TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS Tenebrae responsories Responsory I Sicut ovis ad occisionem ductus est, et dum male tractaretur, non aperuit os suum: traditus est ad mortem. Ut vivificaret populum suum. Tradidit in mortem animam suam, et inter iniquos reputatus est. Mille volte il di moro Mille volte il di moro, E voi, empi sospiri, Non fate, oimè, che in sospirando io spiri? E tu, alma crudele, se il mio duolo T’afflige si, che non ten’ fuggi a volo? Ahi, che sol Morte al mio duol aspro e rio Divine pietosa e ancide il viver mio. Cosi dunque I sospiri e l’alma mia Sono ver me spietati e Morte pia. E cosi pur languendo E cosi pur languendo Me vó tra queste piume e’n doppio ardore Quindi morte m’assale e quindi amore. Ne voi cruda il sentite Et è pur vostra colpa vostra cura. Via più che di natura Che sprezzando l’un mal l’altro nudrite Legge protean e ria. Se vostro’el cor, perchè la pena e mia, (Guarini) He is led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb before his shearers, he is dumb. He is delivered unto death. That he might give life unto his people, He delivered his soul unto death. And was despised by the sinful. A thousand times a day I die, Yet you, pitiless sighs, Won’t you, alas, let me expire sighing? And thou, cruel soul, if my grief Afflicts thee so, why not haste away? Ah, Death alone, on my harsh and bitter grief Takes pity, and kills my life! Thus, then, my sighs and my soul Are heartless towards me, and Death merciful. While I so languish, I wander among these comforts and in double flames: Death assaults me from one side and love from another. Nor do you, cruel woman, notice it: Yet it’s your fault and your responsibility, More so than nature’s, For scorning one misfortune, you nourish another. Perverse and wicked law, If the heart is yours, why is the pain mine? Y’susum midbar Y’susum Midbar v’tsiya v’tagel Arava v’tifrach kach avatselet. Paroach tifrach v’tagel, Af gilat v’ranen, k’vod hal’vanon nitanlah, Hadar hakarmel v’hasharon. Hema yiru ch’vod adonai, Hadar elohanu. Az tipakachna einei ivrim V’oznei cher’shim tipatachna. Az y’daleg ka-ayal piseach. V’taron l’shon illem, Ki nivqu vamidbar mayim, Unchalim ba’arava. U’fduyei adonai, y’shuvun, uvau tsiyon, B’rina, v’simchat olam Al rosham sason, v’simcha yasigu V’nasu yagon v’anacha, v’nasu yagon v’anacha. (Isaiah 35:1,2,5,6,10) Zefiro torna Zefiro torna e’l bel tempo rimena e i fiori e l’erbe, sua dolce famiglia a garrir Progne a pianger Filomena e primavera candida e vermiglia. Ridono i prati, e’l ciel si rasserena; Giove s’allegra di mirar suo figlia; l’aria e l’aqua e la terra è d’amor piena; ogni animal d’amar si riconsiglia. Ma per me, lasso! tornano i più gravi sospiri, che del cor profondo tragge quella ch’al ciel se ne portò le chiavi; e cantare augelletti e fiorir piagge e’n bele donne oneste atti soavi sono un deserto e fere aspere e selvagge. The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad; And the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, Even with joy and singing; The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, The excellency of Carmel and Sharon; They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a deer, And the tongue of the dumb shall sing; For in the wilderness shall waters break out, And streams in the desert. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come with singing unto Zion, And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; They shall obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Zephyr returns and brings the sunshine back And flowers and grass, his sweet companions, And warbling swallows, lamenting nightingales, And Spring, milk-white and scarlet. The meadow smile, the sky is blue again, Jove regards his daughter with delight, Earth, air, and water are filled with love And every animal renews his courtship. But for me, alas, the heaviest sigh return, Drawn from the depths of my heart By she who took its keys with her to heaven; And birdsong, and the flowers of the field, And the sweet sincerity of lovely women Are as a desert and pitiless wild beasts. Una donna fra l’altre Una donna fra l’altre onesta e bella vidi nel coro di bellezza adorno l’armi vibrar, mover il piede intorno, feritrice d’amor, d’amor rubella. Uscìan dal caro viso auree quadrella, e’n quella notte che fe’ invidia e scorno col sol de’ suoi belli occhi al chiaro giorno, si rese ogni alma spettatrice ancella. Non diede passo allor che non ferisse, né girò ciglio mai che non