The Hidden Gem We Found in Sicily's Heart

Breathing new life into a forgotten melody

Sometimes music finds us in the most unexpected ways.

This time, it came as a whisper from Sicily's archives — a folk song called "A la Santaninfara," quietly waiting in Favara's collections, still pulsing with life after all these years.

When Stefano first discovered this piece, we both felt something special. It wasn't just a melody; it was a voice from the past that refused to fade, carrying emotions we couldn't quite name but could definitely feel.

The Mystery That Captivates Us

What fascinates us most about "A la Santaninfara" is its mystery. The lyrics are fragments whose meaning is unclear, their original context lost to time. And yet, even without certainty about what the words mean, the song carries something profound — an emotion that reaches across the years.

For us, this piece became less about decoding and more about listening. Sometimes the most powerful music speaks in ways that don't need translation.

A New Arrangement, Ancient Roots

Stefano arranged the piece with such care, giving it new breath while staying completely true to its roots. He even added a B section that expands its colors and emotional range, creating space for the melody to unfold more fully.

Together, on guitar and 8-string, we tried to let this forgotten melody sing again. It felt like we were having a conversation with the past, letting Sicily's musical heritage flow through our strings.

Watch Our New Video

I'm so excited to share this performance with you. You can watch it here:

Part of Something Bigger

This piece is part of what we're calling our "Sicilian Collection" — an ongoing project to preserve and share Sicily's incredible folk music tradition through the guitar. Just like Miguel Llobet did with Catalan folk songs, we're exploring how these beautiful Sicilian melodies can find new life on our instruments.

If you're curious about the story behind this arrangement, Stefano wrote a wonderful piece on his Substack about discovering these folk songs and what inspired him to transcribe them. It's a beautiful read about following musical threads that lead you somewhere unexpected.

A Gift for You

And here's something special: you can find the sheet music for "A la Santaninfara" available for free on our website. We believe this music should be shared, played, and kept alive by as many musicians as possible.

Thank you for listening. I hope this music finds a quiet place in your day and maybe sparks your own curiosity about the forgotten melodies waiting to be rediscovered.

There's something magical about giving voice to songs that almost slipped away. It reminds me why I fell in love with music in the first place — this ability to connect across time, to let the past speak through our hands and hearts.

Warmly, Roberta