Songs

Punto de Habañera

by Xavier Montsalvatge From Cinco canciones negras (1945)

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Text & Translation

Punto de Habañera
Spanish source: Néstor Luján

La niña criolla pasa con su miriñaque blanco.
¡Qué blanco!
¡Hola! Crespón de tu espuma;
¡Marineros, contempladla!
Va mojadita de lunas
que le hacen su piel mulata;
Niña no te quejes,
tan solo por esta tarde.
Quisiera mandar al agua que no se escape de pronto
de la cárcel de tu falda.
Tu cuerpo encierra esta tarde
rumor de abrirse de dalia.
Niña no te quejes,
tu cuerpo de fruta está
dormido en fresco brocado.
Tu cintura vibra fina
con la nobleza de un látigo,
toda tu piel huele alegre
a limonal y naranjo.
Los marineros te miran
y se te quedan mirando.
La niña criolla pasa con su miriñaque blanco.
¡Qué blanco!

Habanera Rhythm
English translation © Jacqueline Cockburn

The Creole girl goes by in her white crinoline.
How white!
The billowing spray of your crepe skirt!
Sailors, look at her!
She passes gleaming in the moonlight
which darkens her skin.
Young girl, do not complain,
only for tonight
do I wish the water not to suddenly escape
the prison of your skirt.
In your body this evening
dwells the sound of opening dahlias.
Young girl, do not complain,
your ripe body
sleeps in fresh brocade,
your waist quivers
as proud as a whip,
every inch of you skin is gloriously fragrant
with orange and lemon trees.
The sailors look at you
and feast their eyes on you.
The Creole girl goes by in her white crinoline.
How white!

Translations by Jacqueline Cockburn and Richard Stokes published in the The Spanish Song Companion (Gollancz, 1992)

Punto de Habañera
Spanish source: Néstor Luján

Habanera Rhythm
English source: Jacqueline Cockburn

La niña criolla pasa con su miriñaque blanco.
The Creole girl goes by in her white crinoline.
¡Qué blanco!
How white!
¡Hola! Crespón de tu espuma;
The billowing spray of your crepe skirt!
¡Marineros, contempladla!
Sailors, look at her!
Va mojadita de lunas
She passes gleaming in the moonlight
que le hacen su piel mulata;
which darkens her skin.
Niña no te quejes,
Young girl, do not complain,
tan solo por esta tarde.
only for tonight
Quisiera mandar al agua que no se escape de pronto
do I wish the water not to suddenly escape
de la cárcel de tu falda.
the prison of your skirt.
Tu cuerpo encierra esta tarde
In your body this evening
rumor de abrirse de dalia.
dwells the sound of opening dahlias.
Niña no te quejes,
Young girl, do not complain,
tu cuerpo de fruta está
your ripe body
dormido en fresco brocado.
sleeps in fresh brocade,
Tu cintura vibra fina
your waist quivers
con la nobleza de un látigo,
as proud as a whip,
toda tu piel huele alegre
every inch of you skin is gloriously fragrant
a limonal y naranjo.
with orange and lemon trees.
Los marineros te miran
The sailors look at you
y se te quedan mirando.
and feast their eyes on you.
La niña criolla pasa con su miriñaque blanco.
The Creole girl goes by in her white crinoline.
¡Qué blanco!
How white!

Composer

Xavier Montsalvatge

Xavier Montsalvatge i Bassols was a Spanish composer and music critic.

Performances

Previously performed at:

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