Source title | Entonase la box en la prima en vazio. |
---|---|
Title in contents | O gelosia diamanti, Letra de Sanazaro. |
Text incipit | O gelosia d amanti |
Category song
Genre Soneto
Fantasia type
Mode 8
Voices 4
Length (compases) 84
Tuning G
Courses 6
Final VI/0
Highest I/5
Lowest VI/0
Difficulty not specified
Tempo medium
Language IT
Vocal notation texted staff notation
A setting of an Italian sonnet by Jacopo Sannazaro, no. 23 in the “Rime” in his “L’Arcadia”. Pujol lists the textual variants between Mudarra’s setting and the 1583 Venetian edition of Sannazaro’s poetry (Pujol1949, 84).
The poetry is set with the same music used for each of the two quatrains and each of the two tercets (AABB). It begins with madrigalesque imitation for the opening verse, but this does not persist further through the song. It is a very strong setting that is among the finest in Mudarra’s book.
The melody is clearly within the range of mode 8, and the numerous harmonic reinforcements of the modal dominant C reinforce this designation.
The same poet was set by Luis Milán (mi070)
O gelosia d’amanti, horribil freno
Che in un punto mi tiri e tien si forte;
O sorella di le empia et cruda morte,
Che con tua vista turbi il ciel sereno;
O serpente nascosto in dolci seno
Che con tue voglie mie speranze hai morte;
Tra felice successi, adversa sorte;
Tra soavi vivande aspro veneno.
Di qual boca infernal nel mondo uscisti,
O crudel mostro, O pesti dei mortali,
Per far gli giorni miei si oscuri e tristi?
Tornati in giu, non aumentar miei mali;
Infelice paura ad quid venisti?
Hor non bastaba amor con li suoi strali?
O jealousy of lovers, horrid restraint
which, in an instant, pulls me and holds me firm.
O sister of impious and cruel death who,
upon seeing you, arouses the serene skies.
O serpent hidden in a sweet breast
Who at your wish has killed my hopes;
Between happy events, adverse fate,
In delicate food, bitter poison.
From what infernal mouth did you spring,
O cruel monster, o plague of mortals,
To make my days so dark and sad?
Retreat at once, do not increase my woes;
Unhappy fear, why did you come,
Was Love not enough with his arrows?