Renaissance Music: O Rosa Bella

     Yes, we are back with another blog post featuring music from the Renaissance. The period in which renaissance music existed was between the years 1400 and 1600. Popular songs from this time period often contained lyrics of heartbreak and the overall pain of love. O Rosa Bella, translated from Italian to O Lovely Rose, includes the story of two aristocrats who were secretly in love and had an erotic and spiritual passion for one another. The music for O Rosa Bella was created around 1400 by Johannes Ciconia, a Franco-Flemish composer, who spent large amounts of time working in Italy. It has been said that the original singers were probably soloists from the court chapel or cathedral choir, accompanied by a lute. I have included a link at the bottom of this blog for those who would like to hear the song itself! The recording posted at the bottom was made by the Royal College of Music for the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries. The picture used at the top is an ivory comb with a scene featuring two lovers in a garden in Paris, that was made around the same time as this song. The English translation of the song reads:

O lovely rose

My sweet soul

Don't leave me to die

In courtly love

Aie, leave me

in pain, I must end

in serving well and faithfully loving

Rescue me already

from my pining

Heart of my heart, don't leave me to suffer

O beautiful rose

oh my sweet soul

don't leave me to die in courtly love

     Personally, I think the song is very beautifully crafted to tell the story of a man (or woman) who wishes to develop a love that probably shouldn't exist. The overall theme of O Rosa Bella is similar to many songs we here today. There are a thousand and one songs played on the radio about the pains of loving someone who either wants you too or doesn't love you back. Also, being that I am a music therapy major, I often study and sing classical music. I find that this piece has the same general outline and sound as a lot of the music I work on has as well. Well, that is all folks, catch you next blog. 

http://media.vam.ac.uk/audio/o-rosa-bella-o-lovely-rose.mp3