About This Composition Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was translated by Teodoro Cottrau into Italian and published in Naples in 1849. This classic tune works very well as an early song for an ensemble. It has just the right amount of familiarity, beauty, melody, harmony, challenges and rewards. After Dona Nobis Pacem, it is nice to have a more linear tune. Notice how often the beats line up vertically in the Conductor’s Score. This is a wonderful tune for getting your group playing together in the vertical sense. Timing is always so important! Uke 1 has some fingering challenges in the second half of the tune. I recommend playing most or all of this in the 5th position (1st finger on 5th fret, 4th finger on the 8th fret.) Ukes 2-4 each work best with Low-G tuning and are easily played in the 1st (or open) position. Ukes 2-4 include tied quarter notes instead of half notes to help beginning note readers keep count in measures 1 and 3. The bass part is very simple and supportive. That is quite often the best role for the bass in an ensemble.
