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EN PIÉLAGOS INMENSOS
(In seas of fathomless depths)
In seas of fathomless depths one sees
humanity struggling in a storm of death. Only a "propitious
star," the Star of Bethlehem, can intervene.
With this dramatic imagery, supplemented
with processional blasts of trumpets, Soler sets
the
mood of this Christmas Villancico in the Introduction.
In the Estrivillo (refrain), the two choirs,
which represent the voices of mankind before the
birth
of Christ, cry out in despair that the world is sinking, and they call for
help and pity. In a
turmoil
of confused orders and sighs, they exhort the crews to row, and to hoist
and lower sails
of
the allegorical ship. The outstanding choral writing of Soler is
exemplified here: One choir
sings
agitated figures, while the second choir has, mainly, a sustained line.
Throughout this
section
the strings keep up a running pattern.
Instead of following the Estrivillo with the
usual Coplas, Soler here employs a dramatic
cantata
form. A Recitative for two sopranos follows in which the singers beseech
the Lord to
stop
the dreadful storm. The storm quelled, they give thanks to Him for
listening to their supplications.
This leads into an operatically opulent and deeply moving Aria sung by the
two
sopranos
and accompanied by strings with flute obbligato. The sopranos address
themselves
both
to Mankind and to God, a point of some confusion in the text.
In the next Recitative, after the Aria, the
sopranos alert the shepherds and the Three Kings
to
go to Bethlehem. There follows a triumphant Marcha that celebrates the
victory of their Captain (a symbolic personage who represents
the spirit of Mankind now saved by Christ's
birth)
over the strategy of the Furies (The Devil).
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CHORUS I & II
Largo
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En piélagos inmensos
de afanes y de penas,
se ve el linaje humano
correr fatal tormenta,
si no calma su horror
propicia
estrella.
¡Ay de aquellos que en golfos
de inquietudes Iloran
su
esclavitud y su miseria! |
In seas of fathomless depths
of anxieties and afflictions,
one sees humanity suffering
in a death-bringing storm,
unless a propitious star
averts
this horror.
Woe to those crying in the gulf
of the deep anxiety of
servitude
and sad anguish!
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Allegro
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Airados vientos soplan
de vanidad proterva
quo Adán ofreció en loca,
tiranica
inobediencia.
¡Al remo! ¡a la escolta!
¡Amaina las velas!
¡Iza! ¡Aferra! ¡Boga!
¡Boga!
¡Amaina! ¡lza!
¡Aferra! ¡Boga! ¡Remo!
¡Amaina las velas!
¡Al remo! ¡a la escolta!
¡Amaina, que el mundo se anega!
¡Piedad, cielo airado!
¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Socorro! ¡Clemencia!
¡Ay! ¡Socorro! ¡Clemencia!
La calma dichosa
del cielo descienda
y logren los hombres,
de
Dios, las promesas.
Al sol nos enseñe
la aurora risueña
calmando del orbe
tiranas
violencias.
¡Al remo! ¡al remo! ¡a la escolta!
¡Amaina las velas!
¡Amaina las velas!
¡lza! ¡Aferra! ¡Boga!
¡Al remo! ¡al remo! ¡a la escolta!
¡Piedad, cielo airado!
¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Socorro! ¡Clemencia!
¡lza, que el mundo se anega! |
Ah, rushing furious winds blowing
with the perverse vanity
that Adam started with his insane,
cruel
disobedience.
To oars now, oh, help us!
And lower the sails!
Hoist and heave and row, men!
Row and strike down!
Hoist! Heave! Row!
Lower the sails!
To oars now, oh, help us!
Come haul down,
for
the world is now sinking!
To oars now, oh, save us!
Come haul down,
for
the world is now sinking!
Pity, angry heaven!
Ah! Ah! Help and show mercy!
Ah! Help and show mercy!
Beatific calmness
descends from the heaven
and obtains for mankind
the
Lord's solemn promise.
O smiling aurora,
show us once more our sun,
and calm the tyrannical violence
on
earth.
To oars now, oh, save us!
And lower the sails!
Hoist and heave and row, men!
Hoist! Heave! Row, crew!
Pity, angry heaven!
Ah! Ah! Help and show mercy!
Hoist, for the world is now sinking!
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SOPRANOS I & II
Recitative
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¡Piedad!
