O Mirtillo (Claudio Monteverdi)

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(Posted 2023-02-08) CPDL #72562: (LilyPond)

Editor: Allen Garvin (submitted 2023-02-08). Score information: Letter, 3 pages, 72 kB Copyright: CC BY NC

Edition notes:

(Posted 2017-02-16) CPDL #43167:

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2017-02-16). Score information: A4, 3 pages, 58 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

(Posted 2012-12-30) CPDL #27908:

Editor: Peter Rottländer (submitted 2012-12-30). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 162 kB Copyright: CPDL

Basso continuo:

Score information: A4, 1 page, 39 kB

Edition notes: Continuo not realised.

(Posted 2007-09-28) CPDL #15093: (YouTube)

Editor: Claude Tallet (submitted 2007-09-28). Score information: A4, 5 pages, 56 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: O Mirtillo
Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1605 in Il quinto libro de madrigali a cinque voci (Claudio Monteverdi), no. 2
Description: #2 from the 5th book of madrigals.

External websites:

English poetical translation of O Mirtillo and of other madrigals by Monteverdi.

Original text and translations

Italian text

O Mirtillo, Mirtill'anima mia,
se vedessi qui dentro
come sta il cor di questa
che chiami crudelissima Amarilli,
so ben che tu di lei
quella pietà che da lei chiedi avresti.
Oh anime in amor troppo infelici !
Che giova a te, cor mio, l'esser amato ?
Che giova a me l'aver sì caro amante ?
Perché, crudo destino,
ne disunisci tu, s'Amor ne stringe ?
E tu perché ne stringi,
se ne parte il destin, perfido Amore ?

French translation

Ô, Mirtillo, Mirtillo mon âme,
Si tu voyais là, en moi,
Comment est le cœur de celle
que tu appelles la très cruelle Amarilli.
Je sais bien que cette même pitié
que tu attends d'elle, de moi tu l'aurais.
Ô, âmes en amour trop malheureuses !
Quelle jouissance pour toi, mon cœur, l'être aimé ?
Quelle jouissance pour moi d'avoir un si cher amant ?
Pourquoi, cruel destin,
Ne nous sépares-tu pas, si Amour ne nous étreint ?
Et toi, pourquoi n'étreints-tu pas,
Si le destin n'est pas partagé, perfide Amour ?

English translation

Mirtillo, O my life, my soul!
If here within thou couldst perceive
the secret feelings of the heart
of Amarillis whom thou call'st cruel,
well do I know that she would find
from thee that pity thou implor'st from her!
O hapless souls, bound by ties of love.
Mirtillo has my heart, yet what avails
my love to me, or his dear love to me!
Ah, wherefore, cruel destiny,
dost thou divide whom Love has bound?
And wherefore bind'st thou those,
perfidious love! whom destiny divides?

Translation by William Clapperton (1809)