What a Wonderful World – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 14th May

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 14th May 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong.

A personal favourite this week … one of the first things I ever performed on the piano in public as a ten year old at school!  My voice still does not match tone needed – but Loris may be willing to give it a go if I bully him I think!  I’m quite busy , so this will be short …. but oh, so sweet! No need for dressing up, but come in an optimistic, positive frame of mind, and tell us why the world is wonderful for you!

Here’s a link to the video, followed by words and the Loris translation below!

.. already 23,989,978 views already!

 

What a Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself,
what a wonderful world.
Vedo alberi verdi, rose rosse anche
Le vedo fiorire per me e per te
E penso tra me e me,
che mondo meraviglioso

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.
Vedo cieli blu, e nuvole bianche.
Il vivido santo giorno, la scura sacra notte
E penso tra me e me,
che mondo meraviglioso

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces, of people going by,
I see friends shaking hands. Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, “I love you”.
I colori dell’arcobaleno, così belli nel cielo.
Sono anche sui visi, della gente che passa,
Vedo amici darsi la mano. Dicono, “Come stai?”
In verità dicono, “Ti voglio bene”.

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow,
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll ever know.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.
Sento bambini gridare, li vedo crescere,
Impareranno molto più, di quello che mai saprò.
E penso tra me e me,
che mondo meraviglioso
Yes, I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.
Oh yeah.

Si, penso tra me e me,
che mondo meraviglioso
Oh si.

Imagine – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 9th April 2013

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 9th April 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

I visited the memorial for John Lennon in Strawberry Fields last week in New York, so let’s sing his haunting song ‘Imagine’on Tuesday. Peace clothing / flowers / gestures welcome but not compulsory.

Vincent – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 23rd April 2013

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 16th April 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

STOP PRESS LATEST: Sorry, I need to defer this to Tuesday 23rd April (as long as Callippe can make it then!)
STOP PRESS: By special request, this song will be done at a time when Calliope Lexington can come along.. it is her favourite!

Having seen Vincent Van Gogh’s work at the MOMA last week in New York City, I have been humming ‘Starry Starry Night’ constantly .. so we simply *have* to do it in a Musica in Classe of-course! As well as writing a beautiful translation into Italian, Loris has found this superb video on YouTube which is accompanied by words and art. Enjoy the music and the art, and forgive my amateur rendition when you come on Tuesday 16th April!

(Prizes for the best artistic outfits ..!))

And here’s another beautiful video:

I’m learning the guitar chords from this site, but may use a capo to make it slightly higher!

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land
Stellata, notte stellata
Dipingi il blu e il grigio della tua tavolozza
Guarda fuori in una giornata d’estate
Con occhi che conoscono il buio nella mia anima
Ombre sulle colline
Schizza gli alberi e i narcisi
Cattura la brezza e i freddi d’inverno
A colori sulla nevosa terra di lino

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Ora capisco cosa cercavi di dirmi
E come soffrivi per la tua salute mentale
Come provavi a liberarli
Loro non hanno voluto ascoltare, non sapevano come
Forse ascolteranno ora

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand
Stellata, notte stellata
Fiori di colore acceso che vivacemente sfavillano
Nubi che turbinano nella foschia violetta
Si riflettono negli occhi di Vincent di porcellana blu
Colori che cambiano tinta
Campi al mattino di grano ambrato
Facce patinate segnate dal dolore
Sono lenite sotto la mano compassionevole dell’artista

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Ora capisco cosa cercavi di dirmi
E come soffrivi per la tua salute mentale
E come provavi a liberarli
Loro non hanno voluto ascoltare, non sapevano come
Forse ascolteranno ora

For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant
For one as beautiful as you
Perchè loro potevano non amarti
Ma ancora il tuo amore era vero
E quando nessuna speranza era rimasta dentro
Su quella stellata, notte stellata
Ti sei tolto la vita come spesso gli amanti fanno
Ma avrei potuto dirtelo, Vincent
Questo mondo non era mai pensato
Per qualcuno così bello come te

Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget
Like the strangers that you’ve met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
A silver thorn, a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Ritratti appesi in sale vuote
Teste senza cornice su muri senza nome
Con occhi che guardano il mondo e non possono dimenticare
Come gli estranei che hai incontrato
Gli uomini cenciosi in vestiti laceri
Una spina argentea, una rosa color rosso sangue
Giaggiono schiacciate e rotte sulla neve vergine

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will
Ora penso di capire cosa cercavi di dirmi
E come soffrivi per la tua salute mentale
E come provavi a liberarli
Loro non hanno voluto ascoltare, non stanno ancora ascoltando
Forse non lo faranno mai

My Favourite things – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 26th March

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 26th March 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

Thanks to Calliope Lexington for this wonderful choice … a great song from one of *my* favourite things – The Sound of Music film! (I have been nicknamed Julie Andrews in the past, and I always dreamt of meeting Christopher Plummer!)