sanasse, né vi fu cor che’l suo ferir fugisse; non ferì alcun che risanar bramasse, né fu sanato alcun che non languisse, né fu languente alfin che non l’amasse. A Dio Florida bella A dio Florida bella, il cor piagato Nel mio partir ti lascio, e proto meco La memoria di te, si come seco Cervo trafitto suol lo strale alato. Cara mio Floro a Dio, l’amaro stato Consoli Amor del nostro viver cieco; Che s’l tuo cor mei resta, il mio vien teco, Com’augellin, che vola al cibo amato. Cosi su’l Tebro a lo spuntar del Sole Quinci e quindi confuso un suon s’udio Di sospiri, de baci, e di parole: Ben mio rimanti in pace: E tu, ben mio, Vattene in pace, e sia quell ch’el ciel vuole. A Dio Floro (dicean) Florida a Dio. From all the chorus of beauty fair I spied one chaste and lovely woman brandish her weapons as she paced, the attacker and enemy of love. Golden arrows issued from her dear face, and that night, when the sun of her lovely eyes put the envious daylight to shame, every soul that saw her was enslaved. She took not one step that did not wound, nor ever gave a glance that did not heal, not one heart fled from her wounds; no one once wounded longed for healing, no one once healed did not still languish, no one once languishing did not love her. Farewell, fair Florida! My wounded heart I leave with you as I go, and take Your memory with me, like a wounded stag That carries in his side the feathered dart. Dearest Floro, farewell; may Love console The bitterness of our joyless lives; For if you heart stays with me, mine will fly to you like a bird to its favorite nourishment. Thus over the Tiber, as the sun arose, Here and there a confused sound was heard: Of sighs, kisses and words. My love, stay here in peace. And you, my love Go in peace, and let come whate’er may come. Farewell, Floro (they said), Florida, farewell. Presso un fiume tranquillo Presso un fiume tranquillo Disse a Filena Eurillo, Quante son queste arene, Tante son le mie pene; E quante son quell’onde, Tante ho per te nel cor piaghe profonde. Beside a tranquil river, Eurillo said to Filena: As numerous as these grains of sand Are the pains I suffer; And as numerous as those ripples Are the deep wounds you have inflicted on my heart. Rispose d’amor piena Ad Eurillo Filena, Quante la terra ha foglie, Tante son le mie doglie; E quante il cielo ha stele, Tante ho per te nel cor vive fiamelle. Filled with love, Filena replied thus to Eurillo: “As numerous as the leaves on earth Are my afflictions; And as numerous as the stars in the sky Are the flames you cause to sear my heart.” Dunque (con lieto core Soggionse indi il pastore) Quanti ha l’aria augelletti Sieno I nostri diletti’ E quante hai tu bellezze, Tante in noi versi Amor care dolcezze. “So” (the shepherd added With a happy heart): “As numerous as the birds up in the sky May our delights be; And as numerous as your beauties may The sweet joys be that Love pours into our hearts.” “Sì, sì” con voglie accese l’un e l’altro riprese: “Facciam, concordi amanti, pari le gioie ai pianti, a le guerre le paci: se fur mille i martir, sien mille i baci.” “Yes, yes” (with kindled desire The one replied to the other), “Let us likeminded lovers, Make our joys equal our plaints, Our reconciliations our battles; Let a thousand kisses cure a thousand pains.” Vineta Aus des Meeres tiefem, tiefem Grunde klingen Abendglocken, dumpf und matt, uns zu geben wunderbare Kunde von der schönen, alten Wunderstadt. From the depths of the sea the evening bells ring, muffled and weak, sending us wondrous messages from the old, splendid city of marvels In der Fluten Schoß hinabgesunken, blieben unten ihre Trümmer steh’n. Ihre Zinnen lassen goldne Funken widerscheinend auf dem Spiegel seh’n. Swallowed up in the bosom of the waves, its ruins are yet standing below. Its battlements shoot golden sparks which reflect on the mirror of the surface. Und der Schiffer, der den Zauberschimmer And the seafarer who once saw the magic gleams in the golden light of the setting sun, steers ever towards the same silent place even if there are threatening shoals around. einmal sah im hellen Abendrot nach derselben Stelle schifft er immer, ob auch rings umher die Klippe droht. Aus des Herzens tiefem, tiefem Grunde klingt es mir wie Glocken dumpf und matt. Ach, sie geben wunderbare Kunde von der Liebe, die geliebt es hat. In the depths of my heart there are sounds like weak and muffled bells. Ah, what wonderful news they send me of the love that was hers. Eine schöne Welt ist da versunken, ihre