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Music from the South. 89 |
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another, and the riggs of barley belonging to a third, commemorated in quaint phraseology, but with
memory's genuine affection, by some native peasant igster. There is no song of Tivcli, none of the Lake of Como, so far as 1 have yet found. The gondoliers of Venice used to chant, but what?—strophes by Tasso. It is true, that among the words to their popular songs which so strangely resemble one another, favourite localities will be named—most frequently a church, as San Basso, Sandegola (Santo Giovanni Decollato); but these only sparingly, as compared with the harpings on ' Love, still love,' the one theme dwelt on by them with untiring unction and fervour. The Stornelli of Tuscany arc open to the same remark; being, the while, more shrewd and proverbial, and less picturesque. The songs of the Lazzaroni and fishermen of Naples arc fuller of whimsy and impudence, perhaps, but not of local colour. Of course, in the popular tunes of Naples, as well as of Venice, the sound of the boat, with its cadence of rowers, is ever and again to be heard. And the rhymesters make great use of the moon, for beneath the moon the lovers' serenades arc given. But the varieties, I repeat, of what may be called pictorial themes, either in Italian words or |
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