DENZA/ROSSINI, NEAPOLITAN FANTASY (2025) – ca. 7′
A symphonic arrangement of two iconic tarantella dances
I. Funiculì Funiculà (Luigi Denza, arr. A. Casaccia), II. La Danza (Gioachino Rossini, arr. A. Casaccia)
Instrumentation: SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PICCOLO, 2 FLUTES, 2 OBOES, ENGLISH HORN, PICCOLO CLARINET, 2 CLARINETS, BASS CLARINET, 2 BASSOONS, CONTRABASSOON, 4 HORN, 3 TRUMPETS, 3 TROMBONES, TUBA, TIMPANI, PERCUSSION SET (4 players), 2 HARPS, PIANO, VIOLINS I & II, VIOLAS, CELLOS, DOUBLE BASSES
License: © 2025 Alexandre Casaccia (SACEM). Released under CC BY-SA 4.0
PROGRAM NOTE
Neapolitan Fantasy is a symphonic arrangement of two iconic tarantella dances: Funiculì Funiculà by Luigi Denza (1880), composed to celebrate the opening of the Vesuvius funicular railway near Naples; and La Danza by Gioachino Rossini, from his collection Les soirées musicales (1835), a rewriting of the popular wedding tarantella C’è la Luna Mezzo Mare.
Originally conceived as chamber songs for tenor and piano, I sought to transform them into an orchestral setting full of theatrics and color. These beloved tunes embody the spirit of the tarantella—a vibrant, fast-paced dance in 6/8 time, often accompanied by tambourines and associated with joy and celebration. Many composers have drawn inspiration from the tarantella form—at times even from these very melodies (no less than Liszt and Richard Strauss). Despite that illustrious company, I found the project to be a worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable exercise.
SCORES & PARTS
PERUSAL SCORE (concert pitch) available below
SCORE(S) (concert pitch or transposed) and PARTS available upon request