Source title | Cancion. Entonase la boz en la prima en vazio |
---|---|
Title in contents | Claros y frescos rios. letra de Boscan. |
Text incipit | Claros y frescos rios |
Category song
Genre Canción
Fantasia type
Mode 2
Voices 4
Length (compases) 63
Tuning A
Courses 6
Final VI/0
Highest I/0
Lowest VI/0
Difficulty not specified
Tempo medium
Language ES
Vocal notation texted staff notation
Another highly original song by Mudarra that shows a strong link between the music and the meaning of the text. The poem is by Juan Boscán. Another setting is in Medinaceli 13230, nº 2.
The setting is very much in the style of animated homophony, translating very effectively to a song with vihuela accompaniment in the Italianate style of the Willaert-Arcadelt arrangements of the 1530s. The tonality of the piece suggests mode 2, although with quite modern tonal features, almost as if in A minor. Roa points to the way that Mudarra shapes his music around the poetic structure, a “estancia” or Petrarchan “canción” (roa2015, I 373-375).
A very similar song is found in Pedro de la Sierra, El capitulo VII de la Segunda Parte del Espejo de príncipes y caballeros (1580), cap. 7. cited in Pepe Rey, “Laúdes, vihuelas y cencerros para don Quijote” Hispanica Lyra Nº 1 (marzo, 2005): 11.
¡Ay, dulces, claros ríos,
que murmurando andáis muy mansamente!,
oíd los cantos míos,
antes que Amor intente
de dividir mi amarga y triste mente.
Montes que andáis luchando
con dura soledad todo momento,
pues veis que os voy buscando
con sobra de contento,
¿Por que no me ayudáis en mi tormento?
[ ... ]»
Claros y frescos rios,
que mansamente vays
siguiendo vuestro natural camino;
desiertos montes míos,
que en un estado estais
de soledad muy triste, de contino;
aves en que hay tino
de descansar cantando;
árboles que vivís,
y en fin también morís,
y estais perdiendo a tiempos y ganando,
oydme juntamente
mi voz amarga, ronca y tan doliente.
Pues que quiso mi ventura
que uviese de apartarme
de quien jamás osé pensar partirme,
en tanta desventura
conviene consolarme,
que no es agora tiempo de morirme;
el alma ha de estar firme,
que en un tan baxo estado
vergonçosa es la muerte;
si acabo en mal tan fuerte,
todos dirán que voy desesperado;
y quien tan bien amó
no es bien que digan que tan mal murió.
Clear and fresh rivers
that are quietly flowing
folowing your natural ways;
deserted mountains of mine,
that are always in a state
of a very sad, unending solitude;
birds with the instinct
of resting while you sing;
trees that are living,
[and, in the end, dying],
and you are losing and now gaining,
hear, all of you,
my bitter, husky, and painful voice.
For my fate wanted
that I should go away
from whom I never dared to leave
and in such an unfortunate way
that I need to be comforted,
for now is not the time to die;
my soul has to be firm
for in such a low state
death is shameful;
if I finish under such strong pain,
everyone will say I go in desperation
and of one who loved so well
it is unfitting that they say he died so badly.