Hawthorne Early Music editions: Canzoniere 90

Erano i capei d'oro a l'aura sparsi

Canzoniere #90 (XC)

Poetic form: sonnet


Erano i capei d'oro a l'aura sparsi
che 'n mille dolci nodi gli avolgea,
e l'vago lume oltra misura ardea
di quei begli occhi, ch'or ne son sì scarsi;

e 'l viso di pietosi color' farsi,
non so se vero o falso, mi parea:
i' che l'esca amorosa al petto avea,
qual meraviglia se di subito arsi?

Non era l'andar suo cosa mortale,
ma d'angelica forma; et le parole
sonavan altro, che pur voce humana.

Uno spirito celeste, un vivo sole
fu quel ch'i'vidi: et se non fosse or tale,
piagha per allentar d'arco non sana.
 She let her gold hair scatter in the breeze
that twined it in a thousand sweet knots,
and wavering light, beyond measure, would burn
in those beautiful eyes, which are now so dim:

and it seemed to me her face wore the colour
of pity, I do not know whether false or true:
I who had the lure of love in my breast,
what wonder if I suddenly caught fire?

Her way of moving was no mortal thing,
but of angelic form: and her speech
rang higher than a mere human voice.

A celestial spirit, a living sun
was what I saw: and if she is not such now,
the wound's not healed, although the bow is slack.

91 'La bella donna che cotanto amavi'

The lovely lady who you loved so dearly
has suddenly departed from us,
and has climbed to Heaven, I trust,
since every act of hers was sweet and gentle.

It is time to recover both the keys
of your heart, that in life she possessed,
and follow her on the swift true road:
no earthly charge should prevent you.

Now you are free from the greater burden,
the others may be easily laid down,
while you climb like a free pilgrim.

You know truly now how all creatures
run towards death, and how the soul
must be lightened for the perilous gate.

Note: Possibly addressed to Petrarch's brother
Gherardo who became a Carthusian in 1343.


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

ComposerTitleSubtitleLanguagePartsFiles
Andrea Feliciani (d.1596) Erano i capei d'oro Prima parte italian 5 Score + parts                              
Andrea Feliciani (d.1596) Non era l'andar suo Seconda parte italian 5 Score + parts                              
Giovanni Maria Nanino (c.1543-1607) Erano i capei d'oro a l'aura sparsi Prima parte italian 5 Score + parts                              
Giovanni Maria Nanino (c.1543-1607) Non era l'andar suo cosa mortale Seconda parte italian 5 Score + parts