I will be ready for you dressed in a freebie Dirndl and with a special Julie Andrews’ gesture! Please bring along something which represents your favourite thing, or the words to describe your favourite thing – preferably using 5 syllables so that we can sing about it!

Thanks to Loris for the great translation which is below the video.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things
Goggie di pioggia sulle rose e vibrisse di gattini
Uno bricco di rame spelndente e delle calde manopole di lana
Pacchetti di carta marrone legati con nastri
Queste sono alcune delle mie cose preferite

Cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favourite things
Pony color crema e un croccante strudel di mele
Il campanello della porta, le campanelle da slitta e cotoletta con tagliolini
Oche selvatiche che volano con la luna sulle ali
Queste sono alcune delle mie cose preferite

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favourite things
Ragazze vestite di bianco con sciarpe di raso blu
Fiocchi di neve che si posano sul naso e le ciglia
Inverni bianco argento che si sciolgono in primavere
Queste sono alcune delle mie cose preferite

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favourite things
And then I don’t feel so bad
Quando il cane morde
Quando l’ape punge
Quando mi sento triste
Ricordo solamente le mie cose preferite
E dopo non mi sento più così male

New York New York! Musica in Classe Tuesday 12th March 2013

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 12th March 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

The film ‘New York New York’ is a musical tribute to New York. This Tuesday, Musica in Classe will present its own version .. firstly repeating the lines with a perfect English (!) accent .. then hearing an acoustic guitar version from me (cheating by tuning the strings down a semitone so I can use a capo to do the final key change .. but don’t tell anyone ..!) and finally breaking into song together in the style of a Bach fugue. You have been warned!

Here’s the video, and below are the words, skilfully translated into Italian by our resident language expert, Loris Talon!

New York, New York
Liza Minelli

Start spreading the news,
I’m leaving today.
I wanna be a part of it,
New York, New York.
La notizia si va diffondendo,
parto oggi.
Voglio fare parte di lei,
New York, New York

These vagabond shoes,
are longing to stray,
and step around the heart of it
New York, New York
Queste scarpe senza meta,
ardono dal desiderio di girovagare,
e mettere piede attorno al suo cuore
New York, New York

I wanna wake up
in the city, that doesn’t sleep,
to find I’m king of the hill,
top of the heap.
Voglio svegliarmi
nella città che non dorme,
per scoprire che sono il re della collina,
la cima al mucchio

My little town blues,
are melting away.
I’ll make a brand new start of it,
in old New York.
Le tristezze della piccola città
si dilegueranno.
Mi rifarò una nuova vita là,
nella vecchia New York.

If I can make it there,
I’d make it anywhere,
it’s up to you,
New York, New York.
Se ce la facessi là,
ce la farei ovunque,
tocca a te,
New York, New York

New York,
New York.
I want to wake up,
in the city that doesn’t sleep
New York,
New York.
Voglio svegliarmi,
nella città che non dorme

To find I’m king of the hill,
head of the list
cream of the crop
at the top of the heap.
Per scoprire che sono il re della collina,
il primo della lista
la crema della crema
alla cima del mucchio.

My little town blues,
are melting away.
I’ll make a brand new start of it,
In old New York.
Le tristezze della piccola città
si dilegueranno.
Mi rifarò una nuova vita là,
nella vecchia New York.

If I can make it there,
I’ll make it anywhere,
come on, come through,
New York, New York.
Se ce la faccessi là,
ce la farei ovunque,
andiamo, ascoltami
New York, New York

The Partisan – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 26th February 2013

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 26th February 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

Time for a change from sentimental love songs to something with a bit more ‘substance’. This week: The Partisan, as sung by Leonard Cohen in 1969 on French TV (the year the former member of the French resistance and co-writer of the text, d’Astier died). Partisan clothing optional! (I have bought my first rifle for the occasion!)

We’ll concentrate on the English translation of the verses, but we’ll have a go at the French as well! Thanks as ever to Loris for selecting this song and translating the words so faithfully. But before we get to the words, here are a few links to set the song in context:

Information about Emmanuel d’Astier de La Vigerie (9 January 1900 – 12 June 1969), French journalist, politician and member of the Resistance on Wikipedia.

The original French text of the song La Complainte du partisan

A version of the song with ‘Noir Désir 16 Horsepower’ (thanks to Calliope for this link)

Joan Baez’ version with a great set of pictures

….. and last, but not least, here are the words:

The Partisan
Leonard Cohen

When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
this I could not do;
I took my gun and vanished.
Quando attraversarono a frotte il confine
mi dissero di arrendermi,
non potevo farlo;
presi la pistola e mi dileguai.

