amarga once again

Listen to the “Home-recording” by Elena Plaza Cebrián (voice) and Veronique De Raedemaeker (violin).

„amarga once again“ is based on the song by Alfonso Mudarra (1510-1580), using the poem „Claros y frescos ríos“ by Juan Boscán (1487-1542).
Composed and recorded in Cologne, thanks to the scholarship MKW Stipendium 2020.

After 2020 I decided to make a new version of the piece for Baritone and String Quartet for Ferran Albrich and Leos Quartet (Catalonia), This version’s Premiere is scheduled on the 9.11.2021 in Barcelona (MACBA) for the Award Ceremony of the Carmen Mateu Young Artist European Award.

Claros y frescos ríos 
que mansamente vays 
siguiendo vuestro natural camino;
Desiertos montes míos, 
que'n un estado estays 
de soledad muy triste de contino;
Aves, en quien ay tino 
de estar siempre cantando;
Árboles que bivís, 
y al fin tanbién morís, 
perdiendo a vezes tiempos y ganando;
Oydme, oydme juntamente, 
mi voz amarga, ronca y tan doliente.
Pues quiso mi ventura 
que uviese d'apartarme 
de quien jamás osé pensar partirme, 
en tanta desventura 
conviene consolarme, 
que no es agora tiempo de morirme; 
el alma ha d'estar firme, 
que en un tan baxo estado 
vergonçosa es la muerte;
si acabo en mal tan fuerte, 
todos dirán que voy desesperado; 
y quien tan bien amó
no es bien que digan que tan mal murió.

Translation by Paul Archer:

Clear and cool rivers
that are content to follow
your natural path;
Barren hills round me
that stand in a state
of sad perpetual solitude;
Birds that have the sense
to be always singing;
Trees that live
and finally also die,
losing and winning at various times;
Listen to me, all of you listen to
my voice that’s bitter, hoarse and so full of pain.

For fortune has willed
that I have to separate
from the one I could never imagine leaving,
in this time of misfortune
I have to tell myself
that now is not my time to die;
my soul has to be firm,
for if it were weak
death would be shameful;
if I end up in such a bad way,
all will speak of my desperation;
and for one who loved so well
it’s not good if they say he had a bad death.