Il Tempio delle Clessidre are one of the finest bands of the modern Italian progressive revival — a Genoa group who set out to honour the classic RPI sound and ended up making music worthy of it. Founded by the gifted keyboardist Elisa Montaldo and fronted, at first, by a singer from the genre’s golden age, they took their very name from a 1970s masterpiece and have carried its spirit into the present.

The short version

Formed in Genoa in 2006 by keyboardist Elisa Montaldo, Il Tempio delle Clessidre began as a tribute to Museo Rosenbach’s classic “Zarathustra” — recruiting that album’s original singer, Stefano “Lupo” Galifi — before turning to original songs. Their acclaimed self-titled debut, all vintage organ, Mellotron and seventies grandeur, became one of the most beloved modern RPI albums, and they have followed it with two more. Theirs is a loving, expert recreation of classic Italian prog.

Genoa, 2006: a Museo Rosenbach connection

Il Tempio delle Clessidre took shape in Genoa in 2006 on the initiative of the keyboardist and composer Elisa Montaldo. Its name comes from a movement of “Zarathustra”, the 1973 masterpiece by the legendary RPI band Museo Rosenbach — and, fittingly, Montaldo recruited that very album’s original singer, Stefano “Lupo” Galifi. The band’s first idea was simply to perform “Zarathustra” live, in full, with vintage sounds and the original voice; from there they began writing their own material in the same vein. With guitarist Giulio Canepa, bassist Fabio Gremo and drummer Paolo Tixi completing the line-up, the group took shape.

Vintage RPI reborn

Il Tempio delle Clessidre play classic Italian progressive rock as if the 1970s had never ended — and do it superbly. Built around Elisa Montaldo’s rich, vintage-toned keyboards — organ, Mellotron, piano — their sound recalls the great Italian bands of the golden age, Banco, Locanda delle Fate and of course Museo Rosenbach, with a dose of British influence from King Crimson, Genesis and Gentle Giant, and even a touch of doom and hard rock. Yet for all its reverence for the past, the music is fresh, melodic and tightly written, balancing instrumental flair with a typically Italian gift for melody and a thoroughly modern polish.

If this is your scene, the books go deeper →

From the debut to the present

The band’s self-titled debut, released in 2010 on Black Widow Records, was a triumph — named album of the year by ProgArchives and ranked among the very best Italian prog albums ever, it announced Il Tempio delle Clessidre as the leading lights of the new RPI. For their second album, “AlieNatura” (2013), Lupo Galifi departed to rejoin a reunited Museo Rosenbach, and the young Francesco Ciapica stepped in on vocals, with the band confirming their quality on another fine, vintage-flavoured record. A third album followed in 2017, by which time the celebrated Änglagård drummer Mattias Olsson had joined — further proof of the band’s standing and ambition.

Album by album

Three albums of lovingly crafted vintage RPI. Tap any title for its guide.

Elisa Montaldo and the players

At the heart of Il Tempio delle Clessidre is Elisa Montaldo — keyboardist, composer and chief songwriter, sometimes hailed as the “First Lady” of Italian prog. The classic debut line-up paired her with the legendary Stefano “Lupo” Galifi on vocals, alongside guitarist Giulio Canepa, bassist Fabio Gremo and drummer Paolo Tixi. Over the years the cast has changed — Galifi giving way to Francesco Ciapica, Tixi to Sweden’s Mattias Olsson — but Montaldo’s vision has remained constant, on record and in their theatrical, much-admired live shows, which have taken them as far afield as Korea.

Where to start

Begin with the self-titled debut, “Il Tempio delle Clessidre” (2010) — a modern RPI classic and one of the most rewarding Italian prog albums of recent decades, crowned by the unmistakable voice of Lupo Galifi. From there, “AlieNatura” (2013) continues their vintage-styled adventure in fine form. Both are essential listening for anyone who loves the classic Italian sound.

Why they still matter

Il Tempio delle Clessidre matter as living proof that the spirit of classic Italian prog is alive and well. By drawing a direct line back to Museo Rosenbach — even sharing that band’s voice — and then making music of real beauty and craft in the same tradition, they bridged the golden age and the present like few others. Led by one of the genre’s most talented modern figures in Elisa Montaldo, they stand among the very best of the RPI revival. For anyone exploring modern Italian prog, Il Tempio delle Clessidre are an essential name.

Browse the bookshelf in the footer →