Era il bel viso

General information

Author: Ludovico Ariosto, 1516 in Orlando Furioso. Canto XI, ottava 65

Settings by composers

• Jean de Castro STT
• Cipriano de Rore SATB
• Alessandro Striggio SATTB
• Giaches de Wert SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Antonio Barré — Era il bel viso suo

Text and translations

Italian text Era'l bel viso suo qual esser suole Da prima ver'alcuna volt'il cielo Quando la pioggia cade e'a un temp'il sole Si sgombr'intorn'il nubiloso velo E come'il Rosignuol dolci carole Mena nei rami'alhor del verde stelo Così'alle belle lagrime le piume Si bagn'amore e gode al chiaro lume.

English translation Her face was such as sometimes in the spring We see a doubtful sky, when on the plain A shower descends, and the sun, opening His cloudy veil, looks out amid the rain. And as the nightingale then loves to sing From branch of verdant stem her dulcet strain, So in her beauteous tears his pinions bright Love bathes, rejoicing in the crystal light. Translation by William Stewart Rose