Le Orme are one of the “holy trinity” of Italian progressive rock, alongside Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. Formed in Venice in 1966, the Venetian trio of Aldo Tagliapietra, Tony Pagliuca and Michi Dei Rossi turned from beat-pop to symphonic prog after the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, crafting melodic, keyboard-rich music that peaked with the science-fiction concept suite Felona e Sorona (1973). Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Gioco di bimba”, “Sospesi nell’incredibile”, “Collage” and “Ritorno al nulla” — their most beloved song, the majestic opener of their masterpiece, the instrumental that helped launch Italian prog, and a spectacular, bombastic finale. The full ranking is below.

One of the holy trinity of Italian prog

Le Orme were, with Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, one of the “holy trinity” of Italian progressive rock. Formed in Venice in 1966, they began as a beat and psychedelic group before a 1970 pilgrimage to the Isle of Wight Festival — and the sight of Emerson, Lake & Palmer — convinced the trio of Aldo Tagliapietra (bass, voice), Tony Pagliuca (keyboards) and Michi Dei Rossi (drums) to reinvent themselves. What followed was a golden run of melodic, keyboard-rich symphonic prog — Collage, Uomo di pezza, Felona e Sorona and Contrappunti — that valued song and atmosphere over showy virtuosity, and peaked with the 1973 concept suite Felona e Sorona, later translated into English by Van der Graaf Generator’s Peter Hammill. These fifteen songs are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing melody, atmosphere, ambition and lasting impact. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Gioco di bimba” (1972), their most beloved song, a waltz-time single of dark, dreamlike beauty. With it: “Sospesi nell’incredibile” (1973), the majestic eight-minute opener of their masterpiece; “Collage” (1971), the instrumental that helped open the door to Italian prog; “La porta chiusa” (1972), a Hammond-driven, ELP-like centrepiece; “Ritorno al nulla” (1973), the spectacular, bombastic closing crescendo of the suite; and “Una dolcezza nuova” (1972), a gorgeous, Bach-quoting opener.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “L’equilibrio” (1973) is the closest they ever came to ELP’s fire; “Cemento armato” (1971) is a fuzzed, Jon Lord-style organ showcase; “Figure di cartone” (1972) is a haunting, folk-tinged character sketch; “India” (1974) is an exotic, hypnotic instrumental highlight; and “Alienazione” (1972) is the fierce Moog-and-Hammond instrumental that closes their most beloved album.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Sguardo verso il cielo” (1971) was a concert-opening early favourite; “Felona” (1973) is the folkish portrait of the sunlit planet; “Contrappunti” (1974) is the intricate, counterpoint-driven title track; and “Amico di ieri” (1975) is a melodic highlight of their mid-1970s turn.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with Felona e Sorona, their science-fiction masterpiece, and Uomo di pezza, home to “Gioco di bimba”, then the pioneering Collage and the intricate Contrappunti. The beat-era debut Ad Gloriam and later albums such as Smogmagica, Verità nascoste and the all-acoustic Florian reward deeper exploration.

The players

Le Orme were the classic Venetian trio of Aldo Tagliapietra (bass, guitar and that clear, ethereal voice), Tony Pagliuca (organ, Moog, Mellotron and piano) and Michi Dei Rossi (drums and percussion), a lineup settled by 1971 after the band’s early members departed. Working closely with producer Gian Piero Reverberi, they built a warm, melodic take on prog that owed as much to Italian song and classical music as to British rock. Tagliapietra left in 2009 to pursue a solo career, while Dei Rossi has continued to lead the band through many later line-ups.

Why they still matter

Le Orme proved that progressive rock could be tuneful, poetic and unmistakably Italian. One of the “holy trinity” of the scene alongside Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Premiata Forneria Marconi, and peers of New Trolls, Museo Rosenbach and Il Balletto di Bronzo, they helped define Rock Progressivo Italiano — a movement now cherished around the world. Decades on, Felona e Sorona and “Gioco di bimba” remain touchstones of Italian prog.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Le Orme albums, find an entry point with where to start with Le Orme, or dig into the underrated Le Orme albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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