What is this piece?

[gp4rts]

It's a melody I remember from a long time ago.  I once knew the name, but I have forgotten it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p7bMZnJZ9k

[mahlertitan]

It's a melody I remember from a long time ago.  I once knew the name, but I have forgotten it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p7bMZnJZ9k

more clues please, was it instrumental? orchestral? chamber? choral?

[gp4rts]

 I have found it!  It is from a ballet written by Riccardo Drigo, "Harlequin's Millions", also called "Harlequinade".  It is called "Serenade from Harequin's Millions" or "Notturno d'Amore".   It is not clear, but since it was for ballet, I would think that the original was orchestral.  However, there is a song version as well.  It became a very popular piece for salon orchestra, and was transcribed for many different instruments and instrument combinations.   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlequinade.  On i-tunes you can find jazz and rock versions as well.

I found this because I knew the theme had been used for an old radio soap opera in the '40s (my mother used to listen to them while I was around).  I found a list of old radio themes on the internet, and just noted the best possibilities; then listened to samples on Amazon.com.

[Bonehelm]

Wow,that's some obscure stuff. 

[S709]

Agreed, pretty rare ... though perhaps more well known among ballet specialists.

I do wonder how gp4rts found it !!