This charming little song, whose title translates as "Sun and love" is

more familiar to Puccini listeners as the melodic theme of the quartet

in the third act of Boheme, as the two pairs of lovers separate. However,

the mood of this song is quite different.

It's a morning greeting song by a lover, in which the singer tells the

beloved that both the sun and love are calling to her to awaken and think

of the lover. The sentimentality of the text, probably written by Puccini

himself is a perfect complement to the melody, which is light but tender.

The song also has one of the few known date-stamps in music—the last line

translates as "March 1, 1888, " which is probably the date of composition,

though some singers in performance change this last line to suit the

occasion.

© All Music Guide