ARCHIVE OF PAST SEASONS
BOSTON's PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ENSEMBLE PERFORMING MUSIC OF WOMEN COMPOSERS FROM THE 9th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY
BOSTON's PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ENSEMBLE PERFORMING MUSIC OF WOMEN COMPOSERS FROM THE 9th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY
BOSTON's PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ENSEMBLE PERFORMING MUSIC OF WOMEN COMPOSERS FROM THE 9th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY
BOSTON's PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ENSEMBLE PERFORMING MUSIC OF WOMEN COMPOSERS FROM THE 9th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY
BOSTON's PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ENSEMBLE PERFORMING MUSIC OF WOMEN COMPOSERS FROM THE 9th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY
Photo: Sam Brewer
Renaissance Portraits Translations
"Il contrasto de' cinque sensi"
Composed by Barbara Strozzi
Chi di noi vaglia piu,
e di gioia maggior ministro sia
fiera lite ogn'hor fu.
Io miro. Io sento. Io gusto. Io fiuto.
Io tocco, e nella donna mia tal'hor
anco merce d'un picciol bacio tutto tutto trabocco.
Tocca, pur quanta sai
che nel sol tocco
Amore il verace gioir non pose mai.
Ne sia giudice il cor
mesto e languente.
Ohimè, senti ch'il cor
dentro ci dice:
ch'un sol bacio, ch'e niente,
il sà felice.
Which of us is valued more and is the greater minister of joy
has always been a fierce dispute.
I look. I hear. I taste. I smell.
I touch, and in my lady, of times
also thanks to a tiny kiss
I utterly overflow.
Touch, well you know that Love,
in the touch alone
true delight has never placed.
May the judge be the sad
and languishing heart.
Alas, hear what the heart
within says to us:
that a single kiss, which is nothing, knows happiness.
"Audivi vocem in caelo"
Composed by Raffaella Aleotti
Audivi vocem in caelo
duorum Angelorum, dicentium:
Timite Deum et adorate eum,
et date claritatem illi,
qui fecit caelum et terram,
mare et fontes aquarum.
I heard the voice in heaven
of two angels saying,
“Fear God and worship him,
and give glory to him
who made heaven and earth,
the sea and springs of water.”
"S'io men vò, morirò"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Ripresa:
S’io men v`0, morirò,
Ahi, crudel dipartita.
Prima parte:
S’ora il cor non ha virtù
Contra il duol di sua ferita
Come lei non miri liù
Chi salvar potrà mia vita
Seconda parte:
Onde omai spero pietà,
O sventur empia infinita
Statti addio somma beltà
Mia speranz’al vento è gita.
Terza parte:
Deh se voce di mercè
Appò voi fu mai sentita
La memoria di mia fè
Su’l partir non sia schernita.
Reprise:
If I leave, I will die;
Alas, cruel farewell.
First part:
If now the heart has no virtue
Against the pain of its wound,
How will it no longer look upon her?
Who will save my life?
Second part:
Since at this point I hope for mercy,
Oh misfortune, cruel and endless,
Stay! Goodbye exalted beauty,
My hope has gone with the wind.
Third part:
Alas, if the voice of mercy
Was ever heard by you,
Let the memory of my faith
Not be scorned upon its departure.
"Miserere mei deus"
Composed by Raffaella Aleotti
Miserere mei, Deus,
miserere mei:
quoniam in te confidit anima mea.
Et in umbra alarum tuarum
[sperabo]: donec
transeat iniquatatis.
Have mercy on me, O God,
have mercy on me;
for my soul trusts in you.
And in the shadow of your wings
[I will hope], until iniquity
has passed by.
"Il mio distruggo, et ardo"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Io mi distruggo, et ardo
Nè trovo al mio
dolor conforto, e pace,
Ch’un sol pietoso sguardo
Temprar no può d’Amor
l’ardent face,
Nè sfoagr posso in pianto
il dolor mio. Come viver poss’io?
Occhi, deh per pietà,
mentre splendete
E dolci saettando il cor m’ardete,
Toglietemi la vita
Ch’Io vò morir se non
mi date aita.
