Slow travel in the Bay of Naples makes Neapolitan songs come alive!
I have known many Neapolitan melodies since my childhood days. Slow travelling in the Bay of Naples focused (once again) my attention on this genre of music. The seafront neighbourhood of Santa Lucia is a 10-minute walk from the busy Molo Beverello ferry terminal. We use this terminal to get to Ischia and Sorrento. The most prominent landmark of Santa Lucia is the castle (Castel dell Ovo), jutting prominently out into the sea and the small marina (Borgo Marinaro) below it.
The seaside promenade of Santa Lucia is popular with tourists and locals – pedestrians and cyclists alike. There are also many busy pedallers, some of whom are of African descent. It is not surprising because the Italian peninsula is nearer to the northern shore of the African continent than most of us in faraway Asia think. I am sure all these new Africans have touching stories to tell, fleeing poverty and turmoil. And many more have no stories to tell, drowning in the Mediterranian sea during their failed attempt to seek better lives.
Teodoro Cottrau (1827–1879) translated the Neapolitan traditional song into Italian during the first stage of Italian unification. According to Wikipedia, the song “Santa Lucia” or Saint Lucy “celebrate the picturesque waterfront district, Borgo Santa Lucia, in the Gulf of Naples, in the invitation of a boatman to take a turn in his boat to better enjoy the cool of the evening.” The distinctive beat of this piece of music is the 6/8 time giving it a rocking to-and-fro motion of a boat (the Barcarolle rhythm reminiscent of Venetian gondolas).
The defining factor of what makes a Neapolitan song is a language. Neapolitan songs (or Canzone Napoletana) belong to a traditional form of music sung in the Neapolitan language – usually for the male voice singing solo. Many of these songs express the nostalgic longing for the bygone days in Naples. Excellent examples include “Torna a Surriento,” Funiculì, Funiculà,” and “Santa Lucia.” All these songs were written and sung in Neapolitan (the language of Naples and southern Italy). However, many of these songs were subsequently translated and sung in Italian.
Travelling is an enriching experience. It made the song Santa Lucia come alive with deeper feelings and added meaning.
Vince
Dr Vincent Chong is a retired Professor of Radiology at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
