Return to Sorrento (Torna a Surriento)

About This Song

“Return to Sorrento” is a Neapolitan song said to have been composed in 1902 by Ernesto De Curtis. The song was copyrighted officially in 1905; it has since become wildly popular, and has been sung by performers as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Enrico Caruso, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti. The song reflects the beauty of Sorrento’s great surroundings (the Sorrento peninsula just north of the Amalfi coast) and the love and passion of its citizens. Stevan Pasero’s arrangement transports the listener to a treasured, timeless era at the turn of the twentieth century. Harmonies abound with minor chords (with major sevenths added) and are joined by cascading melodic thirds, sixths and arpeggios encompassing three and a half octaves.
The song was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone to be the 73rd greatest Brazilian song.