Francesco Durante (31 March 1684 – 30 September 1755) was an Italian composer of the Neapolitan School. Best known for his church music, he was also an important teacher, instructing Niccolò Jommelli, Giovanni Paisiello, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Niccolò Piccinni and Leonardo Vinci, among others.

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Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile. by Francesco Durante

Also by Durante. Vergin tutto amor

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Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile. The poem is anonymous.

Italian text

Danza, danza, fanciulla,
al mio cantar;
danza, danza fanciulla gentile,
al mio cantar.
Gira leggera, sottile al suono,
al suono dell'onde del mar.
Senti il vago rumore
dell'aura scherzosa
che parla al core
con languido suon,
e che invita a danzar
senza posa, senza posa,
che invita a danzar.
Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile,
al mio cantar.

English translation

Dance, dance, gentle girl,
To my singing.
Spin lightly, quietly to the sound,
To the sound of the waves of the sea.
You feel the subtle mood
Of the playful breezes
That speak to the heart,
With languid sound,
That invites you to dance
Without pause, without pause,
That invites you to dance.
Dance, dance, gentle maiden,
To my singing.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciation of the Italian poem.

dˈant͡sa, dˈant͡sa, fant͡ʃˈulla,
ˈal mˈio kantˈar;
dˈant͡sa, dˈant͡sa fant͡ʃˈulla d͡ʒentˈile,
ˈal mˈio kantˈar.
d͡ʒˈira led͡ʒːˈɛra, sotːˈile ˈal sʊˈɔno,
ˈal sʊˈɔno dellˈonde dˈel mˈar.
sˈentɪ ˈiːl vˈaɡo rʊmˈore
dellˈaʊra skert͡sˈoza
kˈe pˈarla ˈal kˈɔre
kˈon lˈaŋɡwido sˈuon,
ˈeː kˈe invˈita ˈaː dant͡sˈar
sˈɛnt͡sa pˈɔza, sˈɛnt͡sa pˈɔza,
kˈe invˈita ˈaː dant͡sˈar.
dˈant͡sa, dˈant͡sa, fant͡ʃˈulla d͡ʒentˈile,
ˈal mˈio kantˈar.