Canto Popolare is an arrangement for viola with piano accompaniment, made by the English composer Edward Elgar. It is from the viola solo in the central section of his concert-overture In the South (Alassio), written in 1904.
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Following the success of the overture, Elgar was asked to make arrangements of the melody for any instrument: the most important being the version for viola with piano accompaniment, edited by the violist Alfred Hobday. The vocal version, "In Moonlight", was set to words by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Other versions were for small orchestra; and for violin, cello and clarinet accompanied by piano. The composer sent corrected proofs of the arrangements to the publisher Novello & Co at the end of September 1904.
"Canto popolare" (Italian) means "folk song". Elgar first suggested that the melody had come from a popular Italian song, but later admitted that it was his own invention.
Recordings
Solo with piano accompaniment
Videos
The viola serenade section from "In the South"