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Alonso Mudarra

Triste estaba el rey David

 

Tres libros de música en cifra (1546), fol. III/13

mu054

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Source title Romance. Entonase la boz e[n la segu[n]da al tercero traste.
Title in contents   Triste estava el rey Dauid.
Text incipit Triste estava el rey dauid


Music

Category song

Genre Romance

Fantasia type

Mode 4

Voices 4

Length (compases) 44

Vihuela

Tuning F#

Courses 6

Final IV/0

Highest I/6

Lowest VI/1

Difficulty not specified

Tempo medium

Song Text

Language ES

Vocal notation texted staff notation

Commentary

One of Mudarra’s most famous songs based on the Old Testament account of David slaying Absalom in Samuel II. The song shows Mudarra’s ability to create exquisite melody with simple accompaniment. The music has close connections to the pavana-folia pattern (griffiths2003-1 and 2003-2). The vocal part is notated on a separate staff.

Pujol suggests that the text may have originated prior to the 15th century, but no other version is known.
Roa gives a detailed analysis (roa2015, 364)

Recordings

smith05 Alonso Mudarra – Libro tercero de música en cifras y canto 1546 Montserrat Figueras & Hopkinson Smith vihuela song Mudarra

fresno04 Alonso Mudarra: Tres libros de música en cifras para vihuela y para canto y vihuela Jorge Fresno and Rosemarie Meister solo vihuela song Mudarra

Music from the Time of Christopher Columbus Musica Reservata Mudarra

cubedo01 Songs of the Spanish Renaissance, Vol. 1 Montserrat Caballé and Manuel Cubedo (Vihuela) vihuela song Fuenllana Milán Mudarra Narvaez Pisador Valderrábano

pujol03 Spanish Songs Emilio Pujol and Rosa Barbany vihuela song Narváez Milan Vásquez Mudarra Morales Marín Flecha Valderrábano Sanz

hervas01 Por los campos de los moros Sergio Merino (tenor) and Francisco Hervás (vihuela) solo vihuela song ensemble Vásquez Narváez Fuenllana Mudarra Francisco de la Torre Enrique

pitzl01 Alonso Mudarra, Tres Libros de Musica, Sevilla 1546 Raquel Andueza & Private Musicke dir. Pierre Pitzl vihuela song Mudarra Milán Narváez Daza

leeb01 Italian and Spanish Songs Hugues Cuénod, Hermann Leeb vihuela song solo Milán Mudarra

A Song of David. Music of the Sephardim and Renaissance Spain La Rondinella Mudarra, Narváez

leeb01 Italian Songs (16th and 17th Centuries) - Spanish Songs (16th Century) Leeb, Cuénod Milán, Mudarra

Madrigal History Tour The King's Singers', Consort of Musicke. Anthony Rooley Mudarra

L'homme armé: 1450-1650. Musique de guerre et de paix The Boston Camerata. Joel Cohen Mudarra

heringman05 Alonso Mudarra: Songs and solos for vihuela & guitar Catherine King, Jacob Heringman Mudarra

rivera05 Lágrimas corriendo. Canciones de Alonso Mudarra y Miguel de Fuenllana Carlos Mena, Juan Carlos Rivera Fuenllana Mudarra

Canciones Sefardíes del S.XX Elena Gragera, Antón Cardó Mudarra

fresno06 Música española del siglo XVI [guitar] Jorge Fresno & Sofía Noël solo vihuela song Milán Mudarra Fuenllana Narváez Pisador Valderrábano

studio01 Música Ibérica II Studio der Frühen Musik Milán Mudarra

Song Text

Triste estava el rey David,
Triste y con gran pasión,
Quando le vinieron nuevas
De la muerte de Absalón.

Quando le vinieron nuevas
De la muerte de Absalón,
Palabras tristes dezía
Salidas del coraçon.

At the end of the romance, following the tablature, there is another stanza:

Ellos mismos fueron causa
De tu muerte y mi passión.
No te quisiera ver muerto,
Sino viuo en mi prisión,
Que aunque me eras desobediente
Yo te otorgara perdón.
Fili mi.»

King David was in sorrow,
sad and with great passion,
after receiving news
of the death of Absalom.

On receiving news
of the death of Absalom,
Sad words he uttered
from within his heart.

Intabulations
Modern edition(s)
Printed source(s)
Manuscripts