Evolution of a ballad: "Voce 'e Notte"

Okay, enough of Isaac Hayes and the Beach Boys.  What is this, a jukebox or a high-class blog?  It's time to return to another of the Neapolitan classics (although "classic," in this case, means a very old popular song).  Today we consider "Voce 'e Notte," or "Voice in the Night," by the wonderful composer Ernesto De Curtis (1875-1937), who also gave us "Torna a Surriento" and "Tu, Ca Nun Chiange."  The earliest recording that I could find comes from the legendary tenor Beniamino Gigli, c. 1903: although this is passing strange, because the song was not registered until 1907.  But, after more than a century, let's not quibble: this is probably how the song sounded to De Curtis.  A loose translation of the lyric appears below.

  

Over the decades, the song has been recorded by scores of artists, in a variety of styles, while retaining its original charm and character.  A good example is this recording by Anna Maria Quaini, more popularly known simply as "Mina," from 1996:

 

Following Gigli's example, "Voce 'e Notte" has been recorded by nearly all of the "great" operatic tenors, from the Russian  Magoviev to Pavarotti, Carreras, and the rest of the usual suspects.  In that tradition, one can hardly go wrong by turning to Mario Lanza, in this recording from the 1950s.  The orchestration of this version is soft and ethereal, as befits the theme:

A far different, and very Italian, rendition is presented here by a nightclub singer whose name is unknown to me, but who certainly throws himself into his performance.  This, compared to Gigli's recording, is a good example of the evolution of a ballad:

With that sort of syncopation, one wonders why Elvis' songwriters didn't Presley-ize the song, as they did by turning De Curtis' "Torna a Surriento" into Elvis' "Surrender." Perhaps they just weren't familiar with the song.

With or without Elvis, however, the syncopation continues, even as the classical tenors sing the song as De Curtis envisioned it.  Here is L'Orchestra Italiana, with lead vocal by Barbara Buonaiuto:

Finally, a rendition that is something of a midpoint between the classical and more syncopated approaches.  Beautifully sung by Miranda Martino, this version was arranged by the great film composer Ennio Morricone, who can do no wrong: and who certainly got it right by introducing the song with the opening of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."  I hope you enjoy it!

If this voice wakes you in the night
While the man at your side is holding you
Stay awake if you want to stay awake
But pretend that you’re fast asleep.

Don’t go to the window to see who’s there
Because you can’t mistake it – that voice is mine…
The same voice as when we both
Were strangers, both so formal.
If this voice crying into the night
Wakes your man, don’t be afraid
Because there are no names in my serenade…
Tell him to sleep, that everything’s all right.
Tell him: "Whoever is singing down in the street
Is either crazy or dying of jealousy
He’s probably crying over some betrayal,
He sings alone. But what’s he singing for?”