Juan dell Encina: Nuevas te traigo (c.1490)

Nuevas te traigo 0:06 Verse 1 (SATB a cappella) 1:18 Verse 2 (male alto & lute) 2:12 Verse 3 (male alto, lute, harp, bass viol) 3:06 Instrumental (recorder, lute, harp, bass viol) 3:58 Verse 4 (SATB a cappella) This villancico for four voices is a lamentation of a lover who is informed that the object of his affection has married another man. It is a ballad that unfolds in 12 verses (of which I chose the first four). As is typical of the late Medieval villancico, it has the ABBA sequence, and its homophonic structure is similar to its Italian equivalent, the frottola. Although the topic of the song explores the sorrows of a plain peasant, his yearning for the one lady whom he cannot marry because of circumstance is very much a theme inspired by courtly love. Text: Nuevas te traigo, Carillo de tu mal (I bear bad news for you, Carillo) dimelas hora, Pascual (tell me now, Pascual) Sabete que Bartolilla (You know that Bartolilla) la hija de Mari-Mingo (the daughter of Mari-Mingo) se desposo di domingo (got married on Sunday) con un garzon de la villa (to a young man from the town) He gran cordojo e mancilla (I bring great heartbreak and blemish) de tu mal, (to you) porque cres muy buen zagal. (for you believe you are a very good lad) Di si burlas o departes (You're kidding or go away) O si lo dices de vero (If what you say is true) porque en mal tan lastimero (because it's so bad it's pitiful) No es razon que tu me enartes (There is no reason that you entice me) Yo hable con ella el martes (I spoke with her on Tuesday) so el portal (at the gate) mas nunca me dijo tal. (but she never told me that.) Y o te juro a Sant Rodrigo (I swear to Sant' Rodrigo) Que no te burlo ni miento (that I don't ridicule you nor lie) Porque a su desposamiento (because at the marriage) Me llamaron por testigo. (I was called to testify.) Creeme lo que te digo, (Believe me when I say) que este mal (what is wrong) te sera muy desigual. (it will be very unequal) Pese a Diez con el cariño (Ponder with the affection) que yo con ella tenia, (that I had with her) porque con su galania (because with his gallantry) me ha burlado como a niño. (he made fun of me like a child) Tal descuetro e desaliño, (Such dismissal and injury) por mi mal, (for me...) me sera mas que mortal. (will be more than fatal.) Illustrations: 1. "Nuevas te traigo, Carillo" manuscript score from El Cancionero Musical de Palacio, Juan dell'Encina 2. Alcazar Palace interior, Sevilla, Spain built for Pedro I in the 14th century in the Moorish style and used for royal entertainment during dell Encina's lifetime. 3. Orpheus playing the lute mournfully, Luca della Robbia, c1440 4. Garden of courtly love, 5. Triumph of Love, F. Petrarca 6. Triumph of Love 7. Musical angels, Botticini 8. Euterpe playing recorder 9. Tower of the Alhambra Palace built by the Moors in the mid-14th century and occupied by the Catholic Kings in the late 15th century.