Music Cantata

Music Cantata

May 17, 2024

The piece Cantata, part of our SPRING programme, is accompanied live by the dynamic Southern Italian group Assurd. This ensemble has kept traditional song and music from the south of Italy alive since its founding in 1993. The group was founded by three women: Cristina Vetrone, Lorella Monti and Enza Alessandra Prestia. In 1999 the group became a quartet with the arrival of Enza Pagliara. Enza Alessandra Prestia and Enza Pagliara have no longer been part of Assurd for several years, but the women continue to work together for the international performances of Cantata.

Have you ever wondered what they are singing about? We’ve got you covered. Read here the translation from the original Southern Italian dialect to English.

Assurd creates a unique and authentic musical experience. Their work not only preserves the cultural heritage of southern Italy, but also brings it to life for contemporary listeners. The singers are inspired by the singing of the earlier singers. The music has its origins in age-old rural traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation. Through the powerful combination of musical talent and colorful harmonies, the symbolic meaning of cultural and emotional values ​​is always tangible. Every woman has her own voice. It is a musical journey through the regions in which they grew up, with passionate rhythms of the Neapolitan tarantella, wild pizzica from Salento and warm South American sounds. All this is enhanced by the use of original instruments, such as castanets, tammorras, tambourines, drums and accordions. Assurd always plays live, except on May 2 and 3.

Nonna Nonna

Nonna Nonna Bebè

Ca Mo Vene Tatà

E T’o Port O Bimbò

Nonna Nonna Bebè

 

Tango E Vai

‘A Cantina E Zi’ Teresa

Nuje Truvammo ‘O Vino Buono

‘O Bevimmo La Matina,

S’arrenfrescano ‘E ‘Ntestine

‘O Bevimmo A Miezojuorno,

Ce Alluntana Li Taluorne

‘O Bevimmo All’otto ‘E Sera

Nun Ce Vene Lu Culera

‘O Bevimmo A Mezanotte,

È Fennuta N’ata Votte

‘O Bevimmo Tutto L’anno

E Tutte ‘E Guaje Ce Scurdammo

‘E Guaja D’ ‘A Vita Quanno Nun Ce Stà Fatica

‘E Guaie D’ ‘E Figlie, Ca So’ Sempre Piccerille

Se Pisciano Sotto

Se Pisciano Sotto

Se Pisciano Sotto, È Fennuta N’ata Votte

E Vota E Gira, Nun Ce Abbastano ‘E Lire

E Gira E Vota, Ne Parlammo N’ata Vota

 

E Cantate ‘Mpruvvisate

E Cantate ‘Mpruvvisate

E Cchiu’ Belle ‘Nnammurate

L’aggia Avute Me Crerit’

Sotto ‘E Stell Chissa’ Comme

Core A Core, Faccia A Faccia

Senza Manc’ Sape’ ‘O Nomm’

M’ho Strignevo Dint’ ‘E Bracce…

Mamma Ma’, Che Fuoco Ardent

Ca Me Mette Dint’ ‘E Vvene

Manco Fosse Acqua Vullente

Core Mio Te Voglio Bene

Nun Te Sacce, Ma Chi Si’?

Pure Tu Nun Saie Chi So

Dint’ ‘A St’uocchie Si Caduto

E Pur’ Io Affunnanno Sto’

Sott’ ‘A Luna, Mano A Mmano

Ce Vasamm’ E Ce Strignimm’

Comme ‘A Lava D’o’ Vulcano

Ce ‘Nfucamm E Po Vullimm’

E Chi Si? Ma Che Me ‘Mport’

Nun Me ‘Mport D’o’ Sape’

Io Chi So’? Ma Che Te ‘Mporta

Tengo ‘O Sfizio! E Vien’ Vie!

Vuo’ Sape’ Si Chi Te Tocca

E’ Cuncetta O Mariannina

*Io T’ho Ddico Dint’ ‘A Vocca

Dint’ ‘A Recchia A Margellina

Vuo’ Sape’? Ma Che Me ‘Mporta

Si Si’ Peppe O Salvatore

Si ‘O Vestito E’ Curt’ O Luong’

Vai Ca Machina O’ Trattore

Io Te Voglio, E Pure Tu

Dimme Doce Ca Me Vuo’

Mo Ca Stamme A Tu Per Tu

Famme Tu Chelle Che Vuo’

Mo Penzammo A Sta Nuttata

A Ll’ammore Ca Sentimm’

Po’ Penzamm’ ‘E Cundannat’

Ma Pe’ Mo, Chi Simm’ Simm’

Dundudurudu….

