Songs

Notte

by Ottorino Respighi

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Text & Translation

Notte
source: Ada Negri

Sul giardino fantastico
Profumato di rosa
La carezza de l'ombra
Posa.

Pure ha un pensiero e un palpito
La quiete suprema,
L'aria come per brivido
Trema.

La luttuosa tenebra
Una storia di morte
Racconta alle cardenie
Smorte?

Forse perché una pioggia
Di soavi rugiade
Entro i socchiusi petali
Cade,

Su l'ascose miserie
E su l'ebbrezze perdute,
Sui muti sogni e l'ansie
Mute.

Su le fugaci gioie
Che il disinganno infrange
La notte le sue lacrime
Piange...

Night
English translation © Laura Prichard

On the fantastic garden
Perfumed by rose
The caress of a shadow -
Rests.

Nevertheless having a thought and a pulse
Supreme quiet,
The air, as if shivering -
Trembles.

Does the mournful darkness
A story of death
Tell to the gardenias -
So pale?

Maybe it’s because a torrent
Of delicate dewdrops
Into half-closed petals -
Falls,

On concealed troubles
And on once intoxicating losses,
On voiceless dreams and anxieties -
Mute.

Over the fleeting joys
That disappointment smashes
Night, her tears -
Weeps...

Reprinted with permission from the LiederNet Archive

Notte
source: Ada Negri

Night
English source: Laura Prichard

Sul giardino fantastico
On the fantastic garden
Profumato di rosa
Perfumed by rose
La carezza de l'ombra
The caress of a shadow -
Posa.
Rests.

Pure ha un pensiero e un palpito
Nevertheless having a thought and a pulse
La quiete suprema,
Supreme quiet,
L'aria come per brivido
The air, as if shivering -
Trema.
Trembles.

La luttuosa tenebra
Does the mournful darkness
Una storia di morte
A story of death
Racconta alle cardenie
Tell to the gardenias -
Smorte?
So pale?

Forse perché una pioggia
Maybe it’s because a torrent
Di soavi rugiade
Of delicate dewdrops
Entro i socchiusi petali
Into half-closed petals -
Cade,
Falls,

Su l'ascose miserie
On concealed troubles
E su l'ebbrezze perdute,
And on once intoxicating losses,
Sui muti sogni e l'ansie
On voiceless dreams and anxieties -
Mute.
Mute.

Su le fugaci gioie
Over the fleeting joys
Che il disinganno infrange
That disappointment smashes
La notte le sue lacrime
Night, her tears -
Piange...
Weeps...

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