Live The Legend

Love Songs of the Renaissance

The New World Renaissance Band

 1. Drive The Cold Winter Away (3:15)
 2. Il Prigioniero (3:10)
 3. Es Warb Ein Schöner Jüngling (5:04)
 4. In Hac Valle Florida (1:54)
 5. Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie (3:18)
 6. Mignonne, Allon Voir Si La Roze (4:33)  
 7. What Then Is Love But Mourning (2:37)
 8. La Sirena (2:29)
 9. O Lady For Thy Constancie (2:41)
10. Pastime With Good Company (3:32)
11. Fortune My Foe (3:10)
12. Depairt, Depairt (3:05)
13. Mon Coeur Se Recommande À Vous (3:11)


The New World Renaissance Band

Owain Phyfe, Voice and Vihuela
Bob Bielefeld, Recorders
Malcolm Smith, Fiddle and Viola
Martha Gay, Harp
Max Dyer, Cello

Produced by Max Dyer


Percussion by Ray Dillard.  Vihuela (wire strung, called a "chitarra batente")
made by James North, Brighton, Michigan
Arrangements by Max Dyer and Owain Phyfe © (P) 1992, except "La Sirena",
arranged by Bob Bielefeld and Max Dyer © (P) 1992
Recorded Spring 1992 at Heights Sound Studio, Houston, Texas
Recording Engineer, Karl Caillouet; Digital Mastering, Doug Robertson
Package Design by O'Neill Associates, Designers, Houston;  Calligraphy by Georgia Deaver
Cover painting, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, by Sir Frank Dicksee 1853-1928
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery in London
For further information contact: Nightwatch Recording, P.O. Box 721010, Berkley, Michigan 48072



Song Texts

Translations: Owain Phyfe



Track: 1  

Title: Drive the Cold Winter Away

Traditional (early 17th century England)

All hail to the days that merit more praise
  than all the rest of the year,
And welcome the nights that double delights
  as well for the poor as the peer!    
Sweet blessings attend each merry man's friend
  that doth but the best that he may,
Forgetting old wrongs, with poems and songs,
  to drive the cold winter away.

'Tis ill for the mind to anger inclined
  to think of small injuries now;
If wrath be to seek, don't lend her they cheek,
  don't let her inhabit thy brow.
Cross out of thy books malevolent looks,
  both beauty and youth's decay,
And spend the long nights in honest delights
  to drive the cold winter away.

This time of the year is spent in good cheer
  with neighbors together to meet,
To sit by the fire, with friendly desire,
  with others in love to greet;
Old grudges forgot, are put in the pot,
  all sorrows aside they lay,
The old and the young doth carol this song,
  to drive the cold winter away.



Track: 2  

Title: Il Prigioniero

by Giovanni Gastoldi (16th Century Italian)

O vezzosetta e bella
che hai fra tutte il primo onor,
non mi far morir d'amor!
So ben che indegno son
che del tuo cor mi cacci don,
ma gradisci il mio servir,
che mi fai crudel morir.


English translation:

The Prisoner

O sweet charmer,
most honorable of all,
don't let me die of love!
I know well my unworthiness
that bars me from your heart.
Yet I welcome this charge
that leads me to cruel death.



Track: 3  

Title: Es Warb Ein Schöner Jüngling

by Ludwig Senfl (1534, German)

Es warb ein schöner Jüngling
  über ein breiten See.   
um eines Königes Tochter,
  nach leid geschach ihm Weh.

Ach Elselein liebes Elselein mein,
  wie gern wär ich bei dir!   
So sein zwei tiefe Wasser
  wohl zwischen dir und mir."

"Das bringt mir grossen Schmerzen,
  herzallerliebster Gsell.
Redich von ganzem Herzen   
  Habs für gross Ungefäll."   

Hoff, Zeit werd es wohl enden,   
  hoff, Glück werd kummen drein   
sich in alls Guets verwenden,
  herzliebstes Elselein!"


English translation:

Once there was a handsome young man
from across a wide sea.
Pursuit of a king's daughter
led him to great sorrow.

"Oh Elselein, my dear Elselein,
how I long to be with you!
But there are two deep waters
between you and me."

