Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg immigrated with her family to the United States when she was 8 years of age, relocating to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and later with Dorothy DeLay at the Julliard School of Music. In 1981 she became the youngest ever prize winner in the Walter W. Naumburg International Violin Competition. She has been honoured with an Avery Fisher Career Grant (1983) and in 1999 she received the Avery Fisher prize for 'outstanding achievement and excellence in music'.
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg was a frequent guest on NBC's The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and has also been featured on the CBS News 60 Minutes news programme. She has also appeared on the sitcom Dharma & Greg.
She has released many recordings on the Angel/EMI Classics, Nonesuch and NSS Music labels. She has performed with orchestras around the world and played at the White House. She has also performed with such popular artists as Mandy Patinkin, Joe Jackson and Mark O'Connor. She has frequently collaborated with the pianist Anne-Marie McDermott.
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is the subject of Paola di Florio's documentary, Speaking in Strings, released by Docurama.
She has recently been named the music director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra starting in the Autumn of 2008.
What is this thing called love?
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leading a life apart
When love flew in through my window wide
And quickened my hum-drum heart
Love flew in through my window
I was so happy then
But after love had stayed a little while
Love flew out again
What is this thing called love?
This funny thing called love?
Just who can solve its mystery?
Why should it make a fool of me?
I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw my heart away
That's why I ask the Lawd up in Heaven above
What is this thing called love?
You gave me days of sunshine
You gave me nights of cheer
You made my life an enchanted dream
'Til somebody else came near
Somebody else came near you
I felt the winter's chill
And now I sit and wonder night and day
Why I love you still
These lyrics are from the classic jazz standard "What Is This Thing Called Love?" by Cole Porter, as performed by Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. The first verse describes a mundane existence that is changed by the sudden appearance of love, personified as a bird that flew in through the window and "quickened" the singer's heart. However, love eventually flew out again, leaving the singer questioning the very nature of this "funny thing called love."
The second verse continues this theme of confusion and heartache. The singer recalls how the person they loved once brought them happiness and "enchanted" their life, but now they feel the "winter's chill" because someone else has come between them. Despite this pain, the singer is still unable to comprehend why they love this person and feels like a fool for doing so. The chorus, which is repeated twice, asks the question that echoes throughout the whole song: "What is this thing called love?"
Line by Line Meaning
I was a hum-drum person
I was leading a life filled with monotony and boredom
Leading a life apart
I was leading a life that was disconnected from the experience of love
When love flew in through my window wide
My life was touched by love suddenly and unexpectedly
And quickened my hum-drum heart
Love caused my heart that was once filled with boredom to be lively and full of passion
Love flew in through my window
Love was an event in my life that took place quickly and without warning
I was so happy then
At that moment, my happiness knew no bounds
But after love had stayed a little while
However, love didn't stay for long and the happiness it brought was fleeting
Love flew out again
Love disappeared from my life just as quickly as it had appeared
What is this thing called love?
I ponder the nature of love
This funny thing called love?
Love feels unpredictable and strange to me
Just who can solve its mystery?
I question if anyone truly understands the nature of love
Why should it make a fool of me?
I question why my experiences with love have led me to feel foolish
I saw you there one wonderful day
I recall the day I first saw you and felt intense love for you
You took my heart and threw my heart away
However, you left me and my broken heart behind
That's why I ask the Lawd up in Heaven above
I turn to a higher power seeking answers about this experience
What is this thing called love?
I still don't quite understand the nature of love
You gave me days of sunshine
You brought joy and light into my life
You gave me nights of cheer
You made me feel happy and carefree
You made my life an enchanted dream
My time with you was magical and full of wonder
'Til somebody else came near
However, another person entered the scene and changed everything
Somebody else came near you
Another person became part of our story
I felt the winter's chill
I felt the cold and harsh reality of loss and heartbreak
And now I sit and wonder night and day
Now I am left with endless questions and uncertainty
Why I love you still
Despite everything, my love for you remains unchanged
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind