Barbara Strozzi
WoO4

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Un amante doglioso

Originally for Bass and basso continuo.
Original Language: Italian

Un amante doglioso
Stava su la partita
Il piè da Filli e l'alma dà la vita.
Ma non pria partì
Ch'egli pianse così.

Io parto Filli, ma quest' anima [alma] mia
Pria che da Filli, oh Dio,
Da me partir vorria.
Filli, mio cor, ti lascio,
Miracolo d'amore.
Ch'habbia cor di partir chi non ha core.

Alma mia, se tu l'aggiri
Troppo lunge del tuo sol.
Ah, ch'immensi in man di duol
Saran venti i tuoi sospiri.

Se, mio cor, sei fido amante
Non seguir gli error deh più
Che non naufraghi trà se
Dentr' un pelago incostante.

Io parto Filli, ohimè
E la mia cruda sorte
Può tormi alla mia vita
Senza darmi la morte?

Spirti vitali, abbandonatemi
S'il mio bene ho dà lasciar.
Ferri fatali, tosto svenatemi
Se non posso il piè arrestar.
Datemi per conforto
Ch'ove viver non posso io resti morto.

Ma lasso ahimé che chieggio?
Ah, se ben comprendo il mio martire
Tanto uccide il partir quanto il morire.

English

A sorrowful lover

A sorrowful lover
prepared to take leave
of his Filli, and his soul from life.
But just before departure
he wept like this:

I am leaving, Filli, but this soul of mine
rather than depart from Filli, oh God,
would depart from me.
Filli, my heart, I leave you,
miracle of love.
He who would have the heart to leave, himself has no heart.

My soul, if you wander
too far from your sun,
ah, in the hands of a boundless grief
your sighs would be like gales.

If, my heart, you are a faithful lover
don't make the same mistakes
of people shipwrecked
in an inconstant deep sea.

I am leaving, Filli, alas;
can my stark fate
take away my life
without killing me?

Vital spirits, forsake me
if I would abandon my beloved.
Bewitched shackles, quickly make me collapse
if I can not stop my foot.
Offer as a consolation
that if I cannot live, I should die.

But ah, misery, what am I asking?
Ah, if I understand well my affliction,
the departure would kill as much as death.

Translated by:

Candace A. Magner

with the kind assistance of Susan Ann Proctor and Marinella Laini

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Cover of Un Amante Doglioso

Un Amante Doglioso

Published by Cor Donato Editions in historically correct modern transcription, including critical introductory notes on the work, editorial procedures, original texts with new English translations, and other contextual information about the piece.

Now available at CorDonatoEditions.com!

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  • Un Amante Doglioso

    Anthony Reed, bass, Craig Trompeter, viola da gamba, Brandon J. Acker, theorbo, Mark Schuldiner, harpsichord

    Collaborative Arts Institute Chicago [Audio CD, Digital / MP3]

    • Un amante doglioso (Bass voice, viola da gamba, theorbo, harpsichord) [8.40]
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