Enrico Toselli was born in Florence, Italy, on March 13, 1883. After
studying with Sgambati and Martucci, Toselli toured Italy as a concert
pianist. But he achieved renown not on the concert stage but with the
writing of several romantic songs. One of these is the “_Serenata_,” No.
1, op. 6, through which his name survives. He also wrote some orchestral
music and an operetta, _La Principessa bizzarra_ (1913) whose libretto
was the work of the former Crown Princess Luisa of Saxony whom he
married in 1907 thereby creating an international sensation. Toselli
died in Florence, Italy, on January 15, 1926.
The “_Serenata_” (“_Rimpianto_”) with Italian words by Alfred Silvestri
and English lyrics by Sigmund Spaeth was published in the United States
in 1923. This romantic, sentimental, Italian melody, as well loved in
this country as in Europe, was for many years used by Gertrude Berg as
the theme music for her radio and television program, _The Goldbergs_.
It was also used as the theme music for an early talking picture, _The
Magic Flame_, in which Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky were starred.