I waste away, and burn
Nor do I find comfort
for my pain, or peace,
For a single merciful glance
Cannot temper Love’s
burning torch,
Nor can I vent my pain
with tears. How can I live,
Eyes (alas, for mercy),
while you shine
And, sweetly shooting your arrows, burn in my heart? Take my life,
For I wish to die if you do not come to my rescue.
"Io felice"
Composed by Madalena Casulana
Io felice pastore,
quel di fausto
et ameno,
non parea star' in terra
ma nel cielo,
e di celest' ardore,
e d'amoroso zelo,
senti l'alma infiammata venir' meno,
indi non piu desio,
mi pors' un picciol rio,
ch'el mio nobil tesoro, honora cinto di sacrat' al horo.
Per lei pos' in oblio,
le vag' e biond' arene,
tanto gradite, tanto gradite,
tanto gradite al gran popul di Marte,
et ogni pensier mio,
pingend' in vive carte,
lei sol' andra per queste
piagg' amene,
e da lei stanc' e frale,
attend' ambe due l'ale,
per gir sempre volando,
volando, qual cigno lieto lei
sola cantando sola cantando.
I, happy shepherd,
On that pleasant and
auspicious day,
didn’t seem to belong to earth
but to heaven,
and I felt my soul, burning with celestial passion
and loving devotion, failing me,
then not desire anymore,
came to me from a small stream
that honors my noble love
with a laurel crown.
For her I have forgotten
the beautiful golden arenas
so dear, so dear, so dear
to the great warriors
and in every one of my thoughts,
crying over her letters,
she alone will roam
these pleasant shores,
and, frail and tired,
will spread her wings,
to go always flying,
flying, like a gentle swan, she
alone singing alone singing.
"Dov'io credea le mie speranze"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Dov’io credea le mie speranze vere –
Io vi trovai smarita piu la fede
Cosi va chi troppo ama
e troppo crede
Il cor sincero che con fede ama va
Senza speme tradito
al fin si vede Cosi va.
Il mio amor la mia fede
El’ al trui inganno d’un
finito duol m’ha fatto erede
Cosi va…
Lasso ch’io pur m’accorgo et ard’il veggio
Che fede non puo dar chi non ha fede
Cosi va…
Where I believed my true hopes were
I found faith no longer there
So it goes with those who love too much
and believe too much.
The sincere heart that with faith
goes to love without hope
is betrayed in the end
So it goes..
My love, my faith, with his deception
of finite pain he made me heir
So it goes...
In time I also realize and ardently see
What faith cannot give to one who does not have faith
So it goes...
"Gli amanti fallitti"
Composed by Barbara Strozzi
Amor, amor, noi ricorriamo a te
Supplichevoli avanti senza credito
Ò fe falliti amanti.
Se di forze ci spoglia
grave cadente età
S’andiam ogni hora più giù
Se non potiamo più
La tua pietà ci toglia da dura servitù.
Amor, amor, noi ricorriamo a te
S’à noi manca ogni splendida richezza
Se miseri e dolenti
d’ogni nostra bellezza
Miriamo i fior languenti
E se non ritroviam chi più ci guardi,
Frena, Amor, i toi dardi.
Non bersagliar in vano
Ch’il dar morte a manchevoli
Sarebbe scorno della tua mano.
Love, Love, we turn to you,
entreating without assurance
or repute, we fading lovers.
As advancing age deprives us of strength,
as we decline further every hour,
as we become feeble,
let your mercy remove us
from harsh servitude.
Love, Love, we turn to you.
Since we lack resplendent comeliness,
miserable and suffering,
since we watch the flowers of our charms
fade, and as we no longer find anyone
who looks at us,
restrain your arrows, Cupid;
don’t shoot to no purpose,
for to give death to weaklings
would dishonour your bow.
"Preigo ad amore"
Composed by Barbara Strozzi
Pietosissimo Amore.
Tu mai non abbandoni
chi h consacra
riverente il core.
Chi cieco ti figura,
chi nudo, chi bendato,
chi di saette armato.
Non provo tua dolcissima natura
ne morir mai languir,
rna per un poco e gloria del tuo foco
Vieni, deh vieni a noi.
Vieni, gioia dell' alme.
Spargi benigno i doni tuoi.
E d'un cortese affetto al
Ia Barbara mia
feconda il petto.
