Fischia il Vento
Fischia il Vento |
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During the Second World War resistance to Fascism and the Nazi occupation of Italy was carried out by courageous men and women organised into various political groupings. Known as the partisans, they would attack railway lines, bridges and other strategic targets, usually under cover of darkness, and their achievements greatly assisted the Allies to liberate Italy in 1943 and 1944.
The commander of the 'Garibaldi Battalion', a man named Felice Cascione, has been credited with writing the lyrics of Fischia Il Vento, and although the attribution is uncertain the song is certainly from the Left of the resistance. Our version of the text came from Sydney's Gay Liberation Quire in the late 1980s, where it had been changed to be less gender-specific [not unreasonable in light of the fact that hundreds of women fought as partisans during the conflict]. The tune is variously claimed as being of Ukrainian or Russian origin, where it was a folk song called 'Katyusha'.
Our arrangement of the song represents Miguel's first serious attempt at choral writing back in 1990, and is considerably different to the song in its traditional form. The opening bars invoke the ominous feeling experienced as dark clouds gather, and the text's depiction of the storm breaking is rendered in the score by thunderous polyphony. A sense of unity is achieved in the partisans' declaration of their purpose "to win a scarlet springtime where tomorrow's sun will rise" but the mood becomes uneasy as the danger is resumed and the partisans march resolutely through two more verses. At the end victory is achieved and the voices spontaneously clamour amid waving flags and four part polyphony.
Fischia il vento, infuria la bufera
Scarpe rotte eppur bisogna andar
A conquistare la rossa primavera
Dove sorge il sol del avvenir.
Ogni contrada e patria del ribelle
Ogni donna a noi dona un sospir.
Nella notte ci guidano le stelle
Forte é il cuore e il braccio nel colpir!
Se ci coglie la crudele morte
Dura vendetta sará del partigian'.
Ormai sicura sará la dura sorte
Del fascista vile traditor!
Cessa il vento. Calma é la bufera.
Torna in casa il fiero partigian'.
Sventolando la rossa sua bandiera
Vittoriosi al fin liberi siam'!
The wind is whistling, the storm is raging, our shoes are broken but we must keep going and win a scarlet sprintime where tomorrow's sun will rise! Every district is the rebel's homeland, every woman gives us a sigh. In the night the stars will guide us. Strong is the heart, and the arm as it strikes! If cruel death harvests us, the vengeance of the partisan will be hard. Then the hard fate of the vile fascist traitor will be secure! The wind stops. The storm grows calm. The proud partisan returns home, his red banner fluttering! Victorious, we are finally free!