Torna a Surriento, dedicated to a girl and inspired by the voice of a nightingale

Torna a Surriento is considered one of the most beautiful Neapolitan classic songs and is today known all over the world, also thanks to the reinterpretations of Italian and international artists such as Elvis Presley.

For many years it was believed that the song was composed in 1904 by Ernesto De Curtis, based on lyrics by his brother Giambattista (or Giovan Battista) De Curtis.

Giambattista was carrying out painting works at the Tramontano hotel in Sorrento.

“Torna a Surriento” was dedicated to a girl

Here, according to the version of the historian Nino Cuomo, Giovan Battista met and fell in love with Carmela Maione, daughter of farmer tenants of the hotel owner, dedicating the song “Carmela” to her.

The song was recorded at the SIAE in 1890 but ‘Torna a Surriento’ would only be deposited in 1892, without ever being officially performed.

According to some more recent studies, however, it seems that the composition dates back to a few years earlier: there is in fact a piano score of the Bideri Edition which dates back to 1894, with the caption ‘Famous songs by Giambattista and Ernesto De Curtis’.

The refrain of the song and the Sorrento nightingale

The refrain of the song, composed by Ernesto De Curtis, would have been inspired by the song of a nightingale that he listened to during his stay at the Hotel Tramontano in Sorrento, while he was a guest of his brother who worked there: in particular, the nightingale inspired him for the first five notes of the chorus.

A later version of the song, in 1902, was printed by Tipografia Bideri on a post card at the request of Guglielmo Tramontano, owner of the Hotel.

Finally, in 1904, a further version was presented at the Piedigrotta festival.

“Torna a Surriento”: a song adapted for the visit of italian Prime Minister Zanardelli ?

A ‘political’ episode is also linked to the song: the 1894 and 1904 versions, in fact, have the same poetic text.

Instead, the text of the 1902 edition is different and, for this reason, it was considered by some to be a song written specifically to dedicate it to the Prime Minister Zanardelli who was visiting Sorrento, at the request of the then mayor and owner of the Tramontano hotel. .

In reality, the song was indeed performed, for the first time in public, probably by Giovanni Ambrosini and Maria Cappiello during an evening actually organized at the Tramontano Hotel during the visit of Prime Minister Zanardelli but not to dedicate it to him as a politician.

The song was in fact used to “admonish” the Minister (Torna a Surriento,
Famme campà!), in agreement with the mayor and owner of the hotel, to remind him to carry out some public works necessary for the city of Sorrento including the sewer system.

Therefore, the De Curtis brothers would not have created in a few hours Torna a Surriento in honor of the President as some think but, in reality, it seems that the song was simply adapted on the occasion of Zanardelli’s visit; it had in fact been composed eight years earlier, in 1894, to dedicate it to a girl (Carmela) and the rights had been acquired by the Bideri record company.

Who sang ‘Torna a Surriento’: from Elvis Presley to Pavarotti

From the first time it was published with copyright in 1905 and from the first recording in that year by the tenor Mario Massa for the Bideri Edition, ‘Torna a Surriento’ has become increasingly famous all over the world. and it has been performed by numerous Italian and international artists and singers.

Among these: Tito Schipa, Beniamino Gigli, Bono of U2, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Robert Plant, Mario Lanza, Nino Martini, Franco Corelli, Robertino Loretti, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Francesco Albanese, Giuni Russo, Anna German, Andrea Bocelli and Roberto Murolo.

Curiosity

Among the curiosities: Claude Aveling wrote the English text of ‘Torna a Surriento’ with the title of ‘Come Back to Sorrento’, from which Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman adapted it for the version of Elvis Presley, entitled Surrender.

The lyrics of the song

“TORNA A SURRIENTO” IN NEAPOLITAN LANGUAGE (NAPOLETANO)

«Vide ‘o mare quant’è bello,
spira tanto sentimento,
Comme tu a chi tiene mente,
Ca scetato ‘o faje sunnà.
Guarda, gua’ chistu ciardino;
Siente, sie’ sti sciure arance:
Nu profumo accussì fino
Dinto ‘o core se ne va…
E tu dice: “I’ parto, addio!”
T’alluntane da ‘stu core…
Da la terra de l’ammore…
Tiene ‘o core ‘e nun turnà?
Ma nun me lassà,
Nun darme stu turmiento!
Torna a Surriento,
famme campà!
Vide ‘o mare de Surriento,
che tesore tene ‘nfunno:
chi ha girato tutto ‘o munno
nun l’ha visto comm’a ccà.
Guarda attuorno sti ssirene,
ca te guardano ‘ncantate,
e te vonno tantu bene…
Te vulessero vasà.
E tu dice: “I’ parto, addio!”
T’alluntane da ‘stu core
Da la terra de l’ammore
Tiene ‘o core ‘e nun turnà?
Ma nun me lassà,
Nun darme stu turmiento!
Torna a Surriento,
Famme campà!»

“TORNA A SURRIENTO” IN ITALIAN LANGUAGE (ITALIANO)

«Vedi il mare quanto è bello,
Ispira molto sentimento,
Come te a chi osservi,
che da sveglio lo fai sognare.
Guarda, guarda questo giardino;
Senti, senti questi fiori d’arancio:
Un profumo così delicato
Dentro al cuore se ne va…
E tu dici: “Io parto, addio!”
Ti allontani da questo cuore…
Dalla terra dell’amore…
Hai il cuore di non tornare?
Ma non mi lasciare,
Non darmi questo tormento!
Torna a Sorrento,
Fammi vivere!
Vedi il mare di Sorrento,
Che tesori ha sul fondo:
Chi ha girato tutto il mondo
Non l’ha visto come qua.
Guarda intorno queste Sirene,
Che ti guardano incantate,
E ti vogliono tanto bene…
Ti vorrebbero baciare.
E tu dici: “Io parto, addio!”
Ti allontani da questo cuore…
Dalla terra dell’amore…
Hai il cuore di non tornare?
Ma non mi lasciare,
Non darmi questo tormento!
Torna a Sorrento,
Fammi vivere!»

The song ‘Torna a Surriento’, performed with guitar and mandolin, is present in the repertoire of Ethos Duo for events and ceremonies. Request information here.