March 17, 2011 is the anniversay of the Unification of Italy (and St. Patrick's Day, too), and the record label, Rhino, thought to celebrate the event by releasing a collection of some of the most representative songs from the history of Italian music: from the years of Mameli (the Italian national anthem) to folk ongs as well as the singers and performers of the 1960’s. The collection is entitled: 1861-2011 Viva l'Italia. La musica della nostra storia.
Many of these classics are pieces of classical or popular music reinterpreted slavishly. It is the with, for example, Giuseppe Verdi's “Va’ pensiero," performed by Albano or “O’ Sordato ‘nnamurato”, the classic Neapolitan song performed with great passion by Massimo Ranieri. The list of great successes of Italian music of the 50’s and 60’s dominates: the eternal "Nel blu dipinto di blu” by Domenic Modugno; “E se domani”; from the golden voice of Mina; and “Non ho l’età," the superb classic of Gigliola Cinquetto, to name a few.
Not much space is dedicated to the singers and groups of the 60’s: the covers of De Andrè (“Via del campo” with the heartfelt performance of Enzo Jannacci) o di Battisti (“Il mio canto libero” performed by Cristiano De Andrè). Even though there are so many absent pieces, the collection is a good compendium of Italian popular music, useful, more sol, to non-Italians who will, at the very least, get a taste of the melodic beauty that enlivens many of our Italian songs.
by Marcello Gammella
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