Roberto Murolo (19 January 1912 – 13 March 2003) was an Italian musician.

Career

Born in Naples, Italy as the son of poet

Ernesto Murolo Ernesto, form of the name Ernest in several Romance languages, may refer to: * ''Ernesto'' (novel) (1953), an unfinished autobiographical novel by Umberto Saba, published posthumously in 1975 ** ''Ernesto'' (film), a 1979 Italian drama loosely ba ...

and Lia Cavalli, Murolo showed a began singing and playing the guitar as a child. Murolo won the Italian

high diving High diving is the act of diving into water from relatively great heights. High diving can be performed as an adventure sport (as with cliff diving), as a performance stunt (as with many records attempts), or competitively during sporting even ...

championship in 1937, and attributed his remarkable lung capacity to the long practice of water sports. At the age of 24 he founded with three friends the "Midas Quartet" (Quartetto Mida), a

jazz quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

, with which he performed away from Italy from 1939 through 1946. His solo career, focused almost exclusively on

Neapolitan song Canzone napoletana (), sometimes referred to as Neapolitan song ( nap, canzona napulitana ), is a generic term for a traditional form of music sung in the Neapolitan language, ordinarily for the male voice singing solo, although well represented ...

, traditional and popular songs, began with his return to Italy in 1946. In addition to establishing himself as a concert artist and a popular figure on radio, with a romantic, sentimental sound, he also did some acting in movies, appearing in the 1953 crime drama The Counterfeiters, made in Italy by director Franco Rossi. Murolo's collection of twelve LPs of Neapolitan song, called ''Napoletana. Antologia cronologica della canzone partenopea'' and released between 1963 and 1965, is an annotated compendium of Neapolitan song dating back to the 12th century. Later he published four monographic albums called ''I grandi della canzone napoletana'', dedicated to Neapolitan poets

Salvatore Di Giacomo Salvatore Di Giacomo (12 March 1860 – 5 April 1934) was an Italian poet, songwriter, playwright and fascist, one of the signatories to the Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals. Di Giacomo is credited as being one of those responsible for ...

, Ernesto Murolo,

Libero Bovio Libero Bovio (9 June 1883 – 26 May 1942) was a Neapolitan lyricist and dialect poet. Bovio was one of those responsible for the rejuvenation of Neapolitan dialect in plays, poetry and song at the beginning of the twentieth century. He took ...

and E. A. Mario. Murolo's recordings and performances helped popularize Neapolitan song globally. Afterwards he stopped recording, but continued to give concerts. He made a comeback in the 1990s. He died at his home in Via Cimarosa 25, Naples, which continues to be the headquarters of the "Roberto Murolo Foundation" (Fondazione Roberto Murolo).

Discography

* ''Na voce, 'na chitarra'' (1990) * '' Ottantavoglia di cantare'' (1992)-included duet with Mia Martini * ''L'Italia è bbella'' (1993) * ''Tu si' 'na cosa grande'' (1994) * ''Anema e core'' (1995) * ''

Roberto Murolo and friends The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

'' (1995) * ''Ho sognato di cantare'' (2002)

Filmography

* ''

Chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...

'' (Catene), directed by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films w ...

(1949) *'' Il voto'', directed by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...

(1950) *''

Paolo e Francesca ''Paolo e Francesca'' (''Paolo and Francesca''), also known as ''Legend of Love'', is a 1950 Italian historical melodrama film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Odile Versois and Armando Francioli. It is loosely based on real life event ...

'', directed by Raffaello Matarazzo (1950) * '' Torment'' (Tormento), directed by Raffaello Matarazzo (1950) *'' Three Steps North'' (Tre passi a nord), directed by

W. Lee Wilder William Lee Wilder (August 22, 1904 – February 14, 1982) was an Austrian-American screenwriter, film producer and director. He was the brother of the film director Billy Wilder and father of television comedy writer and producer Myles Wilder ...

(1951) *'' Milano miliardaria'', directed by

Marino Girolami Marino Girolami (1 February 1914 – 20 February 1994) was an Italian film director and actor. Biography Marino Giorlami was born on 1 February 1914 in Rome, Italy. Formally a Professional boxer, Girolami ended his boxing career when he was 20. ...

Marcello Marchesi Marcello Marchesi (; 4 April 1912 – 19 July 1978) was an Italian author, screenwriter and film director. He wrote more than 60 films between 1939 and 1977. He also directed six films between 1951 and 1952. He was born in Milan and died in ...

and

Vittorio Metz Vittorio Metz (18 July 1904 – 1 March 1984) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 110 films between 1939 and 1977. Selected filmography * '' Defendant, Stand Up!'' (1939) * '' Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi ...

(1951) *''

Falsehood Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...

'' (Menzogna), directed by Ubaldo Maria Del Colle (1952) *''

Saluti e baci ''Saluti e baci'' is a Franco-Italian comedy-drama film directed by Maurice Labro and Giorgio Simonelli Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwrit ...

'' by Maurice Labro and

Giorgio Simonelli Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwriter and journalist. Life and career Born in Rome, Simonelli obtained a high school diploma in business stud ...

(1953) *''

I falsari ''I falsari'' is a 1951 Italian crime film. It is the directorial debut by Franco Rossi. Plot Police inspector Moroni pretends to be a traveling salesman to unmask a gang of counterfeiters. Thus begins his investigations, which together with a ...

'', directed by Franco Rossi (1953)Pino Farinotti, ''Dizionario degli attori, tutti gli attori e i loro film'', Varese, Sugarco Edizioni, 1993

Awards

* Premio ufficiale della critica discografica (1982) * Premio Tenco per operatore culturale (1982) * Grand Officer of the Republic (1995) *

Knight Grand Cross Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand ...

(2002)

References

External links

Official Website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Murolo, Roberto 1912 births 2003 deaths Italian male songwriters Musicians from Naples 20th-century Italian male singers