi Dei Rossi on drums. Working without a guitarist — an ELP-inspired choice — they made the interplay of voice, keyboards and rhythm their whole sound. Decades on, the band continues to perform, led by Dei Rossi.

Why they still matter

Le Orme helped prove that progressive rock could speak Italian as eloquently as English — their melodic, keyboard-led symphonic style is a cornerstone of RPI, and Felona e Sorona remains one of the genre’s most celebrated albums worldwide. Alongside PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, they carried Italian prog to the world — and their best work still sounds timeless.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: read about the best Le Orme songs, find your way in with our where-to-start-with-Le Orme guide, or dig up the most underrated Le Orme albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with our list of the best progressive rock albums of all time.

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