Ama ben dice Amore (Ruggiero Giovannelli)

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• (Posted 2022-04-25)  CPDL #68971:       

Editor: Willem Verkaik (submitted 2022-04-25).   Score information: Letter, 5 pages, 371 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Ama ben dice Amore
Composer: Ruggiero Giovannelli
Lyricist: Giovanni Battista Guarini
Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1599 in Il terzo libro de Madrigali a cinque voci, no. 16
Description: 

Original text and translations

Italian text

Ama, ben dice Amore,
Gli occhi, il viso, le chiome
Di questa Dea; ch'angelica beltate
Non stà senza pietate.
Ma, lasso,il fiero nome
Par che nel mio cor dica
Fuggi d'Amor, e di pietà nemica
Barbara Donna, che gli amanti ancide
Poi li burla,e sen ride.

Guarini, Madrigali

English translation

    Love commands: "Love
    those eyes, that face,
that goddess. Such angelic beauty
    will love you back."
    But oh! my heart
    knows what she is:
the terror of the world, a real
"Barbarian"! I run away,
    and she just laughs.

The poet is punning on the name of a lady apparently named "Barbara," making her into a "barbarian."

Translation by Nicholas Jones