Fenice Fù, Jacopo da Bologna - Lola Palomo

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Fenice fù, by Jacopo da Bologna, ca. 1350

Early Italian Renaissance composer of the 14th century. Not much is known about his trayectory, but during the later part of his life, Bologna worked for the Visconti family of Milan and other important courts of Verona.

Fenice fù is probably one of his last compositions.

Fenice fù e vissi pura e morbida,
Et or son trasmutata in una tortora,
Che volo con amor per le belle ortora
Arbor e secho mai n'aqua torbida,
Non me deleta may per questo dubito,
Va ne l'astate l'inverno viene subito.
Tal vissi e tal me vivo e posso scrivere
C'ha donna non è piu chè honesta vivere.

A phoenix was I who lived pure and tender
and now am transformed into a turtle-dove
that flies with love through the beautiful orchards
and the dry woods but never in muddy waters.
It gives me no pleasure because of this doubt.
Go in the summer; winter comes quickly.
So I lived and so I live and can write,
which, for a woman, is no more than to live honestly.


Recorded and filmed in Madrid, in July, 2020.
Voice: Lola Palomo

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