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Tu scendi dalle stelle
The melody and original lyrics for the hymn were written by
Alphonsus Liguori, a prominent
Neapolitan priest and
scholastic philosopher (later
canonized) who founded the
Redemptorist missionary order. In 1732, while staying at Convent of
the Consolation, one of his order's houses in the small city of
Deliceto in the
province of Foggia in southeastern Italy, he wrote the Christmas
song that begins "You come down from the stars" entitled "Little song to
Child Jesus". This version with Italian lyrics actually came after the
original song written in
Neapolitan entitled "For Jesus' birth" and that begins
Quanno nascette Ninno
(When the child was born) and sometimes referred to as the "Carol of the
Bagpipers" (Canzone d'i zampognari).
Since that time, the "Little song to Child Jesus" became a widely
popular Christmas carol in Italy.
There are several translations of the lyrics into English styled
after that of the
King James Bible.
At least one translation into modern English also exists, as well as a literal translation into
English of the Neapolitan "Quanno
nascette Ninno".
The piece was also published in 1932 by A. Paolilli's Music Co. of
Providence, Rhode Island. That version credits the music composition to
Tommaso Capocci and the words to
Pope Pius IX and does not mention the earlier work.
Domenico Scarlatti used the tune in his Sonata in C major, Kk513.
Ottorino Respighi adopted the carol for the second movement of his
Trittico botticelliano, P 151 (1927), "Adoration of the Magi".
Anthony Velona and Remo Capra arranged English lyrics upon the
original musical composition for a version entitled "O Bambino" (also
known as "One Cold and Blessed Winter"). This version was recorded by
several singers in the late 1960s, before the history of the song was
widely known, and was partly incorporated into Sergio Franchi's
traditional Italian version on his 1965 recording.
Italian-American tenor Sergio Franchi originally recorded the
traditional Italian version on a Durium (Italy) single (n.d..The Heart of Christmas (Cuor'
Di Natale).Contemporary Italian composer Piero Niro has produced a composition
entitled Three Variations on "Tu scendi dalle stelle" for a large
orchestraa
Source::
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http://www.tiralongo.it/tu_scendi_dalle_stelle.htm
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