Die soete liefde en dood

Panthea

Die lied “Ah, alas you salt sea gods” (wat ook “Panthea se treurlied” genoem word) is deur Richard Farrant (1530-1580) geskryf. Die weergawe van die lied wat ek ken is die een deur die Rose Consort of Viols en gesing word deur CatherineKing. Naxos het ’n pragtige CD genaamd ElizabethanSongs and Consort Music*. Dit bevat ook William Byrd se meesterlike en hartverskeurende lief “Ye sacred muses”.

“Ah, alas you salt sea gods” is ’n dramatiese lied en John Bryan verduidelik: “[m]any of these dramatic songs take the form of elegies or ‘death songs’, either evoking death as a relief … or railing against the fate like Panthea…” (Naxos CD-boekie, bladsy 2).

Die lied is Panthea se treurlied met die dood van haar man; wat in ’n veldslag gedood is. Na die veldslag vind sy hom naby ’n rivier op die slagveld, geklee in die goue wapenrusting wat sy net voor die slag aan hom gegee het. Dievolledige verhaal van Panthea en Abradad kan hier gelees word. Hieronder is ‘n opname van die lied, met die lirieke daaronder.

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!**

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!

Bow down your ears divine.

Lend ladies here warm water springs

To moist their crystal eyne,

That they may weep and wail

And wring their hands with me

For death of lord and husband mine:

Alas, lo, this is he!

You gods that guide the ghosts

And souls of them that fled,

Send sobs, send sighs, send grievous groans,

And strike poor Panthea dead.

Abradad, ah, alas poor Abradad!

My sprite with thine shall lie.

Come death, alas, O death most sweet,

For now I crave to die.

* Katalogus: DDD 8.554284

** Hierdie lirieke is ook beskikbaar in die Naxos CD-boekie of die Choral Wiki-webwerf.

Of Love and Death Most Sweet

Panthea

The song “Ah, alas you salt sea gods” (also called “Panthea’s Lament”) was written by Richard Farrant (1530-1580). The version of the song I know is that of the Rose Consort of Viols, sung by Catherine King. Naxos has a wonderful CD called Elizabethan Songs and ConsortMusic*. It also contains William Byrd’s masterful and heartbreaking song “Ye sacred muses”. 

“Ah, alas you salt sea gods” is a dramatic song and John Bryan notes: “[m]any of these dramatic songs take the form of elegies or ‘death songs’, either evoking death as a relief … or railing against the fate like Panthea…” (NaxosCD booklet, page 2).

The song is the lament of Panthea at the death of her husband who was slain in battle. After the battle she finds him on the battlefield near a river in the golden armour she had given to him just before the battle. Cradling his mutilated body in her lap, she cries and laments at his death. The complete story of Panthea and Abradad can be read over here. Below is a recording of the song, with the lyrics underneath.

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!**

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!

Bow down your ears divine.

Lend ladies here warm water springs

To moist their crystal eyne,

That they may weep and wail

And wring their hands with me

For death of lord and husband mine:

Alas, lo, this is he!

You gods that guide the ghosts

And souls of them that fled,

Send sobs, send sighs, send grievous groans,

And strike poor Panthea dead.

Abradad, ah, alas poor Abradad!

My sprite with thine shall lie.

Come death, alas, O death most sweet,

For now I crave to die.

* Catalogue: DDD 8.554284

** These lyrics can also be found in the Naxos CD booklet or the Choral Wiki webpage. 

Monday Inspiration – Heavenly Music

Beautiful music and a poem inspired by it, that I wrote a few weeks ago. I first wrote it in Afrikaans, and now translated it as well for this post. The Afrikaans version (“Smekend om Lig”) can be found on Kammastories today.

Pleading for Light
(Poem after Antiphona post Evangelium)
O, my God, how dost Thou know when to answer?
from the depths of darkness my soul pleads for Light
but receive no answer.
may I – flesh-enshrouded soul – ask it?
hope fades.
everything becomes as night around me –
friends, friendship and love
fades to a shadow.
and then, suddenly a song sounds.
From the darkness rustles voices with
the sound of the Angels.
They sing to Thy Glory.
They sing from the past.
in their own dark time they answer:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
the voices brings Thy Light to me and
I – flesh-enshrouded soul – can see and sing
and reach out to a morsel of Thy blessing.


Written after listening to “Antiphona post Evangelium”, an Ambrosian chant by an anonymous writer. Sung by In Dulci Jubilo on the CD Discover Early Music by Naxos.

Photo by John Nyberg at http://www.sxc.hu

Maandag Inspirasie – Hemelse musiek

Pragtige musiek en ’n gedig daardeur geïnspireer, wat ek so ’n paar weke gelede geskryf het. Die Engelse weergawe is vandag op Hersenskim te vinde.

Smekend om Lig
(Gedig na Antiphona post Evangelium)
O, my God, hoe weet U wanneer om te antwoord?
uit die diepe donker smeek my siel om Lig
maar ek kry geen antwoord.
mag ek – vleesomhulde siel – dit vra?
hoop vervaag.
alles word tot nag om my –
vriende, vriendskap en liefde
verdof tot slegs ’n skadu.
en dan, skielik, klink daar ’n lied.
Uit die donker ruis stemme met
die klank van die Engele.
Hul sing tot U eer.
Hul sing uit die verlede.
in hul eie donker tyd antwoord hulle:
Haleluja! Haleluja! Haleluja!
die stemme bring U Lig na my en
ek – vleesomhulde siel – kan sien en sing
en uitreik na ’n stukkie van U seën.


Geskryf na die lied “Antiphona post Evangelium”, ’n Ambrosiaanse cantus deur ’n anonieme skrywer. Gesing deur In Dulci Jubilo op die CD Discover Early Music deur Naxos.

Foto by http://www.sxc.hu, deur John Nyberg