Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti, one of Italy’s best known song composers, was
born in Ortona sul Mare, Abruzzi, Italy, on April 9, 1846. His musical
education took place at the Royal College of San Pietro a Maiella in
Naples. He left Naples in 1869 after serving for a while as teacher of
music. Returning to his native city he now initiated his career as a
composer of songs. Though a few of these early efforts became popular he
failed for a long time to find a publisher. Success first came to him in
Rome at a song recital in which he featured some of his own
compositions. He scored an even greater success as singer-composer in
London in 1875. He now settled permanently in London, serving as a
singing master to the royal family, and as professor of singing at the
Royal Academy of Music. In 1908 he was knighted. In 1913 he returned to
his native land. He died in Rome on December 2, 1916.
Tosti had a remarkable lyric gift that was Italian to its very core in
the ease, fluidity, and singableness of his melodies. This talent was
combined with an elegant style and a sincere emotion. His best songs are
among the most popular to emerge from Italy. The most famous and the
most moving emotionally is without question “_Addio_” (“Goodbye,
Forever”). Almost as popular and appealing are “_Ideale_” (“My Ideal”),
“_Marechiare_,” “_Mattinata_,” “_Segreto_,” “_La Serenata_,” and
“_Vorrei morire_.”