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Il Quarto Libro dei Madrigali (CD04)
SSU Chamber Singers
Recording date: 05/17/2004
Price: $12

Monteverdi's complete Fourth Book of Madrigals, recorded at Christian Brothers Mt. LaSalle Monastery in Napa. Monteverdi's mastery of the madrigal style is displayed in these incredible settings of poems of love and nature.

Claudio monteverdi (1567-1643)
il quarto libro dei madrigali a cinque voci (1603)

Ah, dolente partita!
(Ah, sorrowful parting!)
Cor mio, mentre vi miro (My dearest, as I admire you)
Cor mio, non mori?
(My heart, are you not dying?)
Sfogava con le stelle (Conversing with the starts)
Volgea l’anima mia (My loved one turned gently)
Anima mia, perdona (My soul, forgive)
Che se tu se’ il cor mio (For if you are my sweetheart)
Luci serene e chiare (Eyes serene and clear)
La piaga c’ho nel core (The wound I have in my heart)
Voi pur da me partite (Even you, hard hearted-one)

intermission

A un giro sol (At a single turn)
Ohimè, se tanto amate (Alas! If you are so fond)
Io mi son giovinetta (I’m a young girl)
Piagn’e sospira (He weeps and sighs)
Non più guerra, pietate (No more fighting—mercy)
Sì, ch’io vorrei morire (Yes, I would like to die)
Anima dolorosa (Sorrowful spirit)
Anima del cor mio (Spirit of my heart)
Longe da te (Distant from you)
Quell’ augellin che canta (That tiny bird which sings)

Personnel
Sonoma State University Chamber Singers
Directed by Robert Worth

Soprano 1:
Madelyn Carr
Danielle Gilmore
Shelby Grolig
Amy Martin
Muftiah Martin

Soprano 2:
Kelly Butler
Peg Golitzin
Lauren Harkins
Christine Vortman
Melissa Ryan

Alto:
Melanie Dodson
Sarah Minnick
Linda Monroe
Ana Robinson
Lauren Tyner

Tenor:
Mark Considine
Joel Grogan
Kristofer Haugen
Devan Paddock
Aaron Walz

Bass:
Navid Manoochehri
Anthony Martin
Mike Silverman
Andrew Smith
Bob Worth


Program notes


WOW! An entire semester rehearsing and then performing and recording Monteverdi madrigals? This is heaven for a conductor…and a real honor to be able to work with a group of talented singers on this fabulous music. I mentioned the project to another director, and he said, longingly, “I wish I could do things like that.”


But what is it about this music that makes it so wonderful? How does it pull us in and get under our skin and tug at our heart-strings? Why is it so incredibly gratifying to sing? Here are a few stabs at these (im)ponderables:


The poetry evokes universal and always relevant themes: Although written in Italian and in an archaic style, the texts of these madrigals deal with topics to which we can all relate: love (generally star-crossed, sometimes joyous), desire, nature in all its glory, pleasure and pain in all their manifestations.


The music brings the poetry to life: Monteverdi was a genius at finding a perfect way of projecting and amplifying the specific meanings and general mood of a poem. A rich array of textual details find musical expression: specific words are painted; phrases are given characteristic settings and contrasted or blended with each other; especially wrenching poetic lines are given stunning expression through suspension and harmonic tension.


The vocal lines are, above all, singable: What does this mean? First of all, the text line and the musical line are one; for speakers of Italian, this is particularly clear: Monteverdi brings the spoken word to musical form. The music is also incredibly melodic. No one is asked to sing a filler part; each vocal line has its own logic and equal role in the overall texture.


Within its style, the music is always fresh and varied: By varying texture, level of dissonance, contrapuntal style and interrelationship of voices, Monteverdi creates an enormous canvas of sound, keeping us on the edge of our seats (and, vocally, on the edge of what we can do!).


The music is filled with passionate passages which just about bring tears to the eyes: During the period in which he was writing these madrigals, Monteverdi was evolving a special way of treating dissonance for expressive purposes. Inspired by some of the wrenching poetic lines in these songs, he cooked up many truly amazing passages, piling suspension upon suspension to create phrases guaranteed to evoke a collective WOW.


We thank you for coming to our concert, and hope you enjoy Monteverdi’s music as much as we’ve enjoyed preparing it. May 15 is Claudio Monteverdi’s 437th birthday—please join us for cake and beverages on the terrace at intermission!

TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS

Ah, dolente partita!

Ah, dolente partita!
Ah, fin de la mia vita!
Da te part' e non moro? E pur io provo
la pena de la morte,
e sento nel partire un vivace morire
che da vita al dolore,
per far che moia immortalment' il core.

