Preface   TO THE BOOK "The True Alpine's Songs" OF THE COMMISSION IN DEFENCE OF THE ALPINE Song - OCTOBER 1967 - OF THE NATIONAL ALPINE ASSOCIATION

 The first and main aim that tends the National Alpine Association is – how establish its statute -to "keep alive the traditions and characteristics of the Alpine. And there is no doubt that our songs, especially those that have been created as anonymous expression of spontaneous feelings, are part of our tradition and our characteristic.

But it's also out of doubt that our songs, which are not protected by copyright or are in any way protected, have become for years field of exercises, changes and all sorts of variations in intention-or illusion-to bring them to a higher artistic level, which does not always succeed and that in any case constitutes an alterationand ad sometimes, a contamination of the original.

This has often aroused complaints which have achieved the most significant expression at a "Conference in defense of Alpine Singing" that on the initiative of the Lecco Section of A.N.A. was held in that city in June 1965. This Meeting ended with an agenda, voted unanimously, urging the Board of Trustees A.N.A national. to entrust to a specially created Commission to compile an official Songbook with the original text and the melodic line of the traditional songs of the Alpine troops. The C.D.N., in obedience to the statutory provision mentioned above, welcomed the invitation and appointed the Commission that compiled this collection.

Around this commission are needed some clarification.

This collection should not be and is not a general anthology of military or mountain songs, but covers only those songs that can be considered effectively and genuinely of the "Alpini" because they were born almost by spontaneous germination between alpine troops, or bear a specific impression.

Ciò This explains the smallness of this book in which, among other things, were not inserted songs "by author" on whose structure there can not be doubts and that are on the market; neither those who, having become popular among soldiers of all weapons, were spread among our troops but do not have however those unmistakable characteristics that could make them look like really our songs. Only these were included in this collection, including the older who, despite being passed by fashion or fallen into ruin, had even cheered the gears or vigils of our old and were therefore entitled to be remembered.

The Commission has also made a difficult job of cleansing, or reduction in pristine, ground the songs of those changes that had altered the original structure.

Only some variant that was kind, it as well, for spontaneous germination, or that was acquired by the Alpine, it was considered appropriate to mention.

The text of the songs was transcribed avoiding those little words that are deformations due to dialectal infiltration variables depending on the region of the cantors, but who do not have a special stamp of originality.

For the music was indicated only the easier melodic line.

With this, the Commission did not want to do a definitive or complete work, but only establish the original form of our songs and saving someone from oblivion.

Anyone can always exercise its creativity in all possible variations, but if it wants to know the original forms of the songs here it canfind this.

The Commission finally will be grateful to all those who wish to correct possible errors, fill any gaps, and especially-as it is hoped that the spontaneous singing vein that flows from the heart of the Alpine troops do not lapse-who will continue over time this collection.

The Commission   

Coro Grigna dell'Associazione Nazionale Alpini sez. di Lecco
Sede 23900 LECCO - Laorca - Via Ramello, 1
www.corogrigna.it - info@corogrigna.it