Lyrics and Translations Vivaldi: Perché son molli

Lyrics and Translations
Vivaldi: Perché son molli
Aria
Perché son molli
i prati e i colli
del pianto mio,
quell’ agnellette
schivan l’erbette
quasi ricolme di rio veleno
E quelle fonti
ch’escon da’ monti
chiare vene,
perché son piene
delle mie lagrime,
ninfe e pastori
nei loro umori
più non bagnano il piede il seno.
Air
Because I’ve drenched
the meadows and hills
with my weeping,
those lambs
avoid the grass
as though it oozed poison.
And those springs
that flow from the mountains
in clear streams,
since they’re full
of my tears,
nymphs and shepherds
will no longer bathe nor wade
in their current state.
Recitativo
Dunque, già ch’il mio duolo
è giunto a tal ch’infesta ogni bel loco
ove infelice io poso
fra scoscesi dirupi, antri profondi,
mestissimi recessi
e spaventose inospiti boscaglie
ove vestigi uman orme non stampa,
disperato n’andrò
e al luttuoso canto d’upupe e gufi,
all’ orrendo rimbombo di ferini ululati
unito al fischio di velenose serpi,
a cui sovvente dall’ oscure caverne
disperata risponde eco dolente,
trarrò mia vita in un continuo pianto.
Così gli aprici colli e i prati ameni,
pastor, ninfe et armenti,
più turbati non fian da’ miei tormenti.
Recitative
Since now my sorrow
is here and haunts every beautiful spot
where I stop, unhappy,
then among steep cliffs, bottomless caves,
the saddest depths,
and ghastly, bleak underbrush
where humans have not left their mark,
there I’ll go in desperation;
and to the tragic song of the hoopoe and owl,
to the horrendous echo of wailing beasts,
along with the hissing of venomous snakes,
to whom often sorrowful Echo responds
hopeless from her dark caverns,
I will lead my life in unending tears.
Thus the sunny hills and pleasant meadows,
shepherds, nymphs and flocks,
might no longer be upset by my torments.
Aria
Le fresche violette
e le vezzose erbette
in voi fioriscano
liete gioiscano
al mio partir.
Air
May fresh violets*
and the charming herbs
flourish in you,
happily rejoice
in my departure.
So che tra lor diranno:
«Lungi sarem d’affanno
se quel partì da noi
che coi lamenti suoi
sempre ne fe’ languir.»
I know that they say amongst themselves:
“We will be far from our cares
if this one would leave us,
who with his lamenting
always made us suffer.”
Richard Stone
* In Shakespeare, violets can symbolize constancy and
devotion. In Greek mythology they symbolize humility
and timidity. Romans used them to mark affection for
the dead.
Porsile: Le sofferte
Aria
Le sofferte, amare pene
pon mostrarti, oh bella Irene
la costanza del mio cor.
Dopo il duol delle tempeste,
si frequenti e si funeste,
sorga omai più lieto amor.
Air
My anguished, bitter sorrows
can show you, beautiful Irene,
the constancy of my heart.
After the misery of tempests —
so frequent and so dire —
let happier love arise at last.
Recitativo
Sovvienti, idolo mio,
che prima che il mio core amante ardesse,
valle saper da te se quella fiamma
offenderti potrebbe,
sovvienti, che tu allora
troppo benigna, ahimè!
mi promettesti colla gloria d’amarti
il sospirato ben della speranza.
Recitative
Recall, my beloved,
that, before my heart burned for you,
I should have found out if that flame
could offend you;
Recall that you then —
too kind, alas! —
promised me, with the glory of loving you,
the thing I’d yearned for in my hopes.
Di poi cangiasti idea,
ma, non perciò il mio cor cangiò pensiero.
O quante volte, o quante,
con ire, con rigori, e con disprezzi
dura prova fascesti di mia fede e costanza,
gloria ognora e trofeo de l’amor mio.
And you changed your mind,
but that did not change my heart’s thinking.
O how many times, how many,
with ire, with severity, with scorn
did you harshly test my faith and constancy,
ever the glory and trophy of my love?
Mà, che? Troppo tu sai
quando innocente soffersi i tuoi gastighi,
senza che un’ eco sola
mi uscissi mai del seno a querelarti, deh!
But why? You know too well
when I, innocent, endured your punishments,
without the slightest protest
ever escaping my breast. Ah!
Dolcissima Irene,
poiché l’ardente fiamma, ond’ io divampo,
da te permessa crebbe
te benigna a me trovi,
e quella speme che fu per te
crudele il mio martoro
sia ancor per te pietosa, il mio ristoro.
Sweetest Irene,
since the passionate fire with which I burn
grew with your permission,
might you think on me benignly,
and that hope I had placed in you,
my cruel torment,
be yours again, merciful one, my comfort.
Aria
Non sprezza più un fido core,
dove Amore,
che costante a te lo rende,
cauto accende
i più dolci de’ suoi strali.