BATTISTA GUARINI

Ah, sorrowful parting

Ah, sorrowful parting!
Ah, end of my life!
I leave thee and do not die?
Yet I experience the pain of death,
and feel in parting a lively dying
which gives life to sorrow,
and makes my heart die immortally.


Cor mio, mentre vi mira

Cor mio, mentre vi miro,
visibilmente mi trasform' in voi,
e trasformato poi,
in un solo sospir l'anima spiro.
O bellezza mortale
0 bellezza vitale,
poi che si tosto un core
per te rinasce, e per te nato more!

BATTISTA GUARINI


My dearest as I admire you

My dearest, as I admire you,
I visibly transform myself in you,
and thus transformed,
I breathe the breath of life in a single sigh.
0 mortal beauty,
0 living beauty,
because no sooner is a heart
re-born for you than born, it dies.


Cor mio, non mori?

Cor mio, non mori? E mori!
L'idolo tuo, ch'e tolto a te,
fia tosto in altrui braccia accolto.
Deh, spezzati mio core!
Lascia, lascia con I'aura anco l’ardore;
ch'esser non puo che ti riserbi in vita
senza speme ed aita.
Su, mio cor, mori.
Io mora, io vado;
a Dio, dolcissimo ben mio.

ANON

My heart, you are not dying

My heart, are you not dying? Well, die!
Your cherished one, who is taken from you,
will be received into another's arms.
Alas, my heart, shatter yourselfl
Leave, 0 leave with the breeze even passion itself; for it cannot be that you keep yourself alive without hope and help.
Rise up, my heart, and die!
I die, I am going;
farewell, my sweetest treasure.

Sfogava con Ie stelle

Sfogava con Ie stelle
un infermo d'amore
sotto notturno ciel il suo dolore,
E dicea fisso in loro:
‘0 imagini belle
de l'idol mio ch'adoro,
Si com' a me mostrate
mentre così splendete
Ia sua rara beltate,
così mostraste a lei
i vivi ardori miei;
Ia fareste col vostr' aureo sembiante
Pietosa sì come me fate amante.'

OTTAVIO RINUCClNl

Together with the stars

Together with the stars
a man sick with love
poured out his sorrow beneath a night sky,
and said, gazing upon them:
‘Lovely images
of the idol whom I adore,
just as you show me,
while thus you shine,
her rare beauty,
so could you show her
my own feelings of passion;
you could make her, with your golden likeness, merciful indeed, as you make me a lover.'

Volgea l'anima mia

Volgea l'anima mia soavemente
quel suo caro e lucente sguardo,
tutto belta, tutto desire,
verso me scintillando, e parea dire:
'Dami il tuo cor, che non altrond' i' vivo.
E mentr' il cor se n' vola ove l'invita
quella belta infinita,
sospirando gridai: 'Misero e privo
del cor, chi mi da vita?'
Mi rispos' ella, in un sospir d'amore:
'lo, che son il tuo core.’

BATTISTA GUARINI

My loved one turned gently

My loved one turned gently towards me
her dear, bright, sparkling glance,
all beauty and all desire,
and seemed to say:
'Give me your heart, for otherwise I cannot live.'
'And while my heart flies off wherever
that infinite beauty invites it,
I cried out: 'Wretched me, deprived
of heart, who will give me life?'
She responded, in a sigh of love:
'I will, for I am your heart.'


Anima mia, perdona

Anima mia, perdona
a chi t' è cruda sol dove pietosa
esser non può; perdona a questa,
nei detti e nel sembiante,
rigida tua nemica, ma nel core
pietosissima amante;
e se pur hai desio di vendicarti,
deh, qual vendetta aver puoi tu maggiore
del tuo proprio dolore?


BATTISTA GUARINI (Pastor Fido, III, 4)

My soul, forgive

My soul, forgive
the one who is horrid to you only
when she cannot be kind; forgive her,
in her tone of voice, in appearance
your unbending enemy, but in her heart
a most kindly mistress;
and if indeed you want to avenge yourself,
well, what better vendetta can you have
than your own grief?

Che se tu se' il cor mio

Che se tu se' il cor mio,
come se' pur mal grado
del ciel e de la terra,
qualor piangi e sospiri,
quelle lagrime tue son il mio sangue,
quei sospir il mio spirto
e quelle pen' e quel dolor che senti
son miei, non tuoi tormenti.

BATTISTA GUARINI (Pastor Fido, III, 4)

For if you are my lover

For if you are my sweetheart,
as you are even
in spite of heaven and earth,
whenever you weep or sigh,
those tears of yours are my blood,
those sighs my spirit
and those pains, that sorrow you feel
are my torments, not yours.


Luci serene e chiare

Luci serene e chiare,
voi m'incendete, voi, ma prov' il core nell'incendio, diletto, non dolore.
Dolci parole e care,
voi mi ferite, voi, ma prova il petto
non dolor ne la piaga, ma diletto.
0, miracol d'amore:
alma ch' e tutta foco e tutta sangue
si strugg' e non si duol,
muor e non langue.