Most merciful Love.
You never abandon
one who reverently
offers the heart to you.
Who envisions Thee blind,
naked, blindfolded,
armed with arrows.
Untested is your sweet nature
either by death or misery,
but brief is the glory of your fire.
Come, ah come to us.
Come, joy of the soul.
Bestow your sweet gifts..
And for a kind affection
toward my Barbara
make the heart fertile.
– INTERMISSION –
"Ecce iterum/Se je souspire"
Composed by Margaret of Austria
Bottom voice:
Ecce iterum novus dolor accedit!
Nec satis erat infortunissime
Cesaris lie, conjugem amissise dilectissimum;
Nisi etiam fratrem unicum
mors acerba surriperet.
Doleo super te, frater mi Philippe,
rex optime; nec est qui
me consoletur.
O vos omnes
qui transitis per viam,
attendite et videte si est dolor
sicut dolor meus!
Upper voices:
Se je souspire et plaingz,
disant “Helas, aymy!”
Et par champs,
et par plains je plains mon doulx amy.
Sur tous l’avoir eslu,
mais ere destinée par mort
le m’a toulu, dolente infortunée.
Mes chantz sont de deuil plains;
bon jour n’ay ne demy.
Vous qui oyes mes plaints,
ayez pitie de my!
Bass:
Behold, again a new sorrow comes!
It was not enough for the most
unfortunate daughter of the Emperor
to have lost her dearest husband;
bitter death must steal
even her only brother.
I mourn thee, my brother Phillip,
greatest king; nor is there anyone
to console me.
O ye who pass this way,
attend and see if there is any sorrow
like unto my sorrow!
Upper voices:
Thus I sigh and lament,
saying “Helas, aymy!”
And in elds and plains
I grieve for my sweet friend.
He was chosen above all,
but proud destiny has by death
taken him from me,
and sad unfortunate one. My songs
are full of sorrow; I have neither
a good day nor half. You hear
my laments, have pity on me!
"Diligam te dombine"
Composed by Raffaella Aleotti
Diligam te, Domine,
fortitudo mea.
Dominus firmamentum meum,
et refugium meum,
et liberator meus.
Deus meus adjutor meus,
et sperabo in eum:
Diligam te, Domine,
fortitudo mea.
Dominus firmamentum meum,
et refugium meum,
et liberator meus.
Deus meus adjutor meus,
et sperabo in eum:
I will love you,
O Lord my strength.
The Lord is my firmament,
and my refuge,
and my deliverer.
My God is my helper,
and I will hope in him;
my protector,
and the horn of my salvation,
and my support.
With praise
I will call upon the Lord;
and I shall be saved
from my enemies.
"Silentio nocive"
Composed by Barbara Strozzi
Dolcissimi respiri
De’ nostri cori amanti
Son le parole
affettuose e i canti.
Sfoga, o mio core,
il tuo cocente ardore,
Se tal’hor non ti tocca
Nodrirti almen
di due soavi baci.
Afflittissima bocca,
Stolta sei se tu taci:
Parla, canta, respira, esala il duolo,
Canta, canta, che solo
Dolcissimi respiri...
Sweetest breaths
are the passionate
words and songs
of our loving hearts.
Express, oh my heart,
your burning desire,
when at times you cannot
at least nourish yourself
with two sweet kisses.
Afflicted mouth, you’re foolish
if you remain silent:
Speak, sing, divulge your suffering,
sing, sing, for only
Sweetest breaths...
"Fresche aurette"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Fresche aurette, vezzosette
Dolci fiati or qui spirate
Augelletti, Amoresetti
Nuovi canti oggi formate.
Ecco l’Aura,
Che restaura
Ogni spirto e’l mondo abbella
Seco il giorno
Or fa ritorno
E più bel so rinovella.
Non isa Ninfa
In chiara linfa,
Che non esca
ai lieti balli
I pastori
In dolce cori
Venghin fuor de’boschi, è valli.
Pargoletti
Lascivetti
Nudi ancor venghin gl’Amori
Qui ballando
Alzin cantando
Dell’Aurora al Ciel gl’onori.
Fresh flirtations, breezes,
Sweet breaths you blow this way;
Amorous, Little birds,
New songs you compose today.
