Hawthorne Early Music editions: Canzoniere 241

L'alto signor dinanzi a cui non vale

Canzoniere #241 (CCXLI)

Poetic form: sonnet


L'alto signor dinanzi a cui non vale
nasconder né fuggir, né far difesa,
di bel piacer m'avea la mente accesa
con un ardente et amoroso strale;

et benche 'l primo colpo aspro et mortale
fossi da sé, per avanzar sua impresa
una saetta di pietate a presa,
et quinci et quindi il cor punge et assale.

L'una piaga arde, et versa foco et fiamma;
lagrime l'altra che 'l dolor distilla,
per li occhi mei, del vostro stato rio:

né per duo fonti sol una favilla
rallenta de l'incendio che m'infiamma,
anzi per la pietà, cresce 'l desio.
 That noble lord before whom there's no use
in hiding or in fleeing, or making a defence,
has kindled lovely pleasure in my mind
with one burning and loving arrow:

and even though his first bitter blow
was mortal, to further his attack,
he took a shaft formed from pity,
and pierced my heart again and again.

One wound burns and sends out smoke and flame:
the other sends out tears that grief distils,
through my eyes, because of your sad state:

not a single spark of the fire that inflames me
is quenched by this double fountain,
rather desire increases with the pity.

Note. Presumably pity for some illness of Laura's.


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

ComposerTitleSubtitleLanguagePartsFiles
Cipriano de Rore (c.1515-1565) L'alto signor dinanzi a cui non vale Prima parte italian 6 Score + parts  Watch on youtube
Cipriano de Rore (c.1515-1565) L'una piaga arde, et versa foco et fiamma Seconda parte italian 6 Score + parts  Watch on youtube