C'era una volta che con voi parlava1, Ora non son più degna di vendervi; Allor se per la via, v'incontrava1, Bassava1 gl'occhi, e il cor si rallegrava. Adesso che son priva dell' amore, Abbasso gli occhi, e convien ch'io mora, Adesso che son priva dal mio bene, Abbasso gl'occhi, e morir mi conviene! Prendi colle tue mani un coltel d'oro, Ferisci l'alma mia con tuo diletto! Così vedrai se t'amo e se t'adoro, Così vedrai s'è ver quel che ti ho detto, S'egli è la verità, caro amor mio, Per un' che s'apre il petto e dice addio, S'egli è la verità, caro mio amore, Per lei che spira e che ti dona il core.
1 modern Italian usage would require the following changes: parlavo / io v'incontravo / Bassavo. Another version published by Jean Lahor in Chants populaires de l'Italie has "Allor se per la via vi rincontrava" (line 3)
Authorship
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910), "C'era una volta", published 1879 [ voice and piano ], from Fünf toscanische Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 2, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel, also set in German (Deutsch), also set in French (Français) [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901) ; composed by Pauline Viardot-García.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914) , no title, appears in Italienisches Liederbuch, in Rispetti, in Toscanisch, no. 99, first published 1860 [an adaptation] ; composed by Joseph Marx.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Pauline Viardot-García.
Research team for this text: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2013-08-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 115
Vous me parliez jadis, j'étais heureuse, Mais maintenant vous évitez ma vue ; Alors vous rencontrais-je dans la rue ? Mon cœur battait, et j'étais radieuse ! Mais, seule maintenant, je souffre et pleure. Pourquoi vivrais-je ? il vaut mieux que je meure ! Car, seule maintenant, je souffre et pleure ! Pourquoi vivrais-je ? il vaut mieux que je meure ! Prends ce poignard et frappe ton amante ; Tu la verras mourir avec ivresse, Pourvu qu'en sa poitrine frémissante Ton regard plonge, et lise ma tendresse ! Trop doux sera pour moi l'instant suprême, S'il fait connaître à quel excès je t'aime ! Trop doux sera pour moi l'instant suprême, S'il fait connaître à quel excès je t'aime !
Authorship
- by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- a text in Italian (Italiano) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910), "Reproches", published 1881 [ voice and piano ], from Poésies toscanes, no. 2, E. Gérard, Paris, also set in Italian (Italiano), also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2020-05-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 121