RIDOLFO ARLOTTI

Eyes serene and clear

Eyes serene and clear
you inflame me, but the heart
finds pleasure, not sorrow, in the fire.
Words sweet and dear,
you wound me, but my breast
finds pleasure, not sorrow, in the wound.
0 miracle of love!
The soul that is all fire and blood
destroys itself, grieves not,
dies without languishing

La piaga c' ho nel core

La piaga c'ho nel core,
donna, onde lieta sei,
colpo è de gli occhi tuoi, colpa de i miei:
gli occhi miei ti miraro,
gli occhi tuoi mi piagaro.
Ma come avien che sia
comune il fallo e sol la pena mia?

AURELIO GATTI

The wound I have in my heart

The wound I have in my heart,
lady, that makes you happy,
is a blow from your eyes, a fault of mine:
my eyes admire you,
your eyes hurt me.
How does it happen that we share the failing, but the penalty is mine alone?


Voi pur da me partite

Voi pur da me partite, anima dura,
nè vi duol il partire.
Oimè, quest'e un morire,
crudele, e voi gioite?
Quest'è vicino aver l'ora suprema,
e voi non la sentite?
Oh meraviglia di durezz' estrema:
esser alma d'un core
e separarsi e non sentir dolore!

BATTISTA GUARINI

Even you, hard-hearted one

Even you, horrid creature, leave me,
and the parting grieves you not.
Alas, is this a death,
cruel one, and you rejoice in it?
Is this close to enjoying the supreme hour,
and you don't feel it?
0 wonder of utter harshness:
to be the soul of my heart
and separate yourself, and not feel pain!

A un giro sol

A un giro sol de'begl’ occhi lucenti
ride l'aria d'intorno,
e'l mar s'acqueta ei venti,
e si fa il ciel d'un altro lume adorno.

Sol io Ie luci ho lagrimose e meste.
Certo quando nasceste
così crudel e ria
nacque la morte mia.

BATTISTA GUARINI


One turn

One turn of those lovely shining eyes
and the air around us laughs,
the sea is calm, and the winds;
heaven clothes itself in another color.

I alone have sad and weeping eyes.
Certainly when you were born,
so cruel and wicked,
my death was born.

Oimè, se tanto amate

Oime, se tanto amate
di sentir dir 'oime', deh,perche fate
chi dice 'oime' morire?
S'io moro, un sol potrete
languido e doloroso 'oime' sentire;
ma se, cor mio; volete
che vita abbia da voi, e voi dame,
avrete mill'e mille dolci 'oime',

BATTISTA GUARINI

0 dear! if you are so fond

0 dear! if you are so fond
of hearing 'Oh dear' spoken, why do you make whoever says 'Oh dear', die?
If I die, you’ll be able
to hear only one languid, sorrowful 'Oh dear’; but if, my sweeheart, you want
me to draw life from you, and you from me, then you will have thousands and thousands of sweet 'Oh dears'.

Io mi son giovinetta

‘Io mi son giovinetta,
e rido e canto alia stagion novella.'
cantava la mia dolce pastorella.
Quando, subitamente
a quel canto, il cor mio
cantò, quasi augellin vago e ridente:
'Son giovinett’ anch'io,
e rido e canto alla gentil e bella
primavera d'amore
che ne' begli occru tuoi fiorisce'.
Ed ella: 'Fuggi, se saggio sei', disse, 'l'ardore;
fuggi, ch'in questi rai
primavera per te non sarà mai.'

ANON

I'm a young girl

'I'm a young girl,
and I laugh and sing in the new season,'
sang my gentle shepherdess.
When, suddenly,
at this song, my heart sang,
as if it were a happy little bird:
'I'm a youngster, too, 1
and I laugh and sing to the charming, precious Spring of love
which flowers in your lovely eyes.'
Said she, in reply, 'Fly from passion, if you are wise; fly, for in these eyes,
for you, springtime will never come!


Piagn' e sospira

Piagn' e sospira; e quand' i caldi raggi
fuggon Ie gregi a la dolc’ ombr' assise,
ne la scorza de' pini o pur de' faggi
segnò l'amato nome in mille guise;
e de Ia sua fortuna i gravi oltraggi
e i vari casi in dura scorza incise;

e in rilegendo poi Ie proprie note
spargea di pianto Ie vermiglie gote.

'TORQUATO TASSO

She weeps and sighs

She weeps and sighs; and when the sheep
abandon the warm rays, resting in the gentle shade, on the bark of pines or beeches
she wrote the beloved name in a thousand ways; and carved in hard bark the deep offenses and the many twists of her fortune;

and then, reading her own messages again
she watered his vermilion cheeks with tears.

