For a country that ostensibly loves Christmas, both as a religious feast and a traditional, family-oriented celebration, there are surprisingly few truly “national” carols in Italy. We love those coming from the US, and the Italian versions of English and German classics plus, of course, the ubiquitous Latin of Adeste Fideles. But what about a 100% Italian Christmas song, does Italy have one? Of course, it does, and you may even know it: Tu Scendi dalle Stelle.
Today considered a timeless piece, the song has a very precise story and author, as it was written in the mid-eighteenth century by Alfonso Maria de’ Liguori, a Neapolitan lawyer who left a brilliant career to become a priest and, later, a bishop and founder of the Redemptorists.
