“Stornelli Siciliani” (“Sicilian Refrains”)
June is “Immigrant Heritage Month.” Throughout the month we will be posting materials relating to immigration and immigrant cultures of NYC.
One hundred years ago today … “Stornelli Siciliani” (“Sicilian Refrains”), a vocal duet in Italian sung by G. Lo Cicero and Violetta Bianchi Pavone, was recorded at Victor Records.
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix B-25044. Stornelli Siciliani / G. Lo Cicero ; Violetta Bianchi Pavone," accessed June 3, 2021. Click here to listen.
“Stornelli Siciliani” is listed in the Victor ledger as in “Sicilian dialect.” From 1880 to 1920, over a million Sicilians emigrated to the US, many settling in New York City and clustering in specific areas such as Elizabeth Street and East 69th Street (Rudolph).
This was yet another recording guided by Nathaniel Shilkret, Victor’s music director, who last popped up on this site a couple of months ago.
The record was cut at Victor’s 46 West 38th Street studio, seen here in 1922 and 2018.
Google Maps. The doorway on the right is #46.
– Jonathan Goldman, June 8, 2021
TAGS: Sicily, Italy, Italian, ethnicity, immiigration, music, folk, singing