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 fadeSo does a youth.
So does the fairest maid.
Comes a time when one sweet smile
Has it's 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 pass-time that 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 song "What is a Youth?" written by Nino Rota for the 1968 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, explores the fleeting nature of love, youth, and life itself. The first few lines of the lyrics ask the titular question, with "impetuous fire" representing the passion and energy of young love, and "ice and desire" symbolizing the conflicting emotions of a young woman. The following line, "the world wags on," suggests the inevitability of change and the passing of time, even as love and youth burn hot.
The song then continues to highlight the transience of youth and love, comparing them to a blooming rose that will ultimately fade away. However, there is also a sense of joy and appreciation in this acknowledgement of the temporary nature of things, as the lyrics discuss the sweetness of love and the playful nature of Cupid, who "rules us all." The final lines of the song offer a bittersweet reminder that death will eventually come to all, but that love, while sometimes bitter, is ultimately a pass-time that will never get old.
Overall, "What is a Youth?" is a poignant meditation on the fleeting joys and sorrows of life, expressed through a blend of Shakespearean themes and modern musical sensibility.
Line by Line Meaning
What is a youth?
What is the definition of youth?
Impetuous fire.
Youth is like a fiery force that cannot be restrained.
What is a maid?
What is the definition of a maid?
Ice and desire.
A maid is both pure and filled with longing.
The world wags on
The world continues to turn no matter what happens to youth or maid.
A rose will bloom,
Just like a rose, youth will bloom.
It then will fade
And just like a rose, youth will eventually wilt away.
So does a youth.
A youth's life is short just like a blooming rose.
So does the fairest maid.
And so is the life of the most beautiful maid.
Comes a time when one sweet smile
There is a moment when one smile is all it takes.
Has it's season for awhile
That moment is temporary and fleeting.
Then Love's in love with me
And at that moment, I am in love with love.
Some may think only to marry.
Some people only think about getting married.
Others will tease and tarry.
While others will play hard to get.
Mine is the very best parry,
My approach to love is the most skillful defense.
Cupid he rules us all.
In the end, love is controlled by Cupid.
Caper the caper; sing me the song
Let's enjoy life to the fullest and sing a joyous song.
Death will come soon to hush us along
But death will come sooner than we'd like, and end our songs.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Love can be both sweet and painful at the same time.
Love is a pass-time that never will pall.
Even though it can be painful, love is always captivating.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Love can be both sweet and painful at the same time.
Cupid he rules us all.
In the end, love is controlled by Cupid.
(20 second flute interlude)
An interlude of music.
A rose will bloom, it then will fade.
Just like a rose, youth will bloom.
So does a youth.
A youth's life is short just like a blooming rose.
So does the fairest maid.
And so is the life of the most beautiful maid.
Contributed by Brooklyn V. 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