Here is the breeze,
Which restores
All souls, and makes the world lovelier;
In her, the day
Now returns,
And is remade even more beautiful.
There is no nymph
In the clear dew
That is not drawn
to the happy dances;
Let shepherds,
In sweet choirs,
Come from the woods and valleys.
Let the sensuous
Infant
Naked Cupids come
Dancing here,
And raise in song
Dawn’s praises to the sky.
"Non plangete"
Composed by Rosa Badalla
Non plangete, no, antiqui Patres,
In ombra taciturna, in cella nocturna
Limbi obscure, gaudete.
Non plangete, no.
O veridici prophetae,
vaticinia beata,
iam ex redice Jesse nata est virga,
beatissima Virgo quae germinabit
Nazarenum florem
et producet salvatorem.
Cara dies fortunata.
Me rapite caeli aeterni,
iam sunt clausae protae inferni,
sum contenta, sum beata;
cara dies fortunata.
In glorioso estasi
protanto contento
elevator anima mea,
pro Maria nascente
cum tanto gaudio exultat meum cor.
Non plus me tentate,
no mundanae Sirenae;
iam vestrae catene
nunc conqueassate,
non plus me tentate. Alleluia.
No do not weep, ancient Fathers,
in silent shadow, in your nocturnal cell
in the darkness of Limbo, rejoice,
do not weep, no.
O true prophets, blessed augurs,
now a rod has sprung
from the root of Jesse, the Blessed
Virgin who will give birth to the Nazarene,
who will bring forth
the flower of salvation.
O dear and fortunate day!
Bear me away, eternal heavens!
Now the gates of hell are closed.
I am happy, I am blest!
O dear and fortunate day!
In ecstasy for such glories contentment
my soul is raised up,
with such great joy
for the birth of Mary
does my heart rejoice.
Tempt me no longer,
no, ye Sirens of this world;
now your chains have been broken.
Tempt me no longer.
Alleluia!
"Lasciatemi qui solo"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Lasciatemi qui solo
Tornate augelli al nido
Mentre l’anim’e’l duolo
Spiro su questo lido
Altri meco non voglio
Ch’un freddo scogli,
E’l mio fatal martire.
Lasciatemi morire.
Dolcissime sirene,
Che’n sì pietoso canto
Raddolcite mie pene
Fate soave il pianto
Movet’il nuoto altronde
Togliete al’onde
I crudi sdegni, e l’ire.
Lasciatemi morire.
Plicidissimi venti
Tornate al vostro speco
Sol miei duri lamenti
Chieggio che restin meco.
Vostri sospir non chiamo
Solino bramo
I miei dolor finir.
Lasciatemi morire.
Felicissimi amanti
Tornate al bel diletto
Fere eccels’o notanti
Figgite il mesto aspetto
Sol dolcezza di morte
Aspra le porte
All’ultimo Languire.
Lasciatemi morire.
Avarissimi lumi
Che su’l morir versate
Amarissimmi fiumi
Tar’è vostra pietate
Già mi sento mancare
O luci avar’e
Tarde al mio conforto
Già sono esangu’e smorto.
(Lasciatemi morire.)
Leave me here alone,
Return, birds, to your nests,
While my soul, and my pain,
I give up on these shores.
I want no one else with me
Other than a cold rock.
And my fated death.
Leave me to die.
Sweetest Sirens,
Who with such merciful song
Sweeten my sufferings and
Soften my weeping,
Go elsewhere to swim,
Dampen the waves’
Cruel scorn, and their ire.
Leave me to die.
Calmest winds,
Return to your cave;
I ask that only my harsh laments
Remain with me.
I do not call upon your sighs;
Alone I wish
To end my sufferings.
Leave me to die.
Happiest lovers,
Return to your beautiful pleasure;
Wild beasts, whether birds or fish,
Flee from this sad countenance;
Only the sweetness of death
Should open its doors
To this final languishing.
Leave me to die.
Most avariscious eyes,
That on point of death spill
The bitterest rivers,
Your pity comes too late,
Already I feel myself fail:
Oh eyes, stingy
And slow to comfort me,
I am already bloodless and lifeless.
(Let me die.)
