Saturday, September 22, 2012




The Second Circle: Love Songs of Francesco Landini Anonymous 4, is a reproduction of a set of sung poems written by Francesco Landini in the 14th century.  When Francesco wrote them they were written in the "new style of poetry" that Dante is attributed with creating.  The set of poems is named after the second circle of hell, and focuses on lust and desire. The songs themselves while inspired by Dante's Carnal Sinners, are about all forms of dramatic love.

Looking at the lyrics in fact it would appear that the main requirement for the source material is to be all encompassing and therefore the sin of lust, because of the distraction from God and the willingness to sin and  go against God's love in favor of a human.

For example
 "Nella mi’ vita
Nella mi’ vita sento men venire
el cor po’ che da te degio partire.

Dolente parto po’ che vuol fortuna
che mi constringe pur che così sia.
Ma dove ch’i’ sarò con forç’ alcuna,
donna, non potra’ far ch’i’ tuo non sia;

Però che prima può l’anima mia
ch’abandonarti chol corpo morire.
Nella mi’ vita . . ." 
which better translators than I have translated into 


"In my life I feel my heart
failing, because I must part with you.
I go sadly, for Fortune wills it,
she constrains me, and it must be so.
But wherever I may be with any strength,
lady, I must always be yours.
For before my soul could
abandon you, my body must die.
In my life . . ."

to listen click here

Personally I can't help but wonder if the author was inspired by the similarities in name between himself and Francesca of hell.  Seems likely.  I always liked Emily Dickinson for that reason.

No comments:

Post a Comment