Description

This charming serenade is taken from Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni.The Canzonetta appears at the beginning of Act 2 of Don Giovanni. Wanting to seduce Donna Elvira’s maid, and believing that she will trust him better if he appears in lower-class clothes, Don Giovanni orders Leporello to exchange cloak and hat with him. Leporello, posing as Don Giovanni, leads Donna Elvira away to keep her occupied while Don Giovanni serenades her maid with his mandolin – “Deh, vieni alla finestra” – “Ah, come to the window”. The original instrumentation was for mandolin and pizzicato strings and so transfers to two guitars very well. I have dropped the key from D to C as otherwise the baritone part is rather high and the key change makes it more comfortable.