"That brings me great pain, my
dear friend.
I say wholeheartedly this is
great misfortune."

"Have hope that time will end this.
Have hope that fortune will change.
Have hope that all else will fall into
place, beloved Elselein!"



Track: 4  

Title: In Hac Valle Florida

(Lyrics) Ms. of Benedictheuem (Latin, circa 1200)
(Melody) Dissembling Love, John Playford
(The English Dancing Master, 16th Century)

Estas in exilium
iam peregrinatur,
leto nemus avium
cantu viduatur,
pallet viror frondium
campus defloratur,

In hac valle florida
  floreus, fragratus,
intra septa lilia
  locus purpuratus.
dum garritus merule
  dulciter alludit.
philomena carmine
  dulcia concludit.


English translation:

Summer in exile
sojourns,
leaving forest and pasture
lifeless and empty of song.
Pale are the leaves
and deflowered is the field.

(Yet) in this fair valley
are flowers, rich and fragrant.
(Here) the path is lined
with lilies robed in purple.
And while the blackbird
chatters amiably all day,
the nightingale sings
its own sweet poetry.



Track: 5  

Title: Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

by Thoinot Arbeau (Pavane from Orchesographie, 1589, French)

Belle, qui tiens ma vie
Captive dans tes yeux,
Qui m'a l'âme ravie
D'un souris gracieux
Viens tot me secourir
Ou me faudra mourir


English translation:

Beautiful one, who holds my life
Captive in her eyes
Who has charmed my soul
With a gentle smile:
Come soon to my relief
Or I will perish



Track: 6  

Title: Mignonne, Allon Voir Si La Roze

by Pierre de Ronsard (mid-16th century French)

Mignonne, allon voir si la Roze,
Qui ce matin avoit désclose
Sa robe de pourpre au soleil,
ha point perdu ceste vesprée
Les plis de sa robe pourprée
Et son teint au votre pareil.
Las! las! voyez comme en peu d'espace,
Mignonne, elle a dessus la place,
las! las! ses beautez laisse choir.
o! vraiment maratre nature,
Puis qu'une telle fleur ne dure
Que du matin jusques au soir.
Doncques si me croyez, Mignonne,
Tandis que votre âge fleuronne
En sa plus verte nouveauté,
Cueillez, cueillez votre jeunesse:
Comme à ceste fleur, la viellesse
Fera ternir votre beauté.


English translation:

My beloved, let us go and see if the rose,
which this morning opened
its crimson gown to the sun,
has not lost, this eventide,
the folds of its robe,
and that glowing elegance
which you also possess.
Alas! see how in that small space of time,
my beloved, it has let its beauty
fall to the ground.
O cruel stepmother nature,
that such a flower
lasts only from dawn to dusk.
And so, my beloved, if you mark my words,
while your youthful years flower,
green and new,
reap the blessings of being young.
For like this flower,
time will wither your beauty.



Track: 7  

Title: What Then Is Love But Mourning

by Philip Rosseter (16th century England)

What then is love but mourning?
What desire but a self-burning?
Till she that hates doth love return
Thus I will mourn, thus will I sing,
Come away, come away, my darling.

Beauty is but a blooming,
Youth in his glory entombing;
Time hath a while which none can stay,
So come away while I thus sing,
Come away, come away, my darling.

Summer in winter fadeth,
Gloomy night heav'nly light shadeth,
Like to the morn are Venus' flowers,
Such are her hours, then will I sing,
Come away, come away, my darling.



Track: 8  

Title: La Sirena

by Giovanni Gastoldi (16th century Italian)

Questa dolce Sirena
Col canto acqueta il mar
un suo leggiadro riso
Puo l'aria serenar.

Chi mira il suo bel viso,
Resta prigion d'Amor,
Chi, i suoi bei lumi vede,
Sente legarsi il cor.


English translation:

There in the sea
sings the sweet siren.
She can calm the air
with one of her lovely, laughing smiles.

He who looks upon her beautiful face
remains a prisoner of love.
He who beholds her own fair light
is forever heart-bound to her.