"Ben venga"
Composed by Madalena Casulana
"Ben venga la mia nimph'
Ben venga il pastor
anz' il mio sole",
dicea sul vago lit'
al fin del giorno,
con soavi parole
Lidia ambi pieni di desio,
vola van d'ogn'intorni Lieti
scherzand' i pargolett' amori,
e in su le labbia lor s'uniro 'i cori.
Adio Lidia mia bella,
Caro mio Meri adio,
poi ch'el ciel vole
Dicea scura arn' al Apparir del sole
Pastor afflitto,
aflitta pastorella,
Piangev' el, piangev' ella
Piangea con essi amore
E quinc'e quindi
si divis' il core.
“Welcome to my nymph,
Welcome to the shepherd
Or better, my sun”,
Lidia was saying at the end of the day,
with sweet words,
both of them full of desire,
the cupids flying around
with cheerful joy
and on their lips their hearts
joined in a kiss.
Good bye, my beautiful Lidia
Good bye, my beloved Meri
since the heaven wants it,
She said as the sun was rising,
Shepherd brokenhearted,
brokenhearted shepherdess,
He was crying, she was crying,
And Love crying with them
And then and there
their heart broke.
"No sò se quel sorriso"
Composed by Francesca Caccini
Non sò se quel sorriso
Mi schernisce o m’affida
Se quel mirami fiso
M’allesta o mi diffida
Già schernito e deriso
Da bella donna infida
Non vorrei piu che’l core
Fosse strazio d’amore.
Non vò più per dolcezza
D’immaginato bene
Nutriemi d’amarezza
Vivendo sempre in pene,
Nè per nuova bellezza
Portar lacci, e catene,
Nè gravar l’alma ancella
Di misenta novella.
Se tu vuoi ch’io t’adori
D’amor stella gentile
Ti canti, e ch’io t’onori
Su la mia cetra virile
A più degni tesori?
A guiderdon non vile
Chiama l’avida speme,
Che spregiata già teme.
Soffrir io più non voglio
La ferità crudele
D’un cor cinto d’orgoglio,
D’un anima infidele,
N`e tra scoglio
Affidar più le vele
Della mia libertate
Senza certa pietate.
I do not know if that smile
Mocks me or encourages me,
If that intent look
Rouses me or is suspiciouos of me;
Having been mocked and laughed at
By a beautiful faithless lady,
I would not want my heart
Ravaged by love again.
I do not want, for the sweetness
Of an imagind prize,
To feed on bitterness,
Living in constant suffering
Not for a new beauty
To be bound and chained,
Nor to burden my enslaved soul
With new mystery.
If you want me to adore you,
Gentle star of love,
To sing of you, and to honor you
With my manly lyre,
To more worthy treasures,
To a not inconsiderable reward,
Call my greedy hope,
Which, despised, is already afraid.
I no longer want to suffer
The cruel ferocity
Of a heart girded with pride,
Of an unfaithful soul;
Nor do I wish, among the rocks,
To trust another with the sails
Of my freedom
Without the certainty of mercy.
"L'Amante modesto"
Composed by Barbara Strozzi
Volano frettolosi i giorni,
e presto un secolo sarà
ch'io t'amo, a Clori. Ne de' miei
lunghi ossequiosi amori un picciol
guiderdone anco t'hò chiesto.
Amante son, ma candido e modesto.
Voglio che taciturno il cor ti adori,
e voglio disfogar
gl'interni ardori
col muto fiato
d'un sospir honesto.
Godati chi di me
piu fortunato nacque ai diletti impuri.
A me sol basta saper
dalla mia Clori esser amato.
Cosi mai non guerreggia
e non contrasta rivalità.
Diverso è il nostro stato.
Egli t'ama impudica. Io t'amo casta.
Senza certa pietate.
The days are flying swiftly,
and almost a century
have I loved you, oh Clori.
For my long, devoted love,
not even a small reward have I asked.
A lover I am, but pure and modest.
I wish the heart to adore you silently,
and I wish to release
the internal passions
with the mute breath
of an honest sigh.
Let he who is born
more fortunate than I
enjoy impure delights.
To me it is enough to know
that I am loved by my Clori.
Thus, never warring and never
conflicting is our rivalry.
Diverse is our condition. He loves you wanton.
I love you chaste.