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Il bianco e dolce cigno cantando more, ed io piangendo, giung' al fin del viver mio. Stran' e diversa sorte, ch'ei more sconsolato, Ed io moro beato. Morte che nel morire M'empie di gioia tutt' e di desire; Se nel morir' altro dolor non sento, Di mille mort' il di sarei contendo.
Authorship
- by Giovanni Guidiccioni (1480 - 1541) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- sometimes misattributed to Alfonso d'Avalos d'Aquino, 4th Marchese di Pescara e del Vasto (1502 - 1546)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Jacob (aka Jacques or Jachet) Arcadelt (c1505 - c1568), "Il bianco e dolce cigno", published 1539 [chorus], madrigal [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Orazio Vecchi (1550 - 1605), "Il bianco e dolce cigno", published 1589 [chorus], madrigal [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Tinelot Wittermans) , "De witte en lieflijke zwaan", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Tinelot Wittermans) , "The white and lovely swan", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Anton Gatscha) , "Der weiße, stille Schwan"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 52
The white and lovely swan dies singing, and crying I reach the end of my life. Strange is it that the swan dies without comfort And that I die joyfully. A death that fulfills me With happiness and longing Because I don't feel other misery (when I die) I would be happy to die a thousand deaths a day.
Authorship
- Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © by Tinelot Wittermans, (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:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Giovanni Guidiccioni (1480 - 1541) and misattributed to Alfonso d'Avalos d'Aquino, 4th Marchese di Pescara e del Vasto (1502 - 1546)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 59