Onde tolse Amor l'oro, et di qual vena

Canzoniere #220 (CCXX)

Poetic form: sonnet

Onde tolse Amor l'oro, et di qual vena, per far due trecce bionde? e 'n quali spine colse le rose, e 'n qual piaggia le brine tenere et fresche, et die' lor polso et lena? onde le perle, in ch'ei frange et affrena dolci parole, honeste et pellegrine? onde tante bellezze, et sì divine, di quella fronte, più che 'l ciel serena? Da quali angeli mosse, et di qual spera, quel celeste cantar che mi disface sì che m'avanza omai da disfar poco? Di qual sol nacque l'alma luce altera di que' belli occhi ond'io o guerra et pace, che mi cuocono il cor in ghiaccio e 'n fuoco?

Where, and from what vein, did Love derive the gold for her blonde hair? From what thorn did he pluck the rose, from what fields the fresh and tender frost, and give them force and power? From where, those pearls to part and restrain her sweet words in their chaste wandering? And so much heavenly beauty on her brow, more so than in the calmest skies? From what angels, and with what hopes, came that celestial singing that disarmed me, so that I've never been anything but disarmed? From what sun was that high kindly light born of lovely eyes, from which came war and peace, that seared my heart with ice and fire?

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All translations copyrighted by A.S. Kline, and are used with explicit permission.

Composer	Title	Subtitle	Language	Parts	Files
Adrian Willaert (c.1490-1562)	Onde tolse Amor l’oro, et di qual vena	Prima parte	italian	5	Score + parts
Adrian Willaert (c.1490-1562)	Da quali angeli mosse et di qual spera	Seconda parte	italian	5	Score + parts