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Si le parler et le silence

from Doulce m​é​moire by Mignarda

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about

Pierre Guédron (c. 1570 – 1620)

Published in Robert Dowland's A Musicall Banquet, 1610, "Si le parler" represents an early work by Guédron. As it stands in the printed version, the air is something of a vocal showpiece with its high tessitura and written-in ornamentation. Our performance places the air in a singable range and approaches the ornamentation in a natural and progressive manner that accentuates communication of the text.

lyrics

Si le parler et le silence
Nuit à notre heur également,
Parlons donc, ma chère espérance,
Du coeur et des yeux seulement;
Amour, ce petit dieu volage
Nous apprend ce muet langage.

Que le regard vole et revole,
Messager des nos passions,
Et serve au lieu de la parole
Pour dire nos intentions.
Amour ce petit dieu volage
Nous apprend ce muet langage.

Mais si quelque âme est offencée
De nous voir discourir des yeux,
Nous parlérons de la pensée,
Comme les anges dans les cieux.
Amour ce petit dieu volage
Nous apprend ce muet langage.

Ainsi par un doux artifice
Nous trompérons les courtisans
Et nous rirons de la malice
De mille fâcheux médisans,
Qui n'en sauront pas d'avantage
Ignorant, ce muet langage.

If the speech and the silence
Equally obscure our happiness,
Let us speak, my dear hope,
Only through heart and eyes;
Cupid, this fickle little god
Teaches us this wordless language.

Stolen looks flying back and forth,
Are the messengers of our passion,
And serve instead of speech
To speak our intentions.
Cupid, this fickle little god
Teaches us this wordless language.

But if some soul takes offense
To see us, speaking with our eyes,
We will speak of thoughts,
Like the angels in heaven.
Cupid, this fickle little god
Teaches us this wordless language.

Thus, through sweet artifice
We deceive the courtiers
And we will laugh at the malice
Of the thousand annoying gossips,
Who will be unaware, disadvantaged,
Ignorant of this wordless language.
Ignoring this silent language.

English translation by Donna Stewart.

credits

from Doulce m​é​moire, released September 3, 2021
Donna Stewart, voice
Ron Andrico, lute

Recorded at the Lava Room, Beachwood, OH
Engineer, Chris Ebbert

lute by Richard Fletcher, courtesy of Jean Toombs

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all rights reserved

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about

Mignarda Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Mignarda specializes in thoughtful programming illuminating the vibrant mingling of renaissance music & poetry. Noted for awakening modern audiences to an appreciation for historical music, their work encompasses concertizing, teaching & recording, with 17 critically-acclaimed CDs, a series of 16 music editions, scholarly articles, reviews and the internationally-popular blog, Unquiet Thoughts. ... more

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