Madonna il tuo bel viso for viola and guitar

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Description

Instrumental arrangement of a song by Verdelot.

The words of the original song are:
Madonna il tuo bel viso,
Che nel gran mar d’Amor m’è duc’e scorta
Hora tien viva mia speranz’, hor morta
Hora tien viva mia speranz’, hor morta
Et qualhor scorg’ in esso un bel sereno
Spiega la vela al vento,
Senza temer di scogli’o di procella:
Ma se la luce nel camin vien meno,
Ripiena di spavento,
Cala la vela alla sua navicella,
All’ instabil tua stella,
Scorre l’onde fallace a dritt’ e a torto,
Et tem’ e sper’ e mai non vede ‘l porto.

[My singing translation]
My Lady by your fair face
My captain and companion
through the great sea of love
Sometimes it keeps my hope alive
sometimes it slays it
Sometimes it keeps my hope alive
only then to die.
And when I spy in it fine fair weather
Spreads out its sail to catch the wind
without fear of rocks and raging storms
But if the light that shows my way grows fainter
my hope is filled with terror
lowers the sