The "Carnival of Venice" is based on a Neapolitan folk tune called "O Mamma, Mamma Cara" and popularized by violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini, who wrote twenty variations on the original tune. He titled it "Il Carnevale Di Venezia," Op. 10. In 1829, he wrote to a friend, "The variations I've composed on the graceful Neapolitan ditty, 'O Mamma, Mamma Cara,' outshine everything. I can't describe it." Since then, the tune has been used for a number of popular songs, such as "If You Should Go to Venice" and " My Hat, It Has Three Corners" (or in German, ). A series of theme and

variations Variation or Variations may refer to: Science and mathematics * Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon * Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individua ...

has been written for solo cornet, as "show off" pieces that contain virtuoso displays of double and triple

tonguing Tonguing is a technique used with wind instruments to enunciate notes using the tongue on the palate or the reed or mouthpiece. A silent "tee" is made when the tongue strikes the reed or roof of the mouth causing a slight breach in the air fl ...

, and fast tempos. Since Paganini, many variations on the theme have been written, most notably those by

Jean-Baptiste Arban Joseph Jean-Baptiste Laurent Arban (28 February 1825 – 8 April 1889) was a cornetist, conductor, composer, pedagogue and the first famed virtuoso of the '' cornet à piston'' or valved cornet. He was influenced by Niccolò Paganini's virtuosic ...

, Del Staigers, Herbert L. Clarke for the cornet, trumpet, and euphonium,

Francisco Tárrega Francisco de Asís Tárrega Eixea (21 November 185215 December 1909) was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist of the late Romantic period. He is known for such pieces as Capricho Árabe and ''Recuerdos de la Alhambra''. He is often calle ...

and

Johann Kaspar Mertz Joseph Kaspar Mertz (in hu, Mertz János Gáspár) (17 August 1806 – 14 October 1856) was an Austro-Hungarian guitarist and composer. Biography Caspar Joseph Mertz (baptised Casparus Josephus Mertz) was born in Pressburg, now Bratislava (S ...

for classical guitar, Ignace Gibsone and Louis Moreau Gottschalk for piano, and Giovanni Bottesini for double bass. Chopin's "Souvenir de Paganini", dedicated to the composer and violin virtuoso

Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices fo ...

, is another variation on this theme. The

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

novelty song A novelty song is a type of song built upon some form of novel concept, such as a gimmick, a piece of humor, or a sample of popular culture. Novelty songs partially overlap with comedy songs, which are more explicitly based on humor, and wit ...

, "

(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window? "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" is a popular novelty song. It was written by Bob Merrill and first registered on September 25, 1952, as "The Doggie in the Window". On January 27, 1953, its sheet music was published in New York as "(H ...

", written and recorded in 1952, is based on the tune. The piece has also been arranged for

tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...

, notably played by John Fletcher and available on the CD ''The Best of Fletch''. Also

Roger Bobo Roger Bobo (born June 8, 1938) is an American tuba virtuoso and brass pedagogue. He retired from active tuba performance in 2001 in order to devote his time to conducting and teaching. He gave what is reputed to be the first solo tuba recital i ...

on ''Tuba Libera'' (cd). Other tubists whose performances of the piece are noteworthy include

Øystein Baadsvik Øystein Baadsvik (born 14 August 1966) is a Norwegian tuba soloist and chamber musician. Born in Trondheim, Norway, he began playing the tuba at the age of fifteen at his school in Trondheim, Norway, and won first prize at eighteen in a Norweg ...

, and Patrick Sheridan.

Dick Manning Dick Manning (born Samuel Medoff (Самуил Медов), June 12, 1912 – April 11, 1991) was a Russian-born American songwriter, best known for his many collaborations with Al Hoffman. Manning composed the first full-length musical to be ...

and Buddy Kaye wrote a popular song based on "Carnival of Venice," named "A Carnival in Venice," recorded by

The Mills Brothers The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed the Four Mills Brothers, and originally known as the Four Kings of Harmony, were an American jazz and traditional pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies an ...

in 1954. Between 2015 and 2018, German crossover violinist David Garrett gained wide recognition with the tune, playing variations of Paganini's variations in movies and with various orchestras and bands.

Arrangements

(1825-1889): Variations on 'Carnival of Venice' (for trumpet or cornet) *

Nicolas-Charles Bochsa Robert Nicolas-Charles Bochsa (9 August 1789 – 6 January 1856) was a harpist and composer. His relationship with Anna Bishop was popularly thought to have inspired that of Svengali and Trilby in George du Maurier's 1894 novel '' Trilby' ...

Le Carnaval de Venise for pedal harp * Giovanni Bottesini Introduction and Variations on Carnival of Venice (Double Bass) *

Giulio Briccialdi Giulio Briccialdi (1/2 March 1818 – 17 December 1881) was an Italian virtuoso flautist and composer, a technical innovator on his instrument and a professor of music. Briccialdi was born in Terni. His contributions include inventing the B- ...

Carnival of Venice for flute and orchestra Op.77 * Ernesto Cavallini Carnival of Venice (Eb Clarinet or any Eb instrument like Eb Piccolo Violin) * Charles Dancla The Carnival of Venice (for violin) *

Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst (8 June 18128 October 1865) was a Moravian-Jewish violinist, violist and composer. He was seen as the outstanding violinist of his time and one of Niccolò Paganini's greatest successors. He contributed to polyphonic playi ...

(1812–1865) Le carnaval de Venise (for Violin) *

Félix Godefroid Dieudonné-Félix Godefroid (24 July 1818 - 12 July 1897) was a Belgian harpist, who composed for his instrument and for the piano. Félix Godefroid was born at Namur, where his father failed in a theatre venture and moved the family to Boulogn ...

Carnaval de Venise pour harpe *

Elgar Howarth Elgar Howarth (born 4 November 1935), is an English conductor, composer and trumpeter. Biography Howarth was born at Cannock, Staffordshire. He was educated in the 1950s at Manchester University and the Royal Manchester College of Music (the ...

: The Carnival of Venice Variations (for Brass Ensemble) *

Adrien-François Servais Adrien-François Servais (6 June 180726 November 1866) was one of the most influential cellists of the nineteenth century. He was born and died in Halle, Belgium. He is one of the founders of the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid, whi ...

: Fantaisie Burlesque sur le Carnaval de Venise, op. 9 (for cello) * Paul Jeanjean (1874-1928): Venice Carnival (for clarinet) *

Bob McChesney Bob McChesney is an LA based jazz and studio trombonist, famous for his use and mastery of the 'doodle - tongue,' a method of articulation on the trombone as well as his ultra fast and melodic solos. He currently teaches in the music department ...

Variations on 'Carnival of Venice' for Trombone *

Carlo Munier Carlo Munier (1858–1911) was an Italian musician who advocated for the mandolin's acknowledgement among as an instrument of classical music and focused on "raising and ennobling the mandolin and plectrum instruments". He wanted "great masters" ...

for mandolin and guitar * Paganini: Il carnevale di Venezia (for violin: Scordatura comes in: Tune the Violin up a Half Step) *

(1852-1909): Variations on Carnival of Venice (for guitar) * Eduardo Zerega Le Carnival de Venise pour mandoline et piano * Franz Liszt Variations sur Le Carnaval de Venise (for piano) *

Frederick Hemke Fred Hemke, DMA ''(né'' Frederick Leroy Hemke Jr.; July 11, 1935 – April 17, 2019) was an American virtuoso classical saxophonist and influential professor of saxophone at Northwestern University. Hemke helped raise the popularity of clas ...

The Carnival Of Venice (Introduction and Variations: opus posthumous) (for Eb alto saxophone) * Paul Génin Carnaval de Venise (Opus 14, fantasia and variations for flute and orchestra)

Recorded versions

*"(The) Carnival of Venice", Arban, arr. James.

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

and His Orchestra ( Columbia 36004) 1941 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Paganini,

Zino Francescatti René-Charles "Zino" Francescatti (August 9, 1902 – September 17, 1991) was a French virtuoso violinist. Zino Francescatti was born in Marseilles, to a musical family. Both parents were violinists. His father, who also played the cello, had stu ...

(Violin), Arthur Balsam (Piano) 1954 *"Carnival of Venice",

Hank Snow Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow (May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999) was a Canadian-American country music artist. Most popular in the 1950s, he had a career that spanned more than 50 years, he recorded 140 albums and charted more than 85 singles on ...

guitar solo 1956 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Frosini, Danny Kaye 1960 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Tony Mottola,

Tony Mottola Anthony C. Mottola (April 18, 1918 – August 9, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist who released dozens of solo albums. Mottola was born in Kearny, New Jersey, Kearny, New Jersey and died in Denville, New Jersey, Denville. Career Like ...

And His Orchestra 1962 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Jean Rolle, The Waikikis Netherlands 1963 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Al Hirt, Al Hirt from '' Live at Carnegie Hall (Al Hirt album)'' 1965 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Tony Osborne, Tony Osborne's Three Brass Buttons 1968 *"Carnival of Venice, Goodnight Vienna" The Keith Newton Sound 1970 *"The Carnival of Venice Variations", arr. Elgar Howarth, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble 1975 *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Del Staigers,

The Canadian Brass The Canadian Brass is a Canadian brass quintet formed in 1970 in Toronto, Ontario, by Charles Daellenbach (tuba) and Gene Watts (trombone), with horn player Graeme Page and trumpeters Stuart Laughton and Bill Phillips completing the quintet. , ...

from '' The Village Band'' 1981 *"Variations Sur "Le Carnaval De Venise"", arr. Donald Hunsberger, from "Carnaval",

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

and

Eastman Wind Ensemble The Eastman Wind Ensemble was founded by conductor Frederick Fennell at the Eastman School of Music in 1952. The ensemble is often credited with helping redefine the performance of wind band music. At the time, concert bands used all of their pla ...

, 1987 (CBS Masterworks MK 42137) *"Carnival of Venice", arr. Johnny Lo Piccolo for accordion Australia *"Carnaval de Venise", Victor Massé La Reine Topaze Sumi Jo and English Chamber Orchestra 1994

Film/TV appearances

*1955 ''

The Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fo ...

'' – In the episode, Young Man with a Horn (#1.26), Alice finds Ralph's old cornet in the bedroom closet. Ralph remembers lost career chances, and feels discouraged. The song Ralph attempts to play on the cornet is "Carnival of Venice". *1992 ''

Arizona Dream ''Arizona Dream'' is a 1993 Independent film, indie Surrealist cinema, surrealist comedy drama film co-written and directed by Emir Kusturica and starring Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis, Faye Dunaway, Lili Taylor and Vincent Gallo. Plot Axel has a dr ...

'' - It plays during the cadillac dream sequence Axel has while driving to Arizona with Paul. *2013 ''

The Devil's Violinist ''The Devil's Violinist'' is a 2013 film based on the life story of the 19th-century Italian violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini. The film had its US premiere on 10 March 2014 at the Miami International Film Festival. Plot Niccolo Paga ...

Notes

{{Authority control Compositions for trumpet