Tra Veglia E Sonno, mandolin/guitar trio

[Martin Jonas]

This famous mazurka was written by Luigi Canoro (sometimes spelled "Canora"), and published by Di Bella Music in 1913. It's probably the most successful tune to come out of the early 20th century New York City Italian-American music scene. It's often played quite fast, but I prefer a more dream-like pace to match the title -- it's suits the tune.

The original Di Bella sheet music for two mandolins and guitar is available from Jim Garber's site at:

http://www.paperclipdesign.com/19ctunes/tra_veglia.pdf

For my recording I've switched my bowlback mandolins the other way around compared to most my Italian pieces, with the Embergher taking the first mandolin part. The second mandolin part is very nice, and left out of most commercial recordings of the tune.

1915 Luigi Embergher mandolin
1890s Umberto Ceccherini mandolin
Ozark tenor guitar

I've used Little Nemo artwork for the slide show, as it suits the title and the tune, and is contemporaneous with the date of the composition.



Martin

[Mandophile]

Pietro Forte co-composed this tune with Canoro. More than 10 years ago, I interviewed Forte's now deceased daughter Who had much to say about the politics of ownership and copyright issues. Naturally, she felt his contribution was greatly diminished by the publisher and Canoro.

"Dreamy" is a perfect description because the title refers to that period "between waking and sleeping." That's the whole meaning of the title!
Tony Flores who would have been 100 years old today, October 26; he told me that he courted his wife and danced away the evening with this tune. Miss you Tony!

[Mazzoli]

Thank you for posting the sheet music.
I recorded my version too:
https://soundcloud.com/rafaelmazzoli/tra-veglia-e-sonno


Abbracci.

[DavidKOS]

Thanks for recording one of my favorite mazurkas! I love that tune.

[brunello97]

Thanks, Martin, awesome as always. I love your rendition.

I play this song nearly every day in the morning when I am, like Sheri says, "between sleeping and waking."

Mick

[Mandophile]

Nemo is so perfect for this in-between moment! nice job! Encore!

[Martin Jonas]

Mick/Sheri,

Thanks for the comments, but I should say that my own recording at the start of this thread is from last October: the thread was revived by Mazzoli posting his new recording on Soundcloud a few days ago. Sounding really nice, too -- good job, Mazzoli!

Martin

[Mandophile]

I just wanted to clarify the statement I made earlier about Pietro Forte as a co-composer. I've been in contact with his granddaughter over the years (having interviewed her for my Salami book), and I've been doing a whole lot of research (as some may know for the Index of ballo liscio sheet music). Provenance and the establishment of an accurate history is a primary focus for me now. First, Pietro Forte filed the copyright as the sole composer of Tra Veglia in 1913 (you can find it in the Library of Congress). Canora's name as a co-composer (he used this spelling before 1916 & AKA Canoro, post 1915) does not appear on Tra Veglia e Sonno until a much later di Bella edition (post WWII). In 1928, Canoro's name appears as co-composer; in 1933, Peppino's name appears as the Arranger under the aegis of di Bella in a 1941 piano accordion edition; it shows the co-composers and is claimed by di Bella as a renewed copyright. I have not posted these other editions but I'm thinking about doing that very soon with a new upload. BTW, Pietro Forte never received a penny for this famous tune. He went back to Italy before the war and died there during the 1918 "Spanish" flu epidemic. He was 48. This title has appeared in so many countless movies, including Scorsese documentary on Italian Americans & Allen's Broadway Danny Rose. The composer who owns the copyright, is the responsible party for renewal of those rights but in the fuzzy copyright days (before 1923) it was largely ignored. Thus, the confusing narrative of who owns what and why there are so many 'claims' to this sheet music.

[Mandophile]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tnp17l9j6...P52_tlQ3a?dl=0

ACCORDION LINK to retrieve Peppino's arrangement of Tra Veglia e Sonno piano accordion score (and much more)