Enrico Toselli
Enrico Toselli was born in Florence, Italy, on March 13, 1883. After studying with Sgambati and Martucci, Toselli toured Italy as a concert pianist. But he achieved renown not on the concert stage but with the writing of several romantic songs. One of these is the “Serenata,” No. 1, op. 6, through which his name survives. He also wrote some orchestral music and an operetta, La Principessa bizzarra (1913) whose libretto was the work of the former Crown Princess Luisa of Saxony whom he married in 1907 thereby creating an international sensation. Toselli died in Florence, Italy, on January 15, 1926.
The “Serenata” (“Rimpianto”) with Italian words by Alfred Silvestri and English lyrics by Sigmund Spaeth was published in the United States in 1923. This romantic, sentimental, Italian melody, as well loved in this country as in Europe, was for many years used by Gertrude Berg as the theme music for her radio and television program, The Goldbergs. It was also used as the theme music for an early talking picture, The Magic Flame, in which Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky were starred.