Si Nu Surz’ D’acqua Fresca

Senza Nomme E Idendita’

Leve A Sete! Me Renfresca

Sulamente Tu ‘O Ssaje Ra’

Sott’ A’ Luna Sott’ ‘O Sole

Stu Surzillo Me Ll’hai Da’

Ca So’ Bell’ E So’ Ffigliola

E Cu Te Voglio Pazzia’

Dice A Gente Ca Sta Sola

Vui’ Scarfatem Accussi’

E Nemmeno A Core A Core

Sti’ Turmient S’nna Di’

Tu Me Scarf Chistu Core

Me Cunsuol A Tu Per Tu

Comme ‘O Sole Nasce E More

Nasce E Muore Pure Tu

 

Fimmene Fimmene

Fimmine fimmine ca sciati allu tabaccu

Ne sciati 2 e nu turnati 4

Fimmine fimmine ca sciati alle ulie

Cugghitine le fitte e le cigghiare

Fimmine Fimmine Ca Sciati Allu Tabaccu

La ditta nu be tae li talaraletti

Fimmene fimmene ca sciati a vindimmare

E sutta allu cippune bu la faciti fare

E santu paulu miu te tarante

Pizzichi le caruse e le fai sante

 

Girasole

Pigliat’ Stù Calor’

Fin’ A Che Resta Juorn’

Pecché Tu Si Girasole

O Cerca O Sole O More

Giall’te Si Vestut’

Pé Schiacciá Stù Dolore

Ma O Nnir’ T’é Tradut’

Sola, Solo, Soli

Sole, Sole, Sole

No Chhiù

Sola, Solo, Soli,

Sul’

Sole, Sole, Sole

Mura, Muro, Muri,

Mare, Mare, Mare

No Cchiù

Mura, Miro, Muri,

Sul’

Mare, Mare, Mare

Como Un Aguacero

Solo Agua Quiero ver

Esta Flor Quiere Vivir

Y No Quiere Comprender

Agárrate Este Calor, Hasta Que Quede El Día

Porqué Tú Eres Un Girasol

Que Busca La Alegría

 

Stu Core Miu

E Cu’ ‘Sta Voce Amara Canto ‘O Dulore ‘E Chesta Terra Mia

E Cu’ ‘Sta Voce Scura Canto ‘O Calore ‘E Chesta Gente Antica

E’ Chesta ‘A Gente Mia, Ca Va Luntano Pe’ Cerca’ Furtuna

Ma ‘Sta Furtuna E’ Ddoce Pe’ Chi ‘Nce Nato E Mo’ Nire Gravone

E Quanno Po Li Stelle A Mille A Mille Salutano ‘Stu Core

Parole Mo’ D’ammore Parole Doce Cantate Chiano Chiano

E Quanno Poi Li Stelle A Mille A Mille Mo Luceno Dinto ‘O Cielo

Pare Che ‘O Paravise Comme A’ Nu Manto Mo Scenne E Me Consola

E Cu’ ‘Sta Voce Scura Canto ‘O Calore ‘E Chesta Terra Mia

‘Sta Terra Abbandunata, ‘Sta Terra Nera Fatta Cu’ Lava E Mare

‘Stu Core Mio Malato Ca Va Cercanno Sùlo Calore E Ammore

Pecche’ ‘Sta Malatia Sulo Ll’ammore E Mo La Po’ Sana’

E Quanno Po Li Stelle A Mille A Mille Mo Brillano Dinto ‘O Cielo

Me Portano ‘O Turmiento E Stu Turmiento E’ Nu Dulore Antico

E Quanno Po Li’ Stelle A Mille A Mille Mo Luceno Dinto ‘O Cielo

Pare Che ‘O Paravise Comme A’ Nu Manto Mo Scenne E Me Consola

 

Chist’addore

Quann Veco A Luce Miez’o Mare

Sacce Ca Speranza Nun Po Mai Fernì

A Speranza De Truvà L’addore

Chell’addore Che M’ha Fatto ‘Namurà

Stai Purtann Stu Dulore Mio

Chest’forza Toia È Pure A Forza Mia

Simme Comm L’ale E Na Palomma

Sule Stanne Astritte Putimme Vulà

 

Pizzica

Sta cala lu serenu de le stelle

Quista è la notte de rubbà le  donne

Ci rubba donne nu se chiama latru

Se chiama giovanottu nnamuratu

E non aggiu vistu mai sole te notte

Mancu ricotta quajare senza latte

E l’amore vecchiu quandu se bbanduna

E cu na girata d’occhiu se rinnova

E l’amore nu se face nu la sapia

Ca te tene ferma com una tenaja

E la donna ca te amanti ne tene doi

La viti sempre allegra e mara mai

E vivi ci balla moi vivi ci balla

Sta balla lu palumma e nu cardillu

E t’aggiu dare nu baciu getta focu

Cu te lu tieni te ricordu miu

Grandma Grandma

Grandma Grandma candy

What Time Is Daddy Coming

And He Brings You The Baby

Grandma Grandma Candy

 

