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The Gypsy Ballads
Song Cycle by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968)
View original-language texts alone: Romancero Gitano
El río Guadalquivir va entre naranjos y olivos. Los dos ríos de Granada bajan de la nieve al trigo. ¡Ay, amor que se fue y no vino! El río Guadalquivir tiene las barbas granates. Los dos ríos de Granada uno llanto y otro sangre. ¡Ay, amor que se fue por el aire! Para los barcos de vela, Sevilla tiene un camino; por el agua de Granada sólo reman los suspiros. ¡Ay, amor que se fue y no vino! Guadalquivir, alta torre y viento en los naranjales. Dauro y Genil, torrecillas muertas sobre los estanques. ¡Ay, amor que se fue por el aire! ¡Quién dirá que el agua lleva un fuego fatuo de gritos! ¡Ay, amor que se fue y no vino! Lleva azahar, lleva olivas, Andalucía, a tus mares. ¡Ay, amor que se fue por el aire!
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Baladilla de los tres ríos", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, first published 1921
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Song of the Three Rivers", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Ballade des trois rivières", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Federico García Lorca, Die Gedichte: Spanisch-Deutsch, ausgewählt und übertragen von Enrique Beck, Band 1, Göttingen: Wallstein Verlag, 2008, pages 66 and 68.
Research team for this page: Ivo Zandhuis , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
The river Guadalquivir flows between oranges and olives. The two rivers of Granada descend from the white snows to the wheat fields. Ah, love that left, never to return! The Guadalquivir has a beard of garnet. The two rivers of Granada, one of tears and one of blood. Ah, love that flew, into thin air! For boats under sail, Seville has a channel; In the waters of Granada, only sighs remain. Ah, love that left, never to return! Guadalquivir, high tower and wind in the orange groves. Dauro and Genil, lifeless cairns above the ponds. Ah, love that flew, into thin air! Who can say how the waters carry a vain fire of cries! Ah, love that left, never to return! Carry orange blossoms, carry olives, Andalucia, down to the sea. Ah love that flew, into thin air!
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Baladilla de los tres ríos", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 32
Word count: 138
Empieza el llanto de la guitarra. Se rompen las copas de la madrugada. Empieza el llanto de la guitarra. Es inútil callarla. Es imposible callarla. Llora monótona como llora el agua, como llora el viento sobre la nevada. Es imposible callarla. Llora por cosas lejanas. Arena del Sur caliente que pide camelias blancas. Llora flecha sin blanco, la tarde sin mañana, y el primer pájaro muerto sobre la rama. ¡Oh, guitarra! Corazón malherido por cinco espadas.
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "La guitarra", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Poema de la siguiriya gitana , first published 1921
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "The guitar", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "La guitare", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
The weeping of the guitar begins. The cups of dawn are broken. The weeping of the guitar begins. It is useless to silence it. It is impossible to silence it. It cries, monotonously, as the waters cry, as the wind cries over the snowfall. It is impossible to silence it. It weeps for things far away. It asks the Sands of the South for white camellias. It cries for the arrow without a target, for the afternoon without a morning, and for the first bird who dies on the branch. Oh, guitar! Heart wounded by five swords.
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "La guitarra", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Poema de la siguiriya gitana , first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 26
Word count: 97
El puñal entra en el corazón, como la reja del arado en el yermo. No. No me lo claves. No. El puñal, como un rayo de sol, incendia las terribles hondonadas. No. No me lo claves. No.
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Puñal", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Poema de la soleá, first published 1921
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Dagger", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Poignard", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
The dagger pierces the heart like the blade of the plow in dry mud. No. Do not stab me. No. The dagger, like a ray of sun, burns the desolate ravines. No. Do not stab me. No.
