During his long career, Rota was an extraordinarily prolific composer, especially of music for the cinema. He wrote more than 150 scores for Italian and international productions from the 1930s until his death in 1979—an average of three scores each year over a 46-year period, and in his most productive period from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s he wrote as many as ten scores every year, and sometimes more, with a remarkable thirteen film scores to his credit in 1954. Alongside this great body of film work, he composed ten operas, five ballets and dozens of other orchestral, choral and chamber works, the best known being his string concerto. He also composed the music for many theatre productions by Visconti, Zeffirelli and Eduardo De Filippo as well as maintaining a long teaching career at the Liceo Musicale in Bari, Italy, where he was the director for almost 30 years.
Rota was born Giovanni Rota Rinaldi on 3 December 1911, into a musical family in Milan. Rota was a renowned child prodigy—his first oratorio, L'infanzia di San Giovanni Battista, was written at age 11 and performed in Milan and Paris as early as 1923; his three-act lyrical comedy after Hans Christian Andersen, Il Principe Porcaro, was composed when he was just 13 and published in 1926. He studied at the Milan conservatory there under Giacomo Orefice and then undertook serious study of composition under Ildebrando Pizzetti and Alfredo Casella at the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, graduating in 1930.
Encouraged by Arturo Toscanini, Rota moved to the United States where he lived from 1930 to 1932. He won a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Philadelphia, where he was taught conducting by Fritz Reiner and had Rosario Scalero as an instructor in composition. Returning to Milan, he wrote a thesis on the Renaissance composer Gioseffo Zarlino. Rota earned a degree in literature from the University of Milan, graduating in 1937, and began a teaching career that led to the directorship of the Liceo Musicale in Bari, a title he held from 1950 until 1978.
Rota had one daughter, Nina Rota, from a relationship with pianist Magda Longari. He died, age 67, from a coronary thrombosis in Rome.
What Is A Youth
Nino Rota Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Impetuous fire.
What is a maid?
Ice and desire.
The world wags on
A rose will bloom,
it then will fade So does a youth.
So does the fairest maid.
Comes a time when one sweet smile
Has its season for awhile
Then Love's in love with me
Some may think only to marry.
Others will tease and tarry.
Mine is the very best parry,
Cupid he rules us all.
Caper the caper; sing me the song
Death will come soon to hush us along
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Love is a task and it never will pall.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Cupid he rules us all.
(20 second flute interlude)
A rose will bloom, it then will fade.
So does a youth.
So does the fairest maid.
The lyrics to Nino Rota's song "What Is A Youth" explore the transient nature of youth and love. The song opens with the question, "What is a youth?" and answers with "Impetuous fire." The fiery nature of youth is contrasted with the "ice and desire" of a maid. The lyrics suggest that although youthful passion may burn brightly, it is fleeting and will eventually fade away, just like a rose.
The line "Comes a time when one sweet smile has its season for awhile" acknowledges that love, like youth, is impermanent. The song suggests that while some may see marriage as the solution to this transient nature, others will simply enjoy the pleasures of love without committing. The final stanza of the song acknowledges the bitter and sweet nature of love, with the reference to death as a reminder that all things, even love, come to an end. The repetition of the line "Cupid he rules us all" reinforces the idea that love is a force that we cannot control.
Line by Line Meaning
What is a youth?
A young person, who is passionate and full of energy.
Impetuous fire.
Youth is characterized by strong feelings and emotions.
What is a maid?
A young woman, who is cold at first but who desires love.
Ice and desire.
Although initially reserved, young women also have strong desires.
The world wags on.
Despite youth's strong emotions, time passes and the world continues to move forward.
A rose will bloom, it then will fade.
Just as a rose has a short lifespan, so too does youth.
So does a youth.
The passion of youth will also eventually fade away.
So does the fairest maid.
The desires of young women also diminish with time.
Comes a time when one sweet smile
There may be a moment of happiness that is short-lived.
Has its season for awhile
That happiness may only last for a brief period of time.
Then Love's in love with me
When love comes, it can be all-consuming.
Some may think only to marry.
Some people only think of marriage when they think of love.
Others will tease and tarry.
Others may play games and delay making a commitment.
Mine is the very best parry,
The singer believes they have the best approach to love.
Cupid he rules us all.
Love is powerful and can control us all.
Caper the caper; sing me the song
Live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment.
Death will come soon to hush us along
Death is inevitable and will eventually bring an end to life.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Love brings both joy and pain.
Love is a task and it never will pall.
Love requires effort and is never dull.
A rose will bloom, it then will fade.
Youth and love both have fleeting existences.
So does a youth.
The same fate that befalls a rose also applies to youth.
So does the fairest maid.
The same fate that befalls a rose also applies to young women.
Contributed by Claire W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@argiskelton7292
What is a youth? Impetuous fire.
What is a maid? Ice and desire.
The world wags on,
a rose will bloom....
It then will fade:
so does a youth,
so does the fairest maid.
Comes a time when one sweet smile
has a season for a while....
Then love's in love with me.
Some they think only to marry,
others will tease and tarry.
Mine is the very best parry.
Cupid he rules us all.
Caper the cape, but sing me the song,
Death will come soon to hush us along.
Sweeter than honey... and bitter as gall,
Love is a task and it never will pall.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall.
Cupid rules us all."
@makaylag2988
R.I.P Olivia!!
Such beauty and well played act forever will be remembered.
@송석호-f6y
I agree with you.
@phvangalen4310
RIP Olivia Hussey. Too young gone, sadly remembered. The movie has a ever lasting memory on me; the cast, the setting, the music by Nino Rota... this is truly a sad day.
@EyeoIsis
I will never forget the movie and her performance. It still brings tears to my eyes. Rest In Peace sweet Olivia.
@jaybaker9750
RIP Olivia. Such a natural beauty in her time.
@marianease3086
RIP Olivia Hussey. She had the face of an angel.
@witchywoman2008
At school, we watched the 1968 film and the 90s Leonardo DiCaprio one. This one is a million times better. I think this film is gorgeous.
@koll
You're right. The 90's one is underrated though.
@Alan-lv9rw
I agree this is the best version. I first saw this at school in 1978 with my girlfriend. I was 16 and she was 14.
@luxurylass
i first seen it on big screen in 1968,, i was 10.. it was the talk of my town, HALIFAX , NOVA SCOTIA.... everyone loved it ,, and i was in love with lEONARD-
-----------------, BIG TIME