Si, mi dicesti si (Peter Philips)

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  • (Posted 2017-02-23)  CPDL #43271:   
Editor: Mick Swithinbank (submitted 2017-02-23).   Score information: A4, 8 pages, 66 kB   Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes: Modern clefs; original pitch and note values.

General Information

Title: Si, mi dicesti si
Composer: Peter Philips
Lyricist: Giovanni Battista Guarini

Number of voices: 6vv   Voicing: SSTTTB
Genre: SecularMadrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1604
Description: Source: Published by Pierre Phalese the Younger in Antwerp in: Di Pietro Philippi Inglese Organista delli sereniss. prencipi Alberto et Isabella Archiduchi d'Austria &c. Il Primo Libro di Madrigali a Sei Voci. The original clefs were C1, C1, C3, C4, C4, F4. The unusually sudden ending, with just a crotchet in all voice parts, is clearly a humorous word-painting effect, and is reminiscent of the ending of Jean Crespel's setting of Vox in Rama which similarly suggests something (in that case, however, the lives of infants) being suddenly snuffed out.

External websites:

Original text and translations

Italian.png Italian text

Si, mi dicesti si, ed io quel dolcissimo “si” mandai al core
subitamente ed arsi di quel foco dolcissimo d’amore
che per altr’esca non potea destarsi.
Hor che voi vi pentite, anch’io mi pento
e com’un “si” m’accese, un “nò” m’ha spento.

English.png English translation

Translation by Mick Swithinbank
Praise be, you told me the answer was “yes”!
At once I took that message to my heart,
and sweet flames of love engulfed me,
flames that could have caught on no other tinder.
Now that you have changed your mind, I too am plunged into regret,
and, just as your “yes” set me on fire,
so your “no” has extinguished me.