Bel sereno e lieta calma,
torni a l’alma
e non men che fra i tormenti
saldi ogni ora fra i contenti
fede e amore in me vedrai.
Air
Nevermore disdain a loyal heart,
when Love,
who faithfully gives it to you,
carefully kindles
the gentlest of his darts.
Might fair serenity and happy calm
return to my soul,
let it be made whole among pleasures —
no less than it would among torments:
you will see faith and love in me.
Richard Stone & Susan Gould
Badia: La Fenice (The Phoenix)
lyrics by Donato Cupeda (1635–1704)
Recitativo
Là nel arabe selve,
ove la terra aprica
fa della sua virtù mostra pomposa;
ove battono l’aure
per ciel non mai turbato ali serene;
ove fragranze eterne,
e balsamo vital sudan le piante;
In quelle selve amene,
in quel terren felice,
suo degno albergo ha l’immortal Fenice.
Recitative
There in the Arabian forests,
where the sun-drenched land
makes magnificent show of its virtues,
where serene wings beat breezes
never churned by heaven;
where the plants sweat
eternal fragrances and vital balms;
in those pleasant forests,
in that happy land
the immortal Phoenix has her worthy abode.
Aria
Vago stuol d’augei canori
l’accompagna ove sen và
E co’ metri più sonori
a sue rare bellezze applauso fà.
Air
A lovely flock of songful birds
accompanies her where she goes.
And with most sonorous verses
they laud her rare beauty.
Recitativo
Ma se, di molti lustri
dopp’ il non breve giro,
nelle gelide vene,
irrigidir si sente gl’ottusi spirti,
e intorpidirsi vanni,
del tempo edace in se ripara i danni
d’aridi sì,
ma scelti ramuscelli odorosi
compon rogo vital,
nella cui fiamma all’hor,
che langue estinta
ne trae vita novella
e dal cenere suo sorge più bella.
Recitative
But if, after her prolonged wanderings
of many decades,*
in her icy veins
she feels her dull breath stiffening,
and her wings numbing,
she will repair the insults of ravenous Time
with dry, yes,
but choice, fragrant twigs,
she will build a life-giving pyre,
in which its flame
will languish extinguished
and from it brings forth new life
and she arises from its cinders more beautiful.
Aria
Nel morir sempre rinasce
di se stessa è madre e prole.
Ha le fiamme per sue fasce,
per cuna il rogo, e per suo padre il sole.
Air
From death she is ever reborn
who is her own mother and child.
She has flames for swaddling clothes,
a pyre for cradle, and the sun as her father.
Recitativo
Pur non è qual si crede,
cosi vago portento unico al mondo.
Non è già sola in terra
la Fenice immortale,
del Gran Leopoldo il nome vanta
prodigio, anzi maggior, ch’eguale.
Agl’insulti degl’ anni
pur l’Araba Fenice invecchia, e more.
Ma quel nome costante
contro l’armi del tempo assai più forte
non paventa già mai, vecchiezza, o morte.
Recitative
Surely it cannot be believed
that such a beautiful portent is unique.
The immortal Phoenix
is no longer alone on earth;
her name now claims Great Leopold,**
prodigious, even greater than equal.
The Arabian Phoenix ages and dies
by the blows of time.
But his constant name,
even stronger against the weapons of time,
never fears age nor death.
Aria
Faccia il tempo quanto sà:
ogni impero più fastoso
cada pur di Lete al fondo.
Sol quel nome glorioso
nell’ oblio mai non cadrà
se non cade prima il mondo.
Air
Let time do what it will:
let even the most sumptuous empire
fall to the bottom of Lethe.
Only that glorious name
will never sink into oblivion
if the world itself does not first fall.
Recitativo
Dunque immortal Fenice,
ch’unica trà gl’Augelli esser ti vanti,
humilia i pregi tuoi
Recitative
Therefore, immortal Phoenix,
who claim yourself unique among birds,
humble your entreaties
al Gran Leopoldo Augusto,
Fenice de’ Regnanti,
unico trà gl’Eroi,
la cui gloria felice
trà perigliosi incendi
del fero Marte, e dell’ Invidia amara;
senza languir già mai splende più chiara.
before the Great Leopold August,
Phoenix among Rulers,
unique among heroes,
the one whose happy fame —
through the perilous flames
of fierce Mars and bitter Envy —
shines brightest and never wanes.
Aria
D’immortale il primo vanto
vago augel ceder ben dei.
Per tua gloria basti, intanto,
che del Gran Leopoldo un ombra sei.
Air
The prime boast of “immortal”
is one the beautiful bird should yield.
For your glory let it suffice, hence,
for you to be a shadow of Great Leopold.
Richard Stone & Susan Gould
*Lustrum (plural lustri in Italian) was a five-year period
in ancient Rome. It represented the coincidental
correspondence of an ancient Romulan 6-year cycle
(1,824 days) and 5 Roman solar cycles (1,825 days). The
last marking of the lustrum was under Vespasian in AD
74.
**Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, reigned 1658-1705.