Music In Torricella
Presented below are songs native to Torricella. To this day in Torricella, these songs are sung at social gatherings often accompanied by mandolin, accordion or other instrumentation. Below you will be able to read the lyrics of the songs. At the bottom of the page you can listen to a select few that have been recorded over the years.
PAESE MÉ (My Village -Torricella)
On top of a hill, exposed to the sun and the wind,
There is the town that saw me being born;
There are no palaces or shiny streets,
But good heart and (fresh) air abound.
Town of Abruzzo without name,
I would not exchange you even with Rome;
Between the sea and the Maiella (mountain),
Oh town, oh my home!
‘Every house gazes at the mountain,
every house gazes at the sea;
everywhere you go peace accompanies you,
The sky is more serene, and bluer.
Town of Abruzzo without name,
I would not exchange you even with Rome;
Between the sea and the Maiella (mountain),
Oh town, oh my home!
When I don’t stay long I miss it,
But from afar my heart is there:
First I think of Mom, my good mom,
And then I recall my first love.
Town of Abruzzo without name,
I would not exchange you even with Rome;
Between the sea and the Maiella (mountain),
Oh town, oh my home!
L’anilluccio (The little ring)
On the bedside table by the bedside lamp
Is the little ring that I gave you
It sparkles as if it were a mystery
It shines as if it were transmitting a thought
And I think of so many things and I think of nothing
I remember the sky and the moment
That I met you
My Mariuccia (little Mary)
Do you remember?
I ran after you for days and months
And you
Did not want me
Do you remember?
I chased after you for a year
And you
Did not believe it
Then one evening I met you at the spring
You don’t believe in love it’s all lies
Do you remember? But you replied to me
That you did not want to believe in a madness
They rose in the sky like two (or) three faint lights
And the stars seemed like glow-worms
The drinking fountain expressly made for kissing you
But I had to believe again in falling in love with you
Quann’ariscalle l’aria a San Vincenze (When the air at San Vincenzo warms up )
When the air at San Vincenzo warms up
Every tree is a bunch of flowers
The earth smokes as if it were incense
The sky opens golden windows and doors
Oh Mariu’ Oh Mariu’
For the others it is so
It is no longer so for me
Since you are no longer there
Everything is finished love and youth
Tell me where you are
Tell me where you are
Mariu’
Mariu’
Then when the cold and the snow come
Close to the live coal it’s nice to be
The little saucepan sings gaily
Mummy is in bed getting ready for you
Oh Mariu’ Oh Mariu’
For the others it is so
It is no longer so for me
Since you are no longer there
Everything is finished love and youth
Tell me where you are
Tell me where you are
Mariu’
Mariu’
Fiore Fiurette (Flower, Little Flower )
There’s a window in the little square
All flowering with basil;
(Intermezzo: Flower, Little Flower)
By day a young girl looks out of it
In the evening a concertina there plays.
Chorus: And I dream
That I am a basil leaf;
Marietta (little Mary) comes
Picks the leaf and puts it to
her breast. . .
Oh Marietta,
On your breast
Let me sleep!
Flower, little flower
Above your heart
I wish to die!
When you look out of that window
Even if it is nighttime the sun comes out
(Intermezzo: Flower, Little Flower)
When your merry eyes shine at us
Even if it is full daylight the stars come out.
Chorus: And I dream . . . (etc.)
So it’a fa la jerve a lu cannete (I went to cut the hay at the "Canneto")
I went to cut the hay at “Canneto”
I met a young man on the road
He said that I was beautiful
Oi li oi la’
He carried me on his hatchet (double entendre? = clumsily)
Oi li oi la’
Oi li oi li oi la’
Zia se (Aunty)
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
Down there on the Plains[2]
The water has made a puddle
A young girl went over it
And splashes went on her stockings
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
At the “Rue di Signurielle” [3]
They have sharpened an icy slide
A poor bride went onto it
And everything could be seen
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
I went to the windmill
I took a big sack of flour
They gave me back a little sack
Filthy dirty, foul and very small
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
Up on the “Coste” [4]
They lit a candle for us, on purpose
A “horned” person passed by [5]
He put it out by sneezing
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
Down by the “Pasture” [6]
I got a fright
I met Uncle Nicola
Who had lost his little pig
Aunty, what is she like
These are things that can only happen to you
Tell us, tell us
What did you do and what did you say
And what did they say to you
[1] “Zia se” cannot be translated into Italian, it was a name given respectfully to old ladies. Old men were called “Zi” (uncle), old women “Za” or “Zia se” (Aunty).
