What is the Villanella?
The Villanella is a 16th-century Italian rustic part-song, deeply rooted in popular culture. The term “villanesca” comes from villano, a symbol that often appears in Western cultural history, often tied to pastoral life. According to music historian F. Novati, the Villanella is a broad term that encompasses any poetic-musical composition inspired by the “popular muse” .
Musicologist D. Cardamone describes these songs as serenades with either romantic or satirical tones, developing throughout the 16th and 17th centuries . In a similar vein, historian G. Monti and musicologist P. Della Valle emphasize the Neapolitan origins of this genre, underlining its evolution from local compositions to a style exported across Italy and Europe.
Although often viewed as a simplistic genre, the Villanella’s charm lies in its dialectical poetry and music, varying by region and social context. Neapolitan, Venetian, and Lombardian versions, for example, show different linguistic flavors. Musicologist F. Vatielli notes that Villanella lyrics could range from crude, rustic styles to more refined poetic expressions .