A spirited arrangement of an Italian folksong. A villanella is a 16th century form of vocal music that had an impact on the later madrigal form. The word play present in the work is typical of the style. Sametz’s arrangement plays into this aspect of the text.

Approximate performance time: 3 min.
Year composed: 1996

Commissioned by Chanticleer

Text

Varda che passa
La villanella!
Osce che bella
Fainamorar!

Refrain:
O come bali bene bela bimba, 
Bela bimba, bela bimba bali ben!

Varda quel Vecio
Soto la scala,
Osce che bala ch’el ga ciapa!

Marda quel merlo
Dentro la gabbia, Osce che rabbia ch’el ga ciapa!

Translation

Look who is walking by
The village girl!
O how beautiful she is
She’ll make you fall in love!

Refrain:

Oh how well you dance, Beautiful girl,
Beautiful girl, you dance so well!

Look at the old man
Sitting under the stairs
What a story he has got!

Look at the crow
In the birdcage
O how mad she is!