italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
Italianiste/i,
I wonder if someone could offer suggestions on how to translate part of an
early 18th-century cantata? I received recently the following request, and
would appreciate any help you may offer, which I will pass on to the person
concerned. His message is as follows:
I seek your help in translating part of the Italian text of an early 18th
century cantata. (I am preparing - for private, not commercial, purposes -
a playing edition of the cantata from a microfiche copy of a previously
unpublished manuscript.)
I have been unable to determine the precise meaning of the following
passage, which is the text of the second recitative of the cantata: (The
slashes [/] indicate the phrasing implied by rests in the musical score.
There is no punctuation, and the accents are as in the manuscript.)
Non isdegna la sú / frà l'altre moli / benche mendiche vittorie / che
l'offrisce / un cor fedele // cosi bella ricevi /
dell' alma mia / de miei voleri / il voto
The context, i.e. the remaining text of the cantata within which this
passage occurs, reads thus: (With this I have no great difficulty, and can
do my own translation; here and there I have normalised the spelling, and
the punctuation is mine.)
[Recit.] Filli, tra il gelo e'l fuoco, timido amante, io vissi adorando
tuoi rai, senza scoprirti mai l'interno mio dolore. Par', ch'il crudo
Amore, con barbaro consiglio, m'incatenò le labbra al tuo bel ciglio! Hor
che troppo s'avanza il mio tormento, più celarlo non posso; onde,
pietosa
cara, m'ascolti almeno, e son contento.
[Aria] Il cor, che nel seno, da vaghi tuoi rai acceso, languisce, ti
chiede pietà.
Non esser crudele a un alma fedele, amata beltà.
[Recit] Non isdegna la...
[Aria] Non già t'offro incensi ed ori, perché amor non vuol tesori; ma
ti
sacro un cor fedel.
Più del cor e la mia fede non so darti, perché cede ogni vanto a chi è
fedel.
As I see them, the problems are "Non isdegna" (= imperative, "Non
isdegnar"?), "la sú" (= "la sua"?), "moli" (= "molli' agg.?), and to what
does the "l'" of "l'offrisce" refer (unless "che" should be "ché"?).
In comparison to this recitative, the rest of the cantata is crystal clear!
With my thanks for any help you may be able to provide,
Nicole Prunster
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