Tango and Go

At Aunt Teresa’s Cellar

We Find Good Wine

We drink it in the morning

And It Refreshes Our Intestines

We Drink It At Midday

And push away bad thoughts

We drink it at eight in the evening

We Don’t Get Cholera

We drink it at midnight,

Another barrel is over

We drink it all year round

And We Forget All The Troubles

The Troubles of Life, When There is No Work

The Troubles of Children, Which Are Always Small

They piss underneath each other

They piss underneath each other

They’re pissing themselves, another beating is over

And vote and go around, we don’t have enough money

And go around and vote, let’s talk about it another time

 

The Improvised Cantatas

The improvised cantatas

They are the best and favorites

The most beautiful lovers

I had them, do you believe me?

Heart to heart, face to face

Without even knowing the name

I held him in my arms

My goodness, what a burning fire

That gets in my veins

It wasn’t even boiling water

My heart I love you

I don’t know about you, but who are you?

Even you don’t know who I am

You fell into these eyes

And I’m falling too

Under the moon, hand by hand (little by little)

We kiss and hold each other

Like volcano lava

We get on fire and then we boil

And who are you? But what do I care

I don’t care to know

Who am I? What do you care?

I want you and come come!

Do you want to know if who touches you

It’s Concetta or Mariannina

I tell you in your mouth

In Mergellina’s ear

You want to know? But what do I care?

If you are Giuseppe or Salvatore

Whether the dress is short or long

Go by car or tractor

I want you and so do you

Tell me sweetly that you want me

Now that we’re face to face

Do whatever you want to me

Now let’s think about this night

To the love we feel

Then we think about the condemned

But for now, who we are we are

Dundudurudu….

You are a sip of fresh water

Without name and identity

Take off the silk, it refreshes you

Only you can give it

Under the moon, under the sun

You have to give me this sip

That I am beautiful and I am a daughter and

I want to have fun with you

Says people who are alone

You warm me up like this

And not even heart to heart

These torments must be said

You warm my heart

Console me face to face

How the sun is born and dies

You are born and you die too

 

Women Women

Women women who go to pick tobacco

You go two and come back four

Women women who go to collect olives

Collect where there are many and where there are few

Women women who went to pick tobacco

The company does not give you the frames

Women, women who go to harvest the grapes

And under the stump of the vine you get fooled

And my holy Paul of the tarante

You pinch girls and make them saints

 

Sunflower

Receive this warmth

As long as it’s day

Because you are a sunflower

That without the sun dies

You dressed in yellow

to take away the pain,

But black deceived you

Alone, alone, alone

Sun, sun, sun

Never again

Alone, alone, alone!

Alone

Sun, Sun, Sun

Walls, wall, walls

Sea, Sea, Sea

Never again

Walls, wall, walls

Alone

Sea, Sea, Sea

Like a flood

I only want to see water,

This flower wants to live

without wanting to understand

Receive this warmth as long as it is day

Because you are a sunflower

In search of happiness

 

This My Heart

With this bitter voice I sing the pain of this land of mine

With this dark voice I sing the warmth of these ancient people

My people go far to seek their fortune

And This This Luck Is Sweet Because He Was Born Carbon Black

And then when the stars 1000 by 1000 greet this heart

Words of Love, Sweet Words Sung Softly

And When Then The Stars 1000 By 1000 Laugh In The Sky

It seems that Heaven comes down like a cloak and consoles me

And with this dark voice I sing the color of my land

This abandoned land is black land made of lava and sea

My Sick Heart Looking Only for Beauty and Love

Because Only Love Can Cure This Illness of Mine

And When Then The Stars To Me 1000 Shine In The Sky

They bring back torment to me and this torment is an ancient pain

And When Then The Stars 1000 By 1000 Laugh In The Sky

It seems that Heaven comes down like a cloak and consoles me.

 

 

This smell

When I See The Light In The Middle Of The Sea

I Know That Hope Can Never End

The Hope of Finding That Smell

That smell that made me fall in love

You Are Carrying My Pain

Your Strength Is Mine Too

We are like the wings of a dove

Only by holding tight can we fly

 

It pinches

The darkness of the night is coming

This is the night when women are stolen

He who steals women is not called a thief

It’s called young man in love

And I have never seen sun at night

Not even quail ricotta without milk

And old love when it abandons itself

With the blink of an eye it is renewed

And you don’t make love, I didn’t know that

That holds you in place like pincers

And the woman who has two lovers

You always see her happy and never sad

And long live those who dance now, long live those who dance

He is dancing the palomma and the cardillo

I have to give you a fire-throwing kiss

So you’ll keep it as a memory of me

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