Mi parto, ahi, sorte ria

General information

Being a villanella, it's no wonder that the texts to be found vary to some degree. The texts used by Wert und Hassler are nearly identical, and quite near to a print of the text in 1612 See link below), which supplies a fourth verse not used by Wert or Hassler.
It seems the text was also used by Luca Marenzio, 4. libro delle villanelle, 1587; Ruggiero Giovanelli, primo libro de canzonette a 3 voci, 1592; Vincenzo Neriti, 2ndo libro di canzonette a 4 voci (+ 2 a 8), 1595

Settings by composers

• Giaches de Wert SSATB; uses verse 1, 3, 4
• Hans Leo Hassler SSATTB; uses verse 1

Italian text Mi parto, hai, sorte ria, e’l cor vi lascio e l’afflitt’alma mia, Ne morrò, non/nò, ch’amor non vuole, a Dio, Dolcissimo ben mio. Mi parto, e sol mi guida de l’alma e del mio cor la speme infida Ne morò, non/nò, che il dolce affanno avviva, dolcissima mia Diva. Mi parto e vo lontano, sempre chiamando il vostro nome in vano. Ne morò, non/nò, ch’il duol mi dona aita, dolcissima mia vita. Mi parto, ò mia signora, che già del mio partire è giunta l’hora. Ne morrò, non/nò, ch’amor non vuole, a Dio, Dolcissimo ben mio.

English text I part, alas, wicked fate, and the heart I leave to you and my afflicted soul, I will not die from it, as Love does not want it , farewell, my sweetest. I part, and am guided only by the perfidious hope of my soul and heart, I will not die from it, as the sweet grief animates me, my sweetest goddess. I part and go far away, always calling your name vainly, I will not die from it, as the pain gives me help, my sweetest life. I part, o my lady, for the hour of my depart has arrived, I will not die from it, as Love does not want it , farewell, my sweetest.   Translation by Gerhard Weydt

German text Ich scheide, ach, böses Schicksal, und das Herz lasse ich euch und meine betrübte Seele, ich werde nicht daran sterben, da Amor es nicht will, lebt wohl, meine allersüßeste Liebste. Ich scheide, und allein leitet mich die treulose Hoffnung meiner Seele und meines Herzens, ich werde nicht daran sterben, da der süße Kummer mich aufmuntert, meine süßeste Göttin. Ich scheide und gehe weit weg, immer vergeblich euren Namen rufend, ich werde nicht daran sterben, da der Schmerz mir hilft, mein süßestes Leben. Ich scheide, o meine Dame, denn schon ist die Stunde meines Abschieds da, ich werde nicht daran sterben, da Amor es nicht will, lebt wohl, meine allersüßeste Liebste. Translation by Gerhard Weydt

External websites:

Vago giardino di villanelle bellissime, dato in luce da me Iacinta Venetiana. Firenze 1612