by Giovanni Battista Guarini (1538 - 1612)

Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Our translations:  ENG
O primavera, gioventù dell'anno,
Bella madre de' fiori,
D'erbe novelle e di novelli amori!
Tu torni ben, ma teco
Non tornano i sereni
e fortunati dì delle mie gioie.
Tu torni ben, tu torni, 
Ma teco altro non torna,
Che del perduto mio caro tesoro
La rimembranza misera e dolente.
Tu quella sei, pur quella 
Ch'eri pur dianzi sì vezzosa e bella,
Ma non son io quel, che già un tempo fui,
Sì caro agli occhi altrui.

Composition:

    Set to music by Timothy Hoekman , "Sarabanda", 2002, published 2010, first performed 2004 [ baritone and harpsichord ], from Suite italiana, no. 4, confirmed with a concert programme booklet

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "O springtime", copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Timothy Hoekman) , copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 77