Non più guerra, pietate

Non pit! guerra, pietate,
pietate, occhi miei belli,
occhi miei trionfanti.! A che v’armate
contr'un cor ch'è già preso, e vi si rende? Ancidete i rubelli,
ancidete chi s'arma e si difende,
non chi, vinto, v'adora.

Volete voi ch'io mora?
Morrò pur vostro; e del morir l'affanno
sentirò sì, ma sarà vostro il danno.

No more fighting--mercy

No more fighting--mercy,
mercy, lovely eyes of mine,
triumphant eyes! Why do you take up arms
against a heart already surrendered & taken? Slaughter the rebels,
slaughter him who dons armour and defends himself, not him who, conquered, adores you.

You want me to die?
Then yours I shall die; and the torment of dying I shall certainly feel, but the loss will be yours.



Si, ch'io vorrei morire

Sì, ch'io vorrei morire,
ora ch'io bacio, amore,
la bella bocca del mio amato core.
Ahi, cara e dolce lingua,
datemi tanto umore,
che di dolcezza in questo sen m'estingua!
Ahi, vita mia, a questo bianco seno,
deh, stringetem fin ch'iovenga meno!
Ahi bocca, ahi baci, ahi lingua; torn' a dire:
Sì, ch'io vorei morire!

MAURIZIO MORO

Yes, I would like to die

Yes, I would like to die,
now that I'm kissing, sweetheart,
the luscious lips of my darling beloved.
Ah! dear, dainty tongue,
give me so much of your liquid
that I die of delight on your breast!
Ah, my love, ah, crush me
to this white breast until I faint!
Ah mouth, ah kisses, ah tongue, I say again: Yes, I would like to die!


Anima dolorosa

Anima dolorosa, che vivendo
tanto peni e tormenti
quant' odi e parli e pensi e miri e senti,
ancor spiri? Che speri? Ancor dimori
in questa viva marte, in quest'inferno
de Ie tue pelle eterno?
Mori. misera,mori!
Che tardi piu, che fai?
Perche,mort'al piacer, vivi al martire?
Perche vivi al morire?
Consuma il duol che ti consuma omai,
di questa morte che par vita uscendo.
Mori meschina, il tuo morir morendo!

ANON

Sorrowful spirit

Sorrowful spirit., living through
such travails and torments
as you hear and speak and think and watch and feel, do you still breathe? What do you hope for? Do you still live in this living death, in this inferno ,of your eternal sorrows?
Die, wretch, die!
Why delay longer, what are you doing?
Why, dead to pleasure, do you live for martyrdom: Why live to die?
Consume the sadness, which at last consumed you, ending thiis death that seems like life. Die, miserable one, dying in your own death!


Anima del cor mio

Anima del cor mio,
poi che da me, misera me, ti parti,
s'ami confort' alcun a'miei martiri,
non isdegnar ch'almen ti segu' anch'io,
solo co' miei sospiri
e sol per rimembrarti,
ch'in tante pen'e'n così fiero scempio
vivrò d'arnor di vera fede esempio.

ANON

Spirit of my heart

Spirit of my heart,
since you are leaving me, wretched me,
if you take pleasure in any solace for my pain, don't scorn the fact that at least I am following you only with my sighs,
and only to remember you,
so that in such distress, such cruel slaughter,
I shall live as an example of love and true faith.


Longe da te

Longe da te, cor mio,
struggomi di dolore,
di dolcezza e d'amore.
Ma torna omai, deh, torna! E se'l destino strugger vorammi ancor a te vicino,
sfavilli e splenda il tuo bel lume amato,
ch’io n’arda e mora; e morirò beato.

ANON

Distant from you

Distant from you, my dearest,
I destroy myself with sorrow,
sweetness and love.
But come back at last, yes, come back! And if fate will want me stilI to be near you,
let your beautiful beloved eyes sparkle and shine, that I burn and die of it; and I shall die blest.


Quell'augellin che canta

Quell'augellin, che canta
Sl dolcemente e lascivetto vola
or da l'abete al faggio
ed or dal faggio al mirto,
s'avesse umano spirto
direbb': 'Ardo d'amor, ardo d'amore.'
Ma ben arde nel core,
e chiama il suo desio
che Ii rispond': 'Ardo d'amor anch'io.'
Che sii tu benedetto,
amoroso, gentil, vago augelletto.

BATTISTA GUARINI

That tiny bird which sings

That tiny bird which sings
so sweetly and flies so wantonly
now from fir .to beech
and now from beech to myrtle,
if it had a human soul
would say: 'I burn with love, I burn with love.'
Its heart is full of love indeed
and it calls to its mate
who answers: 'I too burn with love!'
Wherefore be blessed,
amorous, gentle, fair little bird!