Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy into a family with a long history of music. After the death of his father when he was only five years old, he was sent to study with his uncle Fortunato Magi, who considered him to be a poor and undisciplined student. Later, he took the position of church organist and choir master, but it was not until he saw a performance of Verdi's Aida that he became inspired to be an opera composer. He and a friend walked an entire 18.5 miles (30 Kilometers) to see the performance in Pisa. In 1880, Puccini travelled to the Conservatory of Music in Milan to begin his career by studying composition with Amilcare Ponchielli.
In 1880, the Messa composed at the age of 21, marked the end of Puccini's apprenticeship as a composer and the culmination of his family's long association with church music in his native Lucca. (Note: This name normally applies only to a "Gloria" mass, setting the opening two prayers of the Catholic Mass, the Kyrie and the Gloria. However, the Messa is a setting of the full Catholic Mass.) The work offers fascinating glimpses of the dramatic power that Puccini was soon to unleash on Milan's stages; the powerful arias for tenor and bass soloists are certainly more operatic in feel than is usually encountered in church music. The orchestration and the overall feeling of drama conveyed by his music establish a dialogue with Verdi's Requiem and perhaps already constitute a prediction of the future operatic career Puccini would embrace for life.
From 1880 to 1883 he studied at the Milan Conservatory under Ponchielli and Antonio Bazzini. In 1882, Puccini entered a competition for a one-act opera. Although he did not win, Le Villi was later staged in 1884 at the Teatro dal Verme; it also caught the attention of Giulio Ricordi, head of G. Ricordi & Co. music publishers, who commissioned a second opera, Edgar (1889).
From 1891 on, Puccini passed more and more of his time at Torre del Lago, in the Tuscan countryside. In this place on the border of the Massaciuccoli lake, where he passed lots of time hunting, he found refuge from the crowded city. Later he built a villa and moved there definitively in 1900. It was to remain his home and workplace until the very last years of his life. He is buried in the villa's chapel.
Musetta's Waltz
Giacomo Puccini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quando me'n vo' soletta per la via,
La gente sosta e mira
E la bellezza mia tutta ricerca in me
Da capo a piè ...
Ed assaporo allor la bramosia
Sottil, che da gli occhi traspira
clle occulte beltà.
Così l'effluvio del desìo tutta m'aggira,
Felice mi fa!
E tu che sai, che memori e ti struggi
Da me tanto rifuggi?
So ben:
Le angoscie tue non le vuoi dir,
Ma ti senti morir!
English Translation
When I walk
When I walk all alone in the street,
People stop and stare at me
cnd look for my whole beauty
From head to feet ...
cnd then I taste the slight yearning
Which transpires from their eyes
cnd which is able to perceive from manifest charms
To most hidden beauties.
So the scent of desire is all around me,
It makes me happy!
cnd you, while knowing, reminding and longing,
You shrink from me?
I know it very well:
You don't want to express your anguish,
But you feel as if you're dying!
The lyrics to Giacomo Puccini's song "Quando Me'n Vo" depict a confident and alluring woman walking alone in the street. As she passes by, people react to her presence, stopping and staring at her. The lyrics convey that the woman's beauty captivates those who see her, as they search for her allure from head to toe. The imagery suggests that she is the center of attention, and her individuality shines brightly.
The second stanza reveals the woman's enjoyment of the attention she receives. She savors the slight yearning that emanates from the onlookers' eyes and can perceive their desires through their obvious charms. The lyrics imply that she is aware of her own power and the effect she has on others. The scent of desire surrounds her, enveloping her in a delightful feeling of happiness.
The song takes a contemplative turn in the final stanza, addressing a specific individual who secretly longs for her but keeps their anguish hidden. Although the woman acknowledges this person's yearning, she understands their reluctance to express it. It is clear that the person's unspoken feelings cause them great torment, symbolizing their internal struggle. Despite this, the woman seems by the end of the song to have moved on, dismissive of their hidden pining.
Line by Line Meaning
Quando me'n vo'
When I walk all alone in the street
Quando me'n vo' soletta per la via,
When I walk all alone in the street,
La gente sosta e mira
People stop and stare at me
E la bellezza mia tutta ricerca in me
And look for my whole beauty
Da capo a piè ...
From head to feet ...
Ed assaporo allor la bramosia
And then I taste the slight yearning
Sottil, che da gli occhi traspira
Which transpires from their eyes
E dai palesi vezzi intender sa
And which is able to perceive from manifest charms
clle occulte beltà.
To most hidden beauties.
Così l'effluvio del desìo tutta m'aggira,
So the scent of desire is all around me,
Felice mi fa!
It makes me happy!
E tu che sai, che memori e ti struggi
And you, while knowing, reminding and longing
Da me tanto rifuggi?
You shrink from me?
So ben:
I know it very well:
Le angoscie tue non le vuoi dir,
You don't want to express your anguish
Ma ti senti morir!
But you feel as if you're dying!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keklolz
The river flows, it sings a song, A melody that's ever strong, It dances past the rocks and reeds, And whispers secrets to the trees.
Its waters shimmer in the sun, A symphony of light begun, And as it weaves its way downstream, The river tells of hopes and dreams.
Its voice is gentle, yet profound, A lullaby of soothing sound, It tells of journeys yet to be, And fills the air with mystery.
The river's song is never done, It plays from dawn until the sun, And in its depths, we can behold, A magic story, yet untold.
So listen well, and hear the tune, That flows beneath the sky and moon, For in the river's endless flow, There's wisdom we may come to know.
The river's song will never fade, A timeless melody it's made, And in its rhythm, we can find, A peace that soothes the troubled mind.
@michaelklimetz8625
This magnificent composition will forever evoke the memory of my dear maternal grandmother. She was cultured, loving and refined woman who adored Italian opera. My earliest recollection of Musetta's Waltz was as a young child, while sitting on her lap as she rested from preparing one of her legendary dinners. As the music filled her kitchen, the room bathed in afternoon sunlight, she scooped me up, held me with both arms in her signature warm embrace, and began to dance. She would gently whisper how beautiful I was, and give praise to God for my presence in her life. Thank you so very, very much for posting.
@hannahbloom
Michael Klimetz Wow, that was incredibly well written. It’s great to know how powerful classical music can be.
@kittem
Michael, that has to be one of the most beautiful comments I've ever read.. I hope to be that loving grandmother one day.. <3
@stefanoitaly1201
La potenza della lirica
@camilacotrim5189
That's so beautiful <3
@edakalay
I was delighted to read your story. May your granny rest in peace.
@madman1276
This song sounds like falling in love. Nice and soft strings, but followed with a confident and overwhelming brass!
@user-kr5ui7ce9u
Totally agree
@anaibarangan4908
Exactly how it is, in true Mediterranean spirits. That's what captured in the music.
@dabneycarr9503
@@anaibarangan4908 Outside Europe (or the West) he would never ever composed such things.
Let alone in Muslim countries.
Also, countries like Spain and Greece have very different cultures.
And Puccini said that the new italy needed Germany structure.