Songs

Romance de Fonte-frida

by Judith Weir From A Spanish Liederbooklet (1988)

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Text & Translation

Romance de Fonte-frida
Spanish source: Anon.

Fonte frida, fonre frida,—fonte frida y con amor
Do todas las avecicas—van tomar consolación,
Si no es tortolica—qu’está viuda y con dolor.
Por allí fuera pasar—el traidor del ruiseñor;
Las palabras que le dice—llenas son de traición:
'Si tú quisieses, señora,—yo sería tu servidor'.
'Vete d’ahi, enemigo,—malo, falso, enganador,
que ni poso en ramo verde,—ni en prado que tenga flor;
que si el agua hallo clara—turbia la bebía yo;
que no quiero haber marido—porque hihos no haya, no;
no quiero placer con ellos,—ni menos consolaciíon.
¡Dejame, triste enemigo,—malo, falso, mal traidor,
que no quiero ser tu amiga—ni casar contigo, no!'

Romance of Fonte-frida
English translation © Signum Classics

Cool fountain, cool fountain, cool fountain of love,
where all the little birds go to console themselves,
except the turtle-dove who is widowed and sorrowing.
By it there passed that traitor, the nightingale.
The words that he spoke were full of treachery:
‘If you would allow me, lady, I would be your servant.’
‘Go away enemy, false deceiver.
I do not perch on and if I find the water clear, I drank from it turbid.
I do not want a husband, so that there may be no children.
I want no pleasure with children, nor yet any consolation.
Leave me, sad enemy, wicked, false, evil traitor,
for I do not want to be your mistress,
nor to marry you either.”

Romance de Fonte-frida
Spanish source: Anon.

Romance of Fonte-frida
English source: Signum Classics

Fonte frida, fonre frida,—fonte frida y con amor
Cool fountain, cool fountain, cool fountain of love,
Do todas las avecicas—van tomar consolación,
where all the little birds go to console themselves,
Si no es tortolica—qu’está viuda y con dolor.
except the turtle-dove who is widowed and sorrowing.
Por allí fuera pasar—el traidor del ruiseñor;
By it there passed that traitor, the nightingale.
Las palabras que le dice—llenas son de traición:
The words that he spoke were full of treachery:
'Si tú quisieses, señora,—yo sería tu servidor'.
‘If you would allow me, lady, I would be your servant.’
'Vete d’ahi, enemigo,—malo, falso, enganador,
‘Go away enemy, false deceiver.
que ni poso en ramo verde,—ni en prado que tenga flor;
I do not perch on and if I find the water clear, I drank from it turbid.
que si el agua hallo clara—turbia la bebía yo;
I do not want a husband, so that there may be no children.
que no quiero haber marido—porque hihos no haya, no;
I want no pleasure with children, nor yet any consolation.
no quiero placer con ellos,—ni menos consolaciíon.
Leave me, sad enemy, wicked, false, evil traitor,
¡Dejame, triste enemigo,—malo, falso, mal traidor,
for I do not want to be your mistress,
que no quiero ser tu amiga—ni casar contigo, no!'
nor to marry you either.”

Composer

Judith Weir

Judith Weir was born into a Scottish family in 1954, but grew up near London. She was an oboe player, performing with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and studied composition with John Tavener during her schooldays. She went on to…

Poet

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