Ninna nanna                    

Ugo Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1890 – 1974)    Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 – 1968)

Don! Don! Don!                                                                    Dong! Ding!

Ogni bimba ha una campana                                              Ev’ry child has a bell,

dolce, strana,                                                                        Sweet, strange-

tutta per sè.                                                                           All for herself

Suona a notte,                                                                       The bell tolls In the night

il cielo è bruno                                                                      the sky is dark;

e nessuno                                                                               and nobody

sa dov’è.                                                                                 Knows where it is                            

Don! Don! Don!                                                                    Dong! Ding!

Par che pianga, par che rida,                                              it might cry, might laugh

sa e non sgrida,                                                                     it knows and doesn’t scold,

perdona e sa.                                                                         Forgives and knows (wise?)

Dice solo quando suona:                                                     Only says when it tolls:

“Sii più buona”                                                                     “be a good girl”

e tace e va.                                                                             quits and leaves

Don! Don! Don!                                                                    Dong! Ding!

Vi volete confidare                                                               Do you want to share with me?

voci care?                                                                               Dear voices

In voi chi c’è?                                                                        Whose talking?

Mamma, mamma, la campana                                           mother, mother, the bell

dolce, strana,                                                                        Sweet, strange

mi par te!                                                                               I think it’s you

La “Ninna Nanna per l’album di una bimba (per Giuliana)” è un’opera musicale composta nel 1914 da Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, pensata per voce e pianoforte. Questo brano classico e delicato è catalogato come Opus 4, parte dei primi lavori del compositore italiano, spesso caratterizzato da un tono intimo, calmo e poetico