Anonymous (Italian)
Ave donna santissima
This beautiful lauda is one of 46 found in a 13th century ms. at Cortona, Italy. All are monophonic with no rhythmic notations . . . a simple harmony and rhythm have been applied for this performance.
Anon (Italian) "Ave donna santissima"
Text:
Ave donna santissima
regina potentissima.
La vertu celestiale
colla gratia supernale
en te virgo virginale,
discese benignissima.
Ave donna . . .
La nostra redemptione
prese encarnatione
che sença corruptione,
de te donna sanctissima.
Translation:
Hail, most holy Lady,
most potent Queen!
Celestial power
through grace from above
in Thee, spotless Virgin,
descended most begnignly.
Hail, most . . .
Our redemption
assumed flesh
that is without corruption,
from Thee, most holy Lady.
Canto di fanciule
Anon (Italian) "Canto di fanciule"
Text:
Amor, che’n terra ogni timore sprezza,
Ci concede oggi ardir di bia si mare
chi vuol tanto celare a’ fe deli amator
nostra bellezza.
Se per sorte, virtu o parteal cuna,
sian cosi fanciulette a qualcun grate,
se’l ciel non fe’ mai invan cosa nessuna
perché tenerci ognor tanto serra te?
E se voi, pa paori il fate per nostro onor
non to’il vederci quello,
ché sempre quel ch’é bello, o visto o no,
da chi intende s’apprezza.
Amor, che’n terra . . .
Godete, amanti, un poco oggi il vederci,
sperando un di nel porto rinfrescarvi,
ché come amor c’insegna oggi dolerci,
cosi c’insegnerá poi contentarvi:
ma vogliaan ben pregarvi,
per ovviare al dir degl’indiscreti,
siate onesti e segreti,
ch’amor vuol fe’, silenzio e gentilezza.
Translation:
Love, that disdains all fear on earth,
gives us now boldness to deplore
whoever wants to conceal too much
our beauty from our faithful loves.
If, through virtue, luck or charms, we are,
though girls, found pleasing; since heaven
never made anything in vain, why,
o fathers, do you keep us so restrained?
And if you do it for our good name,
that does not mean we should not
be seen, for beauty, glimpsed or not,
is always valued by the discerning.
Love, that disdains all fear. . .
Lovers, take some pleasure seeing us now,
so you may imagine future pleasure;
as love makes us now lament
it will in future make us content.
But we remind you (so that indiscreet
gossip be avoided) be respectable, and
discreet; for love demands faith,
silence and nobility.
Dolce amoroso foco
An Italian frottola sandwiched between two of Juan del Ensina’s romances in the ‘Cancionero de Palacio’ . . . it would be interesting to know how it got there. Texted in the source. This is an instrumental arrangement.
Anon (Italian) "Dolce amoroso foco"
Jam pris amours
Richard Taruskin’s ‘Ogni Sorte Editions’ might be referred to as virtuosic musicology; gathering as he does all available manuscript and printed versions of a given theme. The example at hand is one of 28 different settings he has collected of the anonymous Burgundian rondeau, “J’ay pris amours”. This version takes the elegant chanson and tosses it into an Italian street brawl where it is roughed-up by a gang of Florentine carnival songs: “Scaramella”, “Fortuna d’un gran tempo” and “Che fa la ramazina”.
Anon (Italian) "Jam pris amours"
Superius Text:
Jam pris amours che’l corpo mi consuma
in fiamma in foco mi discacia el cor.
Ma bien che privo sia d’ogni splendore,
spero nel fine el disiato lume.
Translation:
I have chosen a love that consumes my body
and pursues my heart into fire and flame.
But though every splendor is taken from me,
I hope in the end to see the longed for light.
Translation: Lawrence Rosenwald
La cara cosa
This early form of the gagliarda appeared in Italy around 1520.
Anon (Italian) "La cara cosa"
Nil majus superi videt
Colin Slim’s admirable volumes transcribing and discussing the music contained in the 16th century Part-books preserved at the Newberry Library, Chicago, have been a most valuable resource since their publication in 1972. In his ‘A Gift of Madrigals and Motets’ Prof. Slim argues that the part-books were originally presented as a gift by the ambassador of the City of Florence to Henry VIII to ask for his help in breaking the siege that Emperor, Charles V, was imposing on Florence in 1528. This laudatory motet comes at the end of the motet section of the Part-books, and is cited as primary evidence of his argument. The text below and tenor cantus firmus of the motet make a strong case.
The Chapelmaster of the Cathedral in Florence, Philippe Verdelot, is the most represented composer in the Part-books, but perhaps, this blatant plea for aid from Henry VIII against the siege forces of Charles V would guarantee retribution when the City fell, and so he refrained from identifying himself as the composer. Ominously, there is no record of Verdelot after the fall of Florence in 1530.
Anon (Italian) "Nil majus superi videt"
Text:
Nil maius superi vident,
Nil mortales benignius,
Henrico rege anglie.
Ille gnarus militie,
Quietis cupidus mage,
Ille a justitie orbita,
Nunquam deflectit, impotens.
Ille pauperes sublevat,
Ille divites decorat.
(2) Ille Musarum naufragos,
Alumnos gremio fovet;
Tollamus ergo, ad sydera
Voces cum precibus piis:
Vivat Henricus, hic diu;
Vivat, et regni terminus
Victrici extendat dextera.
Cantus firmus: Henricus dei gratia
anglie rex.
Translation:
The Gods can see nothing greater,
Nor mortals anything more benign,
Than Henry, the English king.
Knowledgeable in military matters,
Even more desirous of peace,
He, being incapable,
Never swerves from the course of justice.
He assists the poor,
He honors the rich.
(2) He nourishes the shipwrecked
Children of the Muses in his bosom:
Let us, therefore, raise our voices
To the stars with dutiful prayers;
Long live Henry, forevermore;
Long may he live, and extend his realm
With his victorious right hand.
Cantus firmus: Henry, by the grace of God, King of the English.
Translation: H. Colin Slim
Schiarazula marazula
This popular dance appears anonymously in Giorgio Mainerio’s ‘Il primo libro de’ balli’ published by Gardano in Venice in 1578.