Italian Folk Music, Vol. 1: Piedmont, Emelia, Lombardy

Folklorist Alan Lomax, who collected many of the selections on the album, provides a historical introduction to the northern Italian regions represented here by their rural singers and bands—and even cattle (the first track features “a whole orchestra of bells” sounding around the necks of cows as villagers move the animals to mountain pastures for the summer). Love songs, lullabies, tarantellas and waltzes, patriotic songs, ballads, yodeling, and drinking songs capture life marked by community and tradition.

Liner notes include some translations of lyrics, informative context for each track, and a bibliography (in Italian).

Track Listing

101	The Bells of Alpine Cattle	Bells hanging from cattle	02:51
102	Montagnes Valdotaines	Small chorus of village artisans, Nus, Valle d'Aosta	02:06
103	Paparone	Village singers and musicians, Cogne, Valle d'Aosta	01:10
104	Nen Marìa nostra frighietta	Three old peasant women, Lillas, Valle d'Aosta	02:00
105	Ninì, mon pupôn	Maria Glany	00:31
106	A la santé de Noé	Mixed chorus of worker-artisans, Nus, Valle d'Aosta	01:12
107	La blanchisseuse	Mixed chorus of worker-artisans, Nus, Valle d'Aosta	02:21
108	Jodoler	Group of women accompanied by guitar and accordion	01:54
109	Che Bel Felice Incontro	Group of peasant girls, Gurro, Navaro, Piedmont	02:06
110	Quei Cacciatori	Group of peasant girls, Gurro, Navaro, Piedmont	02:02
111	La Ricciola	Tonco village band, Piedmont	01:25
112	Eviva il Monfrâ!	Tonco village band, Piedmont	01:21
201	Monferrina	Tonco village band, Piedmont	01:26
202	Maria Giuanna	Musicians and singers, Piedmont	02:23
203	Io parto per l'America	Mixed country chorus from Casorzo, Emilia	01:41
204	Voga, voga	Mixed village chorus, Lombardy	02:25
205	A March	Panpipe band, Bottanuco, Lombardy	02:34
206	Lombardy: Ouverture from Rigoletto	Panpipe band, Bottanuco, Lombardy	02:50
207	O Pinota	Female rice harvesters Delfia, Marva, Aida, Letisia, Rita, Silvana	03:04
208	Ninna Nanna	Celeste Cappelli	02:30
209	L'é 'rivato un bastimento (A Ship Has Come to Port)	Giua Bonetti and her friends	02:16
210	Trescone	Violinist, guitarist from Riolunato, Modena	01:41