Songs

Avendo Gran Disio

by Luciano Berio From Quattro Canzoni Popolari

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Text & Translation

Avendo Gran Disio
Italian source: Jacopo da Lentini

Avendo gran disio
dipinsi una pintura
bella a voi somigliante
e quando voi non vio
guardo in quella figura
e par ch'eo v'agia avante.

Al cor m'arde una doglia
com' om che ten, lo foco
a lo suo seno ascoso
che quanto più lo'n voglia
allor' arde più loco
e non può stare in chiuso.
Similmente eo ardo
quando passo e non guardo
a voi Viso amoroso.

S'i scite quando passo
in ver, voi non mi giro
bella per risguardare
andando ad ogni passo
gittane un suspiro
che mi facie andosciare
e certo bene ancoscio
ch'a pena mi conoscio
tanto bella mi pari

Filled with desire
English translation © Jennifer Rushworth

Filled with desire
I painted a picture,
Beautiful lady, of your likeness,
And when I cannot see you
I look at that image
And it seems as if I have you in front of me.

In my heart there burns a pain,
Like someone who has a fire
Hidden within their breast;
The more they try to hide it,
The more the fire burns
And cannot be contained:
In a similar way I burn
When I pass by and do not look
At you and your beloved face.

If, when I pass by, I do not
Turn to look at you,
Beautiful lady,
With each step I take
I let out a sigh
Which makes me distressed;
And indeed I am rightly distressed
For I barely recognize myself,
So beautiful do you seem to me.

Avendo Gran Disio
Italian source: Jacopo da Lentini

Filled with desire
English source: Jennifer Rushworth

Avendo gran disio
Filled with desire
dipinsi una pintura
I painted a picture,
bella a voi somigliante
Beautiful lady, of your likeness,
e quando voi non vio
And when I cannot see you
guardo in quella figura
I look at that image
e par ch'eo v'agia avante.
And it seems as if I have you in front of me.

Al cor m'arde una doglia
In my heart there burns a pain,
com' om che ten, lo foco
Like someone who has a fire
a lo suo seno ascoso
Hidden within their breast;
che quanto più lo'n voglia
The more they try to hide it,
allor' arde più loco
The more the fire burns
e non può stare in chiuso.
And cannot be contained:
Similmente eo ardo
In a similar way I burn
quando passo e non guardo
When I pass by and do not look
a voi Viso amoroso.
At you and your beloved face.

S'i scite quando passo
If, when I pass by, I do not
in ver, voi non mi giro
Turn to look at you,
bella per risguardare
Beautiful lady,
andando ad ogni passo
With each step I take
gittane un suspiro
I let out a sigh
che mi facie andosciare
Which makes me distressed;
e certo bene ancoscio
And indeed I am rightly distressed
ch'a pena mi conoscio
For I barely recognize myself,
tanto bella mi pari
So beautiful do you seem to me.

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