[2] zone of Torricella between the Corso and the Hotel Cape’
[3] The “Rue di Signurielle” is a little short pathway between the two houses at the end of the Corso on the right facing the Church. In winter they are always in the shade and when it snows, the snow immediately turns to ice. Since it slopes downhill the young boys slide down it and by their sliding and sliding, it turns into a “scivolarella” (like a slide in a park). Anyone who goes there and isn’t aware of it will fall to the ground whilst the young boys laugh at them. Like the poor bride who slipped and her skirts flew up exposing her legs.
[4] Mountain Slopes above Torricella
[5] Cuckold
[6] A zone of Torricella towards the valley
E tu che suocchie (And you with those eyes)
Don’t look at me with those eyes Pasquarosa
Because of you I lose my rest
And you with those eyes
You make my heart melt
You make me go mad with love
You make me die for you
Don’t look at me with those eyes of yours Rosinella
Because of you I have lost my brain
And you with those eyes
You make my heart melt
You make me go mad with love
You make me die for you
Faccemace nu bicchiere (Let’s have a glass of wine)
(spoken)
This wine has a beautiful colour
Let’s drink to the health of everyone from Torricella
(sung)
Everyone likes this wine
Even the Teacher likes it
It gives us the right hand
and it makes us always be merry
Let’s drink a glass
Let us do it now
Because now we have the time
But another time, no
And water is bad for you and wine makes you sing well
MARIA SANTISSIMA DEL ROSARIO (Holy Mary of the Rosary)
Oh, Holy Mary of the Rosary
Lovely Lady,
You are the glory
Of Torricella,
You are the one that brings life
To my village
This month (of May)
This month (of May).
Our people
In You only hope,
To You they turn every evening,
Singing with candor
Along the road
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
In the middle of tribulations
In this place of exile,
My spirit falls
My eyes sadden
Ah! You comfort me
My Lady
Merciful and pious
Merciful and pious.
Oh, Holy Mary of the Rosary
Mother Divine
To my plea
Ah! I even bow to you,
Hear me and calmly
Make your presence known
Prayer of mine
Prayer of mine.
From your Image
So compassionate
So admirable
And so loving,
As a mother
Give relief to the soul
Of the sufferer
Of the sufferer.
In the last hour
Of my life,
Ah! Lead me
In your arms to God,
I will want for centuries
To sing, Maria
Viva Maria!
Maria! Maria!
A la fonte de le rose /At the Fountain of the Roses
Come With Me
I
You who are a good daughter
Don’t tell me no
Leave your mother and everything else
For a while, Mariè
And come to the fountain of Roses
One morning with me.
The air is fresh and scented with flowers
Like you
The heart leaps and beats
And you don’t even
Know why
I hug you and you Mariè
Close your eyes in my arms
II
Making love is beautiful too
On the road of the Pastures[1]
At vespers, when it is the hour
At which the sun sets,
The mountain is golden
And you can’t hear a breath
The air is fresh …. Etc.
III
Mariè, but it is also good
At Sant’Antonio’s[2], when it is dark
After having said a prayer
To stay in peace with God
It almost seems to be better
To stay heart to heart for a while
The air is fresh …. etc
The song was written by Alfredo Porreca who, when he wrote songs, liked to sign himself Alfredo P. da (from) Torricella.
The original title of the song is “Vì nghi mme” (Come With Me)
Note:
[1] The Pastures is a place in the countryside near Torricella, in dialect it means pasture.
[2] Sant’Antonie’s – is the zone where the Church of Sant’Antonio is.
Sant'Antandonie
Paese Me
L'anilluccio
E Tu Che Suocchie
A la Fonte De Le Rose
INNO DI TORRICELLA “FIEREZZA E NOBILTÀ”
INNO DI TORRICELLA “FIEREZZA E NOBILTÀ”
TORRICELLA, TORRICELLA
TERRA AMATA, IMMENSO CIELO
ONDA AL VENTO IL TUO BEL CANTO
LA BANDIERA, IL NOSTRO CUORE
PER DESTINO ALLA VITTORIA
NOI, FEDELI, CON PASSIONE
TIMOROSI SOL DI DIO
CONSACRATI AL TUO AMORE
FINO ALL’ULTIMO RESPIRO
PER FIEREZZA E NOBILTÀ
PER FIEREZZA E NOBILTÀ!
TORRICELLA, OH TORRICELLA
Testo e ideazione musicale RODOLFO TETI
Arrangiamento musicale PIETRO ALEGIANI
Interpretazione canora GIULIANA DI RENZO
Torricella Peligna 13 agosto 2016
Con particolare dedica degli autori a Marziale D’Ulisse, in occasione della sua elezione a “Torricellano nel mondo 2016” e diffuso per la prima volta presso il Ristorante Capé al pranzo di festeggiamento per tale evento, alla presenza del Sindaco Tiziano Teti.