Giusto Pio

The Profile

Giusto Pio was an Italian violinist and composer from Castelfranco Veneto, long-time collaborator and co-author with Franco Battiato. He authored the minimalist landmark Motore Immobile and a series of pop-instrumental albums (including Legione straniera and Restoration), and co-wrote songs for artists such as Alice, Giuni Russo, and Milva.

Taught Franco Battiato violin; released Motore Immobile on Cramps Records; later recorded for EMI/CBS and L’Ottava; born in 1926 and died in 2017.

DeBaser’s reviews present Giusto Pio as a classical maestro-violinist turned key Battiato collaborator. They span his minimalist cornerstone Motore Immobile (1979), the pop-instrumental duo Legione straniera and Restoration, the refined Note, and experimental suites like Alla Corte Di Nefertiti and Attraverso I Cieli. The through-line is violin-led writing, melodic clarity, and a dialogue between classical rigor and light, playful pop ideas.