Aprimmo ll’anno nuovo (Campania) - Italian Folk Ensemble

Let’s welcome the new year (Campania)
From Naples we move southwards to Salerno, where after they have asked for food and drinks (wine), the ‘questuanti’ bestow good wishes for the New Year using counter-sense expressions such as ‘break a leg’ and with interjections that are a little risqué. These
are also opportunities to give vent to one’s own social commentary.
Da Napoli scendiamo nel Salernitano, dove dopo aver chiesto da mangiare e da bere, i questuanti conferiscono auguri di buon anno tramite scongiure e il contro senso, come nell’espressione ‘in bocca al lupo’, e magari anche con interiezioni un po’ spinte. Questi sono momenti dove i partecipanti possono sfogarsi e aggiungere commentari sociali.
Apprimmo ll’anno nuovo - cu tricchetracche e botte
spariamo in questa notte in allegria.
E quanno accumparette la luminosa stella
‘n na bella gruttecella e li pastura.
Nascette lu messia, avvenne pureriello
co voie e l’aseniello pe vrasera.
Na vecchia fattucchiera addetta a li fattura
le dettero ‘n cunzegna na criatura.
Dicite ‘o papa a Roma che e prievete so fetienta
ca ogni letania so’ mille lira.
Si stu patrone e casa va abbascio a la cantina
portasse o fiaschiello chino e vina.
Si m’a vuò fà na ‘nferta fammella de nucella
ca puozze fà nu figlio mariunciella.
Si m’a vuò fà na ‘nferta fammella e purtualle
ca puozze fà nu figlio senza palla.
Nui nun vulimmo niente castagne fiche e noce
e ll’atre cose doce e o susamiello.
Comme o principio e ll’anno cu tricchetracche e botte
spariamo in questa notte in allegria.
Let’s open the New Year with petards & fireworks;
tonight let’s fire in merriment.
When the shiny star appeared
in a cave to the shepherds,
the Messiah was born in poverty,
with an ox and a donkey to keep him warm.
An old witch skilled in spells
was given a child to care for.
Tell the Pope in Rome that the priests are stinkers:
every prayer costs 1000 lire.
I hope the head of the house goes down into the cellar
and brings up a flask full of wine.
If you want to offer something, let it be nuts;
may you have a good-for-nothing son.
If you want to offer something, let it be oranges;
may you have a son without balls.
We want nothing but chestnuts, figs & walnuts,
other sweet things and your special cake.
Happy New Year, with percussion & fireworks;
tonight let’s fire in merriment.
From the concert "Celebrazione del solstizio invernale - Natale - Capodanno - Epifania” (Celebration of the winter solstice and the Christmas Season) by the Italian Folk Ensemble - Adelaide, Australia November 2010. Performance of traditional and popular songs of the Italian people.
The Italian Folk Ensemble (Adelaide) has been for over 40 years, studying and performing traditional and popular songs and dances of the Italian people, fully respecting their individual musical style and their cultural context. These songs cover a wide spectrum of emotions and experiences of the people of Italy through the ages, and as such, they are a unique medium to learn Italian culture and history.
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