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Puñal", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Poema de la soleá, first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 14
Word count: 37
I. Procesión Por la calleja vienen extraños unicornios. ¿De qué campo, de qué bosque mitológico? Más cerca, ya parecen astrónomos. Fantásticos Merlines y el Ecce Homo, Durandarte encantado. Orlando furioso. II. Paso Virgen con miriñaque, virgen de la Soledad, abierta como un inmenso tulipán. En tu barco de luces vas por la alta marea de la ciudad, entre saetas turbias y estrellas de cristal. Virgen con miriñaque tú vas por el río de la calle, ¡hasta el mar! III. Saeta Cristo moreno pasa de lirio de Judea a clavel de España. ¡Miradlo, por dónde viene! De España. Cielo limpio y oscuro, tierra tostada, y cauces donde corre muy lenta el agua. Cristo moreno, con las guedejas quemadas, los pómulos salientes y las pupilas blancas. ¡Miradlo, por dónde va!
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Holy Week procession", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Procession", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1. Procession Down the road come strange unicorns. From what fields, what mythological woods? Circling closer They look like astronomers. Ghostly Merlins and the condemned Christ, Enchanted Durandarte, Orlando Furioso. 2. Paso (large platform carrying a statue used in holy processions) Virgin with glittering crinoline skirts, virgin of solitude, Opening like an immense tulip. In your boat of lights you sail with the high tide of the city, among gypsy songs and crystal stars. Virgin with glittering crinoline skirts, you float on the river of the street - to the sea! 3. Saeta (gypsy processional song for Holy Week) The swarthy Christ transforms from the lily of Judea to the carnation of Spain. Look where he's coming from! From Spain, the sky, clean and dark, the earth scorched, and ditches where water runs very slowly. Swarthy Christ, his locks of hair burned, his cheekbones protruding and his pupils white. Look where he's going!
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936)
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 42
Word count: 153
Cuando yo me muera, enterradme con mi guitarra bajo la arena. Cuando yo me muera, entre los naranjos y la hierbabuena. Cuando yo me muera, enterradme si queréis en una veleta. ¡Cuando yo me muera!
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Memento", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Viñetas flamencas , first published 1921
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Mememto", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Memento", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
When I die, bury me with my guitar under the sand. When I die, between the orange trees and the peppermint. When I die, bury me, as you wish, on a weather vane. When I die!
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Memento", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Viñetas flamencas , first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 10
Word count: 36
La Carmen está bailando por las calles de Sevilla. Tiene blancos los cabellos y brillantes las pupilas. ¡Niñas, corred las cortinas! En su cabeza se enrosca una serpiente amarilla, y va soñando en el baile con galanes de otros días. ¡Niñas, corred las cortinas! Las calles están desiertas y en los fondos se adivinan, corazones andaluces buscando viejas espinas. ¡Niñas, corred las cortinas!
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Baile", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Tres ciudades, no. 3, first published 1921
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Dance", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Danse", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Carmen is dancing in the streets of Seville. Her hair is white and her pupils sparkle. Girls, close the curtains! Around her head is entwined a yellow snake. And she is dreaming, dancing with gentlemen from the past. Girls, close the curtains! The streets are deserted and in the shadows are gleamed Andalucian hearts Unearthing old sorrows. Girls, close the curtains!
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Baile", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Tres ciudades, no. 3, first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 15
Word count: 61
Crótalo. Crótalo. Crótalo. Escarabajo sonoro. En la araña de la mano rizas el aire cálido, y te ahogas en tu trino de palo. Crótalo. Crótalo. Crótalo. Escarabajo sonoro.
Authorship:
- by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Crótalo", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Seis caprichos, no. 3, first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Richard Gard) , "Castanet", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Castanet. Castanet. Castanet. Raucous black beetle. In the spider legs of a hand you curl the hot air and drown in your trill of wood. Castanet. Castanet. Castanet. Raucous black beetle.
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2010 by Richard Gard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), "Crótalo", appears in Poema del Cante Jondo, in Seis caprichos, no. 3, first published 1921
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-03
Line count: 14
Word count: 31