I have changed my name so often,
Yes, I’ve lost my wife and children
but I have many friends,
and some of them are with me. With me out there now.
Ho cambiato nome così spesso,
si, ho perso moglie e figli
ma ho molti amici,
e alcuni di loro sono con me. Con me là fuori ora.

An old woman gave us shelter,
kept us hidden in the garret,
then the soldiers came;
she died without a whisper.
Una vecchia ci offrì rifugio,
ci tenne nascosti nella soffitta,
poi i soldati arrivarono;
morì senza un sussurro.

There were three of us this morning
I’m the only one this evening
but I must go on;
these frontiers are my prison.
Eravamo in tre questa mattina
sono l’unico rimasto questa sera
ma devo andare avanti;
queste frontiere sono la mia prigione.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we’ll come from the shadows. I mean these shadows.
Oh, il vento, il vento soffia,
tra le tombe il vento soffia,
presto arriverà la libertà;
allora usciremo dall’ombra. Dall’ombra

Les Allemands étaient chez moi,
on m’a dit “résigne-toi”,
mais je n’ai pas pu;
j’ai repris mon arme.
I tedeschi erano da noi,
mi dissero, “Arrenditi”,
ma non potei;
ripresi la mia arma.

J’ai changé cent fois de nom,
j’ai perdu femme et enfant
mais j’ai tant d’amis;
j’ai la France entière.
Ho cambiato nome cento volte
ho perso la donna e i figli
ma ho tanti amici;
ho la Francia intera.

Un vieil homme dans un grenier
pour la nuit nous a cachés,
les Allemands l’ont pris;
il est mort sans surprise.
Un vecchio, in soffitta
per la notte ci ha nascosto,
i tedeschi l’hanno preso;
è morto senza sorpresa.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we’ll come from the shadows. Oh, these shadows.
Oh, il vento, il vento soffia,
tra le tombe il vento soffia,
presto arriverà la libertà,
allora usciremo dall’ombra. Oh dall’ombra.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we’ll come from the shadows. I mean these shadows.
Oh, il vento, il vento soffia,
tra le tombe il vento soffia,
presto arriverà la libertà,
allora usciremo dall’ombra. Dall’ombra.

Time after Time – Cyndi Lauper – Musica in Classe – Tuesday 5th February 2013

Musica in Classe: Tuesday 5th February 2013
2130-2200 Italian time | 2030-2100 UK time | 1230-1300 SL time|
Italian Mood, Second Life (IM me for a TP if you get lost!)

After a long break to allow for celebrating Christmas & The New Year, work commitments and having ‘flu (!), we are starting our 2013 season with a hit from the 80s which we hope you will enjoy. The tune is simple, the chords are easy, but that won’t stop us making a terrible sound when we sing together …! But we don’t care, so we?! I really really look forward to seeing the faithful followers again, and to welcoming anyone brave enough to join the Italian Mood Choir! (Singing and semi-shaved heads optional!)

Here are the words, translated by Loris Talon. Thanks Loris!

Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper

Lying in my bed I hear
The clock tick, and think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Distesa a letto sento
il tic tac dell’orologio e penso a te
Presa in circoli viziosi
La confusione non è niente di nuovo

Flash back warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcase of memories,
Time after
Flashback notti calde
Quasi dimenticate
Valigia di ricordi,
Tempo dopo

Sometimes you picture me
I’m walking too far ahead
You’re calling to me,
I can’t hear what you’ve said
A volte ti immagini di me
Sto camminando troppo avanti
Tu mi chiami forte,
Non riesco a sentire cosa hai detto

Then you say go slow, I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
Allora dici vai piano. rimango indietro
La lancetta dei secondi si riavvolge

If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I’ll be waiting
Time after time x2
Se ti sei perso mi puoi cercare e mi troverai
Una volta cento volte
Se cadi ti afferro sarò ad aspettarti
Una volta cento volte

After my picture fades
And darkness has turned to gray
Watching through windows
You’re wondering if I’m OK
Dopo che la mia immagine sbiadisce
e l’oscurità è diventata grigia
Guardando attraverso le finestre
Ti domandi Se sto bene

Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
Segreti rubati dal profondo
I tamburi battono fuori tempo

If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I’ll be waiting
Time after time (Instrumental)
Se ti sei perso mi puoi cercare e mi troverai
Una volta cento volte
Se cadi ti afferro sarò ad aspettarti
Una volta cento volte

You say go slow, I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
Dici vai piano. rimango indietro
La lancetta dei secondi si riavvolge

If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I’ll be waiting
Time after time x2
Se ti sei perso mi puoi cercare e mi troverai
Una volta cento volte
Se cadi ti afferro sarò ad aspettarti
Una volta cento volte

Time after time…
Time after time…
Time after time…
Time after time…
Una volta cento volte…
Una volta cento volte…
Una volta cento volte…
Una volta cento volte…