Track: 9  

Title: O Lady For Thy Constancie

(Adeu, O Desie of Delyt)
by Andrew Blackhall

(written for Lady Mary, Queen of Scots and set to traditional
Scottish melody: On the Banks of the Helicon, circa 1575)

O lady, for they constancie,
A faithfull servand sall I be,
  Thyn honour to defend;
And I sall surelie, for they saik,
As doth the turtle for her maik,        mate
  Love to my lyfis end.                 life's
No pene nor travell, feir nor dreid,    pain travail dread
  Sall caus me to desist.
Then, ay vhen ye this letter reid,      when read
  Remember hou we kist;
    Embracing, with lacing,
      With other teiris sueet.
    Sik blissing in kissing
      I quyt till we tua meit.          repay two
Albeit my body be absent,
My faithfull hairt is vigilent
  To do you service true;
Bot, vhen I hant into the place         visit
Quhair I wes wont to sie that face,     Where   
  My dolour does reneu.                 pain
Then all my plesur is bot pane,
  My cairis they do incres;             cares
Vntill I sie your face agane,
  I live in hevynes.
    Sair weeping, but sleeping,         sore without
      The nichts I ouerdryve;           endure
    Quhylis murning, vhylis turning,    While mourning sometimes   
      With thoghtis pensityve.          heavy



Track: 10  

Title: Pastime With Good Company

by Henry VIII (early 16th century England)

Pastime with good company
I love and shall until I die.
Grutch, who lust but none deny
So God be pleased thus live will I.
For my pastense hunt, sing & dance
My heart is set,
All goodly sport, for my comfort
Who shall me let.

Youth must have some daliance
Of good or ill, some pastance
Company me thinks then best
All thoughts and fancies to digest.
For idleness is chief mistress   
To vices all
And who can say, but mirth & play
Is best of all.

Company with honesty
is virtue, vices to flee.
Company is good and ill,
but every man hath his free will.
The best ensue.
The worst eschew.
My mind shall be:
virtue to use,
vice to refuse.
Thus shall I use me.



Track: 11  

Title: Fortune My Foe

Anonymous (16th century England)

Fortune my Foe, why dost thou frown on me?
And will thy favours never better be?
Wilt thou, I say, for ever breed my pain?
And wilt thou not restore my joys again?

In vain I sigh, in vain I wail and weep;
In vain my eyes refrain from quiet sleep;
In vain I shed my tears both night and day;
In vain my love my sorrows to bewray.

Then will I place my love in Fortunes hands,
My dearest love, in most unconstant bands,
And only serve the sorrows due to me:
Sorrow, hereafter thou shalt my Mistress be.

Ah, silly Soul!  art thou so sore afraid?
Mourn not, my dear, nor be not so dismaid.
Fortune cannot, with all her power and skill,
Enforce my heart to think thee any ill.

Live thou in bliss, and banish death to Hell;
All careful thoughts see thou from thee expel:
As thou dost wish, thy love agrees to be.
For proof thereof, behold, I come to thee.



Track: 12  

Title: Depairt, Depairt

by Alexander Scott (16th century Scotland)

Depairt, depairt,                 depart
Allace, I most depairte           Alas
From her that hes my hairt        heart
  With hairt full soir            sore
Aganis my will in deid            indeed
And can find no remeid,           remedy
I wait the panis of deid          pains of death
  Can do no moir.                 more

Adew sueit thing                  Adieu sweet
My joy and comforting,
My mirth and sollesing            delight
  Of erdly gloir:                 earthly glory
Fair weill, my lady bricht        bright
And my remembrance rycht,         rich
Fair weill and haif gud nycht,    have good night
  I say no moir.



Track: 13  

Title: Mon Coeur Se Recommande À Vous

Anonymous (16th century French)

Mon coeur se recommande à vous
Tout plein d'ennui et de martyre;

Au moins en dépit des jaloux
Faites qu'adieu vous puisse dire!

Ma bouche qui savait sourire
Et conter propos gracieux

Ne fait maintenant que maudire
Ceux qui m'ont banni de vos yeux.


English translation:

I have entrusted you with my heart
so full of trouble and suffering.

In the face of those jealous and watchful
at least may we say farewell.

My mouth that once knew laughter
and spoke with grace and purpose

now utters only curses upon those
who have banished me from your eyes.




Special thanks to Grace Krag for her assistance in translations.