I, too, had one of those chord organs. From there I moved on to a parlor organ and then to the pipe organ. Not only did we learn music in grade school, but we had a music teacher and a music room. There were also pianos in almost every classroom and instruction in various instruments was available to all who wished to avail themselves.
My grandfather emigrated from the hill town of Capestrano—known not for the return of swallows but for the great Franciscan Saint Giovanni da Capestrano—and he played the guitar and mandolin. One aunt was an opera singer in Boston. Others played the concertina among other instruments. My mother recalls them all getting together on a Sunday afternoon and playing and singing the Neapolitan songs they learned in childhood. Unfortunately the songs and the language were not passed on due to the strong push for Americanization in the war years and fear of recriminations.
Sorry for rambling so. Your posts always stir up memories.
My fifth grade teacher, Mr. Waltzer, included classical music in his curriculum. It was 1967. My memory is that it was all instrumental. We’d come in from afternoon recess (usually exhausted and perspiring from running around the playground) and then chill out by sitting at our desks. He allowed us to lay our heads down on the desk as we listened to classics such as Ferdi Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite and Slavonian Dance by Dvorak. We were required to listen and learn the title of each piece, then take a quiz every Friday. In retrospect, it was a great way to spend the last 30 minutes of each school day that year.
I can't imagine anyone else doing justice to Torna a Surriento but an Italian tenor, and of all the tenors, Luciano is at the top of my list. His voice just had a certain quality that was unequaled. My grandparents came to this country from Italy so my parents were first generation Americans. I grew up with beautiful opera music as both my father and his sister had a great love for this art form. My dear Aunt Lil had quite a collection of vinyl opera recordings which I treasure and still play. My husband and I were fortunate enough to see and hear Pavarotti perform in Cleveland. It was a night to remember, and for more than having had the pleasure of being entertained by one of the Greats. We had to travel home on Interstate 90 in a blinding snow storm. We were the only "crazies" on the road. I thank God I lived to be able to write this!
Oh Debra. Many thanks for evoking the memory of those second generation Italian American singers who so enriched our lives back in the day. Luciano and Giorgia have a rendition of Santa Lucia that moves me beyond words every time I listen. Also, I nominate Joni James to add to your fine list.
I am happily reminded of my elementary school music classes in the 1960s. Teachers were required then to know music. Our California state textbooks of the era were gems of true cultural awareness of American and world music. We learned of tarantulas from Mexico and Funniculi, Finnicula from Italy. We were swept away by love of country learning about growing a railroad, cowhands from the Rio Grande, and especially all the words to our military fight songs. History, geography, music and joy, all in one small class period. I cannot imagine my life without that influence. Public schoolteachers no longer are required to know music. And I cannot also imagine these same books and songs in most 2nd grade classrooms today.
I loved hearing the story of your little chord organ. The piano teacher in me imagines a young student I had doing the same. I was given two tickets to hear Pavarotti on his last American tour. My daughter, age 12, was mesmerized and the envy of her peers. He sang your song shared here. After that concert, whenever we had spaghetti or lasagna during the summer we ate on the patio and played our Pavarotti cd for our joy and all the neighbors. Thanks Dr Esolen for bringing back warm memories on a blustery morning.
An inspired dovetailing Word of the Week, “Turn” with Song of the Week that begins with “Torna.” And it’s safe to return to Sorrento because tornados would never return to turn there.
I, too, had one of those chord organs. From there I moved on to a parlor organ and then to the pipe organ. Not only did we learn music in grade school, but we had a music teacher and a music room. There were also pianos in almost every classroom and instruction in various instruments was available to all who wished to avail themselves.
My grandfather emigrated from the hill town of Capestrano—known not for the return of swallows but for the great Franciscan Saint Giovanni da Capestrano—and he played the guitar and mandolin. One aunt was an opera singer in Boston. Others played the concertina among other instruments. My mother recalls them all getting together on a Sunday afternoon and playing and singing the Neapolitan songs they learned in childhood. Unfortunately the songs and the language were not passed on due to the strong push for Americanization in the war years and fear of recriminations.
Sorry for rambling so. Your posts always stir up memories.
My fifth grade teacher, Mr. Waltzer, included classical music in his curriculum. It was 1967. My memory is that it was all instrumental. We’d come in from afternoon recess (usually exhausted and perspiring from running around the playground) and then chill out by sitting at our desks. He allowed us to lay our heads down on the desk as we listened to classics such as Ferdi Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite and Slavonian Dance by Dvorak. We were required to listen and learn the title of each piece, then take a quiz every Friday. In retrospect, it was a great way to spend the last 30 minutes of each school day that year.
I can't imagine anyone else doing justice to Torna a Surriento but an Italian tenor, and of all the tenors, Luciano is at the top of my list. His voice just had a certain quality that was unequaled. My grandparents came to this country from Italy so my parents were first generation Americans. I grew up with beautiful opera music as both my father and his sister had a great love for this art form. My dear Aunt Lil had quite a collection of vinyl opera recordings which I treasure and still play. My husband and I were fortunate enough to see and hear Pavarotti perform in Cleveland. It was a night to remember, and for more than having had the pleasure of being entertained by one of the Greats. We had to travel home on Interstate 90 in a blinding snow storm. We were the only "crazies" on the road. I thank God I lived to be able to write this!
Oh Debra. Many thanks for evoking the memory of those second generation Italian American singers who so enriched our lives back in the day. Luciano and Giorgia have a rendition of Santa Lucia that moves me beyond words every time I listen. Also, I nominate Joni James to add to your fine list.
And here I expected the song of the week to be Pete Seeger singing “To every thing, turn, turn, turn, there is a season….”
I am happily reminded of my elementary school music classes in the 1960s. Teachers were required then to know music. Our California state textbooks of the era were gems of true cultural awareness of American and world music. We learned of tarantulas from Mexico and Funniculi, Finnicula from Italy. We were swept away by love of country learning about growing a railroad, cowhands from the Rio Grande, and especially all the words to our military fight songs. History, geography, music and joy, all in one small class period. I cannot imagine my life without that influence. Public schoolteachers no longer are required to know music. And I cannot also imagine these same books and songs in most 2nd grade classrooms today.
I loved hearing the story of your little chord organ. The piano teacher in me imagines a young student I had doing the same. I was given two tickets to hear Pavarotti on his last American tour. My daughter, age 12, was mesmerized and the envy of her peers. He sang your song shared here. After that concert, whenever we had spaghetti or lasagna during the summer we ate on the patio and played our Pavarotti cd for our joy and all the neighbors. Thanks Dr Esolen for bringing back warm memories on a blustery morning.
An inspired dovetailing Word of the Week, “Turn” with Song of the Week that begins with “Torna.” And it’s safe to return to Sorrento because tornados would never return to turn there.