¡Y pues la paz anuncia el cielo,
cese
la guerra que nos da desvelo!
¡Clemencia!
¡Que ya, amante y generoso,
a
aliviarnos desciende el Poderoso!
¡Ay! ¡Que apenas su amor venir intenta.
de
aire y nieve. Ie asalta otra tormenta!
Si fuego su amor es en tal quebranto
no
apagará la nieve incendio tanto.
¡Oh, favor, pues con tal calma,
¡Oh, prodigio, pues con tal calma.
duice
serenidad espera al alma!
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O Lord,
if heaven will announce the peace now,
the
war will stop then, for it gives no respite!
Have mercy!
O Beloved so unsparing, come to help us,
descend
with all Thy power.
Ah! As soon as His love sets out to find
us,
wind and snow come to assault Him
with
another wild storm!
If fiery is His love in our peril,
all snows could not extinguish this
flame
so
burning.
Oh, what grace, for with such calmness,
gentle
serenity awaits our souls!
Oh, a wonder, for with such calmness,
gentle
serenity awaits our souls! |
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Aria: Largo
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Ya, Dueño enamorado.
llegó el feliz sosiego
de nuestro error cruel,
Ya el hombre, a tí postrado.
enmendará lo ciego
de
un corazón infiel.
¡Lecho infeliz te aguarda, traidor:
te
espera el hielo!
Que sólo tu fineza, sí,
calmará la fiereza
de
tanta tempestad.
Mas, nada te acobarda.
Su injuria es su
Consuelo,
que sólo tu fineza, sí,
calmará la fiereza
de
tanta tempestad.
Ya, Dueño enamorado.
llegó el feliz sosiego
de nuestro error cruel,
Ya el hombre, a tí postrado.
enmendará, Señor, lo ciego
de un corazón infiel
que sólo tu fineza
calmará la fiereza
de
tanta tempestad.
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Now, my beloved Master,
at last blessed repose
comes
to these cruel sinners.
Now mankind prostrates itself
before Thee to cure the blindness
of
its unfaithful hearts.
Bed of sorrows will await you, oh,
traitor:
the
ice awaits you!
For only Thou with Thy gentleness
can becalm the ferocity and raging
of
all storms.
But, nothing can affright Thee.
His offense is his consolation,
for only Thou with Thy gentleness
can becalm the ferocity and raging
of
all storms.
Now, my beloved Master,
at last the blessed repose
comes
to our cruel sins.
Now mankind prostrates itself,
for Thee to cure, Senor, the blindness
of hearts untrue,
for only Thou with Thy gentleness
can becalm the ferocity and raging
of
all storms. |
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Recitative
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Pastores a Belén, alerta, alerta,
que
esta noche nuestra dicha es cierta.
Monarcas del Oriente, ¡ved qué bella!
¡Nuestro nuncio ha de ser brillante
estrella!
A
adorarle, partid.
Venid contentos,
que
a marchar tocan ya los instrumentos.
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O shepherds, come to Bethlehem, wake up,
come quickly,
for
this night happiness is certain!
O Monarchs of the Orient, see how lovely.
Our messenger is a star so brilliant!
Let us go to adore Him.
Let us go together,
for
the instruments already play the march.
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CHORUS I & II
SOPRANOS I & II
Marcha
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¡Magestades, a triunfar!
¡Pastores, a resistir!
¡Que suenan en el confin
golpes en el timbal,
ecos en el clarín,
marcial
rumor!
¡Ecos en el clarín!
¡Marcial
rumor!
¡Seguid, seguid vuestro Capitán,
pues que viene a combatir
de las Furias el ardid
con
su estandarte real!
¡Hoy precipitar hará
el
imperio de un traidor!
¡Seguid, seguid vuestro Capitán,
pues que viene a combatir
el
imperio de un traidor!
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Go to Triumph, ye Monarchs
three !
Go shepherds to resist!
For we hear thunderous
drums beating on the horizon,
echoing clear the clarions,
martial
clangor!
Echoing clear the clarions!
Martial clangor!
Oh, follow, follow your Captain,
because He is going to combat the
devilish strategy of the Furies
with
His Royal Standard!
For today He will destroy
the
dominion of a traitor!
Oh, follow, follow your Captain,
because He is going to combat
devilish tactics of the Furies
with
His Royal Standard!
For today He will destroy
the
dominion of a traitor |
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