Trümmer blieben unten steh’n, lassen sich als goldne Himmelsfunken oft im Spiegel meiner Träume seh’n. A splendid world is sunken there, its ruins are yet standing below; and often, like golden sparks, shine in the mirror of my dreams. Und dann möcht’ ich tauchen in die Tiefen, mich versenken in den Wunderschein, und mir ist, als ob mich Engel riefen And then I long to dive into the depths and drown in the marvelous reflections, and ‘tis as though I heard the angels summoning me towards the ancient city of marvels. in die alte Wunderstadt herein Der Bucklichte Fiedler Es wohnet ein Fiedler zu Frankfurt am Main, Der kehret von lustiger Zeche heim; Und er traut auf den Markt, was schaut er dort? Der schönen Frauen schmausten gar viel’ an dem Ort. Du bucklichter Fiedler, nun fiedle uns auf, Wir wollen dir zahlen des Lohnes vollauf! Einen feinen Tanz, behende gegeigt, Walpurgis Nacht wir feiern heut. Der Geiger strich einen fröhlichen Tanz, Die Frauen tanzten den Rosenkranz, Und die erste sprach: mein lieber Sohn, Du geigtest so frisch, hab’ nun deinen Lohn. Sie griff ihm behend’ unter’s Wams sofort, Und nahm ihm den Höcker vom Rücken fort: So gehe nun hin, mein schlanker Gesell, Dich nimmt nun jedwede Jungfrau zur Stell’. There once was a fiddler from Frankfurt am Main, Who back from his revels came home once again. As he came to the town square, what saw he there? Many pretty ladies, a-feasting and fair. Now come, hump-backed fiddler, now fiddle the while, For we shall reward you in generous style, Play us some lively dances, jolly and gay, Walpurgisnacht! We celebrate today. The fiddler played them a frolicksome dance, The ladies then danced the Rosenkranz Then the first spoke: my lovely son, Your tunes are so fresh—your reward you’ve won. So under his doublet she seized his hump, And wrested from his back the offending lump. Go, then, on your way, you strapping young lad For now all the girls about you will be mad. Letztes Glück, Op 104, No. 3 Leblos gleitet Blatt um Blatt Still und traurig von den Bäumen; Seines Hoffens nimmer satt, Lebt das Herz in Frühlingsträumen. Lifelessly, leaf follows leaf gliding silently and sadly from the trees; never content in its hope, the heart lives in dreams of spring. Noch verweilt ein Sonnenblick Bei den späten Hagerosen, Wie bei einem letzten Glück, Einem süßen, hoffnungslosen. A glance of the sun lingers still on the late hawthorns like one final happiness, sweet and hopeless. Dieu! Qu’il la fait bon regarder Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder La gracieuse bonne et belle; Pour les grans biens que sont en elle Chascun est prest de la loüer. Qui se pourroit d’elle lasser? Tousjours sa beauté renouvelle. Lord! But she is fair, Graceful, good and beautiful. For all the stellar qualities in her Everyone is prompt to praise her. Who could tire of her? Her beauty is ever new. Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder La gracieuse bonne et belle! Par de ça ne de là, la mer Ne scay dame ne damoiselle Qui soit en tous bien parfais telle. C’est ung songe que d’i penser: Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder! Lord! but she is fair, Graceful, good and beautiful! In no place does the sea Know either lady or maiden So fair and perfect. Thinking of her is but a dream. Lord! but she is fair! Quant j’ai ouy la tabourin Quant j’ai ouy la tabourin Sonner, pour s’en aller au may, En mon lit n’en ay fait affray Ne levé mon chief du coissin; En disant: il est trop matin Ung peu je me rendormiray: Jeunes gens partent leur butin; De nonchaloir m’accointeray A lui je m’abutineray Trouvé l’ay plus prouchain voisin; When I heard the tambourine call us to go a-Maying, I did not let it frighten me in my bed nor did lift my head from the pillow; saying, “It is too early, I will go back to sleep for a bit.” Young folks share their spoils, But I wrap myself in indifference, clinging to it and finding the nearest neighbor. Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Ont passé par ici. Three beautiful birds from Paradise, (My beloved is away at war) Three beautiful birds from Paradise Have passed by here. Le premier était plus bleu que ciel, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) Le second était couleur de neige, Le troisième rouge vermeil. The first was bluer than the sky, (My beloved is away at war) The second was the color of snow, The third a red vermilion. “Beaux oiselets du Paradis, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) Beaux oiselets du Paradis, Qu’apportez par ici?” “Lovely little birds of Paradise, (My beloved is away at war) “Lovely little birds of Paradise, What brings you here?” “J’apporte un regard couleur d’azur. (Ton ami z’il est à la guerre)” “Et moi, sur beau front couleur de neige, Un baiser dois mettre, encor plus pur” “I bring a look from blue eyes. (Your beloved is away at war)” “And I, on your snow-white brow, Am to lay a kiss, even purer.” “Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, Que portez-vous ainsi?” “Red bird of Paradise, (My beloved is away at war) Red bird of Paradise, What do you bring?” “Un joli coeur tout cramoisi ... (Ton ami z’il est à la guerre)” “Ah! je sens mon coeur qui froidit ... Emportez-le aussi”. “A dear heart all crimson, (Your beloved is away at war)” “Ah! I feel my heart growing cold . . . Take it with you as well.” Nicolette Nicolette, à la vesprée, S’allait promener au pré, Cueillir la pâquerette, La jonquille et le muguet. Toute sautillante, toute guillerette, Lorgnant ci, là, de tous les côtés. Rencontra vieux loup grognant Tout hérissé, l’oeil brillant: “Hé là! ma Nicolette, Viens tu pas chez Mère Grand?” Nicolette, at vespers, went walking through the fields Picking daisies, jonquils, and lilies of the valley. Skipping merrily, glancing here, there, and everywhere. A perte d’haleine, s’enfuit Nicolette, Laissant là cornette et socques blancs. She met an old, growling wolf, all bristly with sparkling eyes, “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like to come to Grandmother’s house?” Quite breathless, Nicolette ran away, leaving behind her cap and white socks. Rencontra page joli, Chausses bleues et pourpoint gris: “Hé là! ma Nicolette, Veux-tu pas d’un doux ami?” Sage, s’en retourna, Pauvre Nicolette, Très lentement le coeur bien marri. She met a handsome page with blue shoes and grey doublet, “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like a boyfriend?” Wisely, she turned away, poor Nicolette, very slowly, her heart quite sore. Rencontra seigneur chenu, Tors, laid, puant et ventru. “Hé là! ma Nicolette, Veux-tu pas tous ces écus?” Vite fut en ces bras, Bonne Nicolette, Jamais au pré n’est plus revenue. She met a grey-haired lord, twisted, ugly, arrogant, and potbellied. “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like all of these gold coins?” Quickly she ran into his arms, good Nicolette, never to return to the fields again. So You Want to Write a Fugue So you want to write a fugue. You got the urge to write a fugue. You got the nerve to write a fugue. So go ahead, so go ahead and write a fugue. Go ahead and write a fugue that we can sing. Pay no heed, Pay no mind. Pay no heed to what we tell you, Pay no mind to what we tell you. Cast away all that you were told And the theory that you read. As we said come and write one, Oh do come and write one, Write a fugue that we can sing. Now the only way to write one Is to plunge right in and write one. Just forget the rules and write one, Just ignore the rules and try. And the fun of it will get you. And the joy of it will fetch you. Its a pleasure that is bound to satisfy. When you decide that John Sebastian must have been a very personable guy. Never be clever for the sake of being clever, for the sake of showing off. For a canon in inversion is a dangerous diversion, And a bit of augmentation is a serious temptation, While a stretto diminution is an obvious allusion. For to try to write a fugue that we can sing. And when you finish writing it I think you will find a great joy in it. or so... Nothing ventured, nothing gained they say But still it is rather hard to start. Well let us try right now. Now we are going to write a fugue. We are going to write a good one. We are going to write a fugue ... right now. My Bonny Lass My bonnie lass she smelleth, Making the flowers Jealouth. Fa la la (etc.) My bonnie lass dismayeth Me; all that she doth say ith: Fa la la (etc.) My bonnie lass she looketh like a jewel And soundeth like a mule. My bonnie lass she walketh like a doe And talketh like a crow. Fa la la (etc.) My bonnie lass liketh to dance a lot; She’s Guinevere and I’m Sir Lancelot. Fa la la (etc.) My bonnie lass I need not flatter; What she doth not have doth not matter. Oo la la (etc.) My bonnie lass would be nice, Yea, even at twice the price. Fa la la (etc.) Benediction The Lord bless you and keep you The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, And be gracious unto you. Amen. © Steven Ledbetter (www.stevenledbetter.com)