Italian Folksongs

Subject: Italian Folksongs
From: Weasel
Date: 03 May 21 - 04:38 PM

Hi,

I have to write an orchestral piece based on Italian folksongs - I know very few!

Google searches so far get me a mixture of what may be folksongs and songs that most certainly are not (popular recently composed stuff and the like).

Could anyone suggest a few actual folksongs that are not subject to copyright issues.

Thanks,

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Monique
Date: 03 May 21 - 05:11 PM

Start from the index of Canti popolari italiani if you can't put your hands on the actual book that features lyrics, score and background. Of course you have "Bella ciao" (La me nona l'è vecchierella), La Montferrina, Donna Lombarda, Mamma mia dammi cento lire, La mula de Parenzo, La bella polenta, Tu scendi dalle stelle, Gesù bambino(2 Christmas carols). You also have this wiki list.
But do check all are in the public domain.

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 21 - 08:47 PM

If we are to believe Hilary Mantel , Thomas Cromwell went to the scaffold and one the last things in his head before they cut it off was an Italian folksong.

Must have been catchy.

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 03 May 21 - 10:10 PM

https://folkways.si.edu/search?query=lomax+italian

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 May 21 - 09:22 AM

Marianina I believe is Italian. That's a favourite of mine. Also 'Lord Randall' is thought to have originated in Italy. I think the title 'Tarantini' might have something to do with it.

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 04 May 21 - 12:11 PM

This might be a good place to start:

https://en.schott-music.com/shop/italienische-volkslieder-noq1347.html

Publisher: Schott

Italienische Volkslieder

    Ed­i­tor: Moeller, Heinrich

    In­stru­men­ta­tion: voice and piano
    Lan­guage: Italian - German

    Se­ries: The Song of the people
    Order No.: ED 557 Q1347

€17.99

The contents is listed on the webpage but unfortunately only the German translations of the titles (see below).

I have the book and, of course, the titles are in Italian and German.

The arrangements (for piano) and the German translations are copyrighted, but the songs themselves are all supposed to be traditional. In this series (Das Lied der Völker = The Song of the Peoples), I think there may be the occasional song with a known author and/or composer, but not very many.

I've got another book, "Canzoni napoletane" from Editio Musica Budapest (EMB), with popular Italian songs (with Hungarian translations!) which are not folk songs, with known authors, such as "Santa Lucia", "Funiculi, funicula", "O sole mio" and "Addio a Surriento".

Copyright is a thorny issue at all times. Some folk song collectors and editors have claimed copyright on traditional songs. It was wrong, but generally speaking legally valid. One has to check each case individually, unfortunately.

Contents of "Italienische Volkslieder":

Deiner harrte die Familie
Friedlich saß ich
Als die Nachricht ich vernommen
Als die grause Schreckensnachricht
Unsrer heil'gen Gottemutter
In Cusciones Bergen
Sag mir, mein Hannchen
Mütterlein, ach schenke mir
Klage
Die Liebste als Schlagenköchin
Gesang der Gondelführer
O Fischer auf den Fluten
Lieb Kätchen, mein Mädchen
Läßt sich Amor bei euch schauen
Das Nönnlein und der Reufel
Das Vöglein aus dem Wald
Auf hoher See
Gesang der Reisfeldarbeiterinnen
Hirtenweise
Lied des Landmanns
Der Bänkelsänger
Ich schaue aus dem Fenster
Das Nönnchen
Du träumst im warmen Bett
Grausame Schöne
Preis der Schönen
Die Nudeln
Waschfrauenlied
Die Seufzer
Die Sorglose
Weihnachtslied der Schalmeibläser
Mädchensehnsucht
Ciccuzza
Ruhe in sanftem Schlummer
Schlaf ein, mein Bübchen
Schlafe, schlafe
Das Mädchen von Catanzaro
Das Mädchen von Scilla
Kärrnerlied
Gesang des Sträflings
O Herz, mein Herzlieb
Liebeskrank
An die Jungfrau Maria

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Ged Fox
Date: 04 May 21 - 03:16 PM

"il canzoniere" compiled by Marco Pasetto.
A book of Italian (mainly) folk songs. I see that a copy is currently available on ABE books for 5euros.

Subject: RE: Italian Folksongs
From: Weasel
Date: 20 May 21 - 02:14 PM

Thanks folks!

Weasel