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

Career

Born in Naples, Italy as the son of poet Ernesto Murolo and Lia Cavalli, Murolo showed a passion for music at a young age and began singing and playing the guitar as a child. Murolo won the Italian high diving 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, with which he performed away from Italy from 1939 through 1946. His solo career, focused almost exclusively on Neapolitan song, 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

monograph A monograph is generally a long-form work on one (usually scholarly) subject, or one aspect of a subject, typically created by a single author or artist (or, sometimes, by two or more authors). Traditionally it is in written form and published a ...

ic albums called ''I grandi della canzone napoletana'', dedicated to Neapolitan poets Salvatore Di Giacomo, 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), includes a duet with

Mia Martini Domenica Rita Adriana Bertè (; 20 September 1947 – 12 May 1995), known professionally as Mia Martini (), was an Italian singer, songwriter and musician.James Christopher MongerMia Martini allmusic.comRoberto Murolo and friends'' (1995) * ''Ho sognato di cantare'' (2002)

Filmography

* '' Chains'' (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 ...

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

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Career 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 befo ...

(1950) *'' Paolo e Francesca'', directed by Raffaello Matarazzo (1950) * '' Torment'' (Tormento), directed by Raffaello Matarazzo (1950) *'' Three Steps North'' (Tre passi a nord), directed by W. Lee 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 boxing, professional boxer, Girolami ended his boxing c ...

, Marcello Marchesi 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 c ...

(1951) *'' Falsehood'' (Menzogna), directed by Ubaldo Maria Del Colle (1952) *'' Saluti e baci'' by

Maurice Labro Maurice Labro (21 September 1910 – 23 March 1987) was a French film director. Filmography * 1947 in the movies, 1947: ' * 1948 in the movies, 1948: ''Three Boys, One Girl'' * 1949 in the movies, 1949: ''The Heroic Monsieur Boniface'' * 195 ...

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 got a high school diploma in business studies, ...

(1953) *'' I falsari'', 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 A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

(2002)

References

External links

Official Website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Murolo, Roberto 1912 births 2003 deaths Musicians from Naples Italian male songwriters 20th-century Italian male singers Italian male long-distance swimmers Male high divers Italian freedivers 20th-century Italian sportsmen