Roberto Murolo
La Grande Canzone Napoletana

In a flea market in Berlin.

There I found this CD for sale for one euro, brand new even though it dates back to 1995 (ten years before my trip to Germany). It must have been part of an editorial series on Neapolitan music, and the first release was dedicated to the maestro Murolo. Roberto Murolo, son of the poet and lyricist Ernesto, was born in Naples in 1912 and grew up in an environment nourished by music every day. He toured Europe with his small music group "quartetto MIDA," and upon returning after the war, he made a name for himself by singing in Neapolitan venues and especially in Capri. At the same time, he pursued an excellent recording career, appeared in some films, and attended television, in short, fame began to smile upon him only to abandon him when new trends emerged.

It was Renzo Arbore, his devoted admirer, who reintroduced him to the general public during the eighties and nineties, and then Fabrizio De André, by duetting with him in "Don Raffaè" (dedicated to Raffaele Cutolo). What work delivers Murolo to history? The so-called "Napoletana": a complete anthology of Neapolitan songs from its origins to the twentieth century, 12 LPs now available on CD. He was assisted by maestro Edoardo Caliendo and the family library where he searched and found old scores. The CD in question contains 14 songs, mostly voice and guitar, all classics of Neapolitan music. Murolo offers a sincere interpretation, perhaps the best one could give: he is not a shouter, he does not flaunt high notes to elicit applause; maestro Murolo suggests rather than sings, evokes the musicality of the words, and is lightyears away from the Naples of various d'Alessio, Merola, d'Angelo, etc., etc. Leaving aside the various O Sole Mio, Te voglio Bene assaie, and Funiculì Funiculà, attention turns to more hidden tracks like Piscatore 'e Pusilleco. The lyrics are by his father, and the music (a barcarole) is by Ernesto Tagliaferri: it speaks of a lover who seeks solace "'ncoppa Posillipo." The song boasts some of the most beautiful verses in the entire Neapolitan tradition: "vita mia, vita mia me vuò beneca si è suonnonun farme scetà"

Then there’s Michelemmà, attributed to the painter Salvator Rosa (mid-1600s): it's the story of a girl kidnapped by the Turks who, thanks to the virtues of a star worn on her chest, causes her captors to die "two by two." La cammesella is the "contrasto" par excellence of Neapolitan music, a dialogue between a passionate young man and a reluctant lover on their wedding night: memorable is Totò's interpretation in 'Siamo uomini o caporali'. Then among the various Torna a Surriento and Santa Lucia, Marechiare by Salvatore Di Giacomo and Francesco Paolo Tosti emerges, the pearl of the record, sung with all the art of which maestro Murolo is capable.
And then there are Munastero 'e Santa Chiara, Anema e Core, and Passione. The remaining two songs deserve a special mention: 'O Marenariello is the work of two "sons of the people," Salvatore Gambardella, a blacksmith's apprentice, and Gennaro Ottaviano, a winemaker's apprentice, while Maruzzella is by Renato Carosone, dedicated to his wife Marisa. For cinema enthusiasts, 'O Marenariello is the song that Johnny Fontaine (played by Al Martino) sings at the wedding of Don Vito Corleone's daughter in "The Godfather".

Let’s end on a high note: "Maruzzella, Maruzzè t'hè miso dint' 'a l'uocchie 'o maree mm'hè miso 'mpietto a me nu dispiacerestu core mme faje sbatterecchiù forte 'e l'onne quanno 'o cielo è scuroprimma me dice "sì"poi doce doce mme faje murì"