Funiculì, Funiculà (Luigi Denza)

Music files

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In original Italian

CPDL #17590:

Contributor: David Newman (submitted 2008-07-18). Score information: Letter, 5 pages, 200 kbytes Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Edition in E flat major.

In English translation, "A Merry Life"

CPDL #21483:   Sibelius 4

Editor: Brigid Baker (submitted 2010-04-19). Score information: Letter, 1 page, 124 kB Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Funiculì, Funiculà
Composer: Luigi Denza
Lyricist: Giuseppe "Peppino" Turco^{create page} (1846-1907)

Number of voices: 1v Voicing: Soprano solo
or Unison sopranos
Genre: Secular, Art song

Language: Italian
Instruments: Piano
Published:

Description: This Neapolitan song is so called because it was written to celebrate the opening of the funicular railroad (cars drawn by cable) up Mt. Vesuvius. It became a popular street-song in Naples and has spread to all parts of the world. It portrays the care-free life of the Italian idler.

External websites:

Article at Wikipedia
Peter, Floriana and Mario sing Funiculi Funicula

Original text and translations

Italian text

Stasera, Nina mia, io son montato
Te lo dirò?
Colà dove dispetti un cor ingrato
Più far non può.
Cola cocente è il foco, ma se fuggi
Ti lascia star
E non ti corre appresso, e non ti struggi
A riguardar

Lesti, lesti, via, montiam su la,
Lesti, lesti, via, montiam su là,
Funiculì funiculà, funiculì funiculà,
via montiam su là, funiculì funiculà.

English translation by Edward Oxenford, a new translation adapted to the music

Some think the world is made for fun and frolic,
And so do I!
Some think it well to be all melancholic,
To pine and sigh;
But I, I love to spend my time in singing,
Some joyous song,
To set the air with music bravely ringing
Is far from wrong!

Listen! Listen! Echoes sound afar!
Listen! Listen! Echoes sound afar!
Tra la la la, tra la la la, tra la la la, tra la la la!
Echoes sound afar! Tra la la la, tra la la la.