Nasce la pena mia (Alessandro Striggio)

Music files

**L E G E N D**
ICON	SOURCE
	Pdf
	Midi
	MusicXML
	Zip file
	File details
	Help

(Posted 2015-01-07) CPDL #34168:

Editor: Allen Garvin (submitted 2015-01-07). Score information: Letter, 7 pages, 107 kB Copyright: CC BY NC

Edition notes: Parts and source available at IMSLP.

(Posted 2010-11-18) CPDL #22645: (XML)

Editor: Renato Calcaterra (submitted 2010-11-18). Score information: A4, 5 pages, 209 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transcribed from the "Harmonia Celeste di diversi eccellentissimi musici a IIII. V. VI. VII et VIII voci, nuovamente raccolta per Andrea Pevernage et data in luce in Anversa appresso Pietro Phalesio & Giovenni Bellero - 1589". The time signatures, keys, notes' values and accidentals are as in the original print. The C clefs are transposed to the G clef and to the modern Tenor clef.

General Information

Title: Nasce la pena mia
Composer: Alessandro Striggio

Number of voices: 6vv Voicing: SATTTB
Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1560 in Primo libro de madrigali a sei voci, no. 3
2nd published: 1583 in Harmonia celeste, Edition 1, no. 37
3rd published: 1584 in Pratum musicum (ed. Emanuel Adriaenssen) – arr. for two voices and lute, Edition 1, no. 32
4th published: 1588 in Gemma musicalis Liber primus, no. 13
5th published: 1589 in Harmonia celeste, Edition 2, no. 37
6th published: 1609 in Hortus musicalis (ed. Michael Herrer) – sacred contrafact, Book 2, no. 29
Description:

External websites:

Manuscript source (direct link; PDF file)

Original text and translations

Italian text

Nasce la pena mia
Non potendo mirar mio vivo sole
E la mia vita e ria qual hor lo miro
Perch’il guard’e tale
Che lasciarmi peggior che morte suole
Ahi vita trist’e frale
Che fia dunque di me che far mi deggio
S’io mir’ho male e s’io non mir’ho peggio.

English translation

My torment begins
When I cannot gaze upon my dazzling sun;
And my life is wretched
Whenever I admire it, for its glance is so strong
That it usually leaves me worse off than death.
Ah, sad, feeble life,
What will become of me then, what should I do?
If I gaze, I feel pain; and if I don’t, I feel worse.

Translation by David Butchart