. The Italy of the Italians. rn Neapolitan canzone can be sought in the popular Funiculi, funiculi of Denza, all alive with brio andsparkling with animal joy. Every year some new songs enrich the popular Neapolitan r6pertoire. At the annual fete of the Madonna of Piedigrotta, a village just outside Naples, that falls in the ^M*ri^ °^ *f* summer, are first heard the songs that will Piedigrotta. ^e sung in all the length and breadth of Italy during the coming year. It is a species of popular competition in which of late even noted composers have taken part. It is amusing to be present at this fe
. The Italy of the Italians. rn Neapolitan canzone can be sought in the popular Funiculi, funiculi of Denza, all alive with brio andsparkling with animal joy. Every year some new songs enrich the popular Neapolitan r6pertoire. At the annual fete of the Madonna of Piedigrotta, a village just outside Naples, that falls in the ^M*ri^ °^ *f* summer, are first heard the songs that will Piedigrotta. ^e sung in all the length and breadth of Italy during the coming year. It is a species of popular competition in which of late even noted composers have taken part. It is amusing to be present at this festival and to listen to the returning crowds all singing in a mass the successful song. For every Italian is quick at picking up a tune. Thus, the day following that in which a new opera has been performed, it is a common thing to hear the workman going out to his work, the bakers boy or the milkman bringing their wares, whisthng or humming the most attractive air, and they will repeat it, too, with exactness and sentiment,. Music 255 And many an Italian who owns a piano, even if he cannotread a note, will pick out the new tunes upon the instrument,even though he may only have heard them once. For every Itahan can play and sing, even though oftenuntaught. Work grows under the hands of the factoryworkers while one of their number sings someF^ftoriel well-known ditty and the others fall in witha chorus. Their power to sing at all momentswas in the days of the Grand Duke Leopold regarded as aspecies of barometric test of their content. If they stillsing they will pay the new taxes (cantano, pagano), was hisfavourite saying. At Naples while the stevedores are watch-ing the arrival of a steamer they sing in chorus to beguile thetedium of waiting. At Venice, the city of serenades j>arexcellence, beside the companies that peregrinate the GrandCanal, performing rather for the diversion of tourists than fortheir own pleasure, there can be heard as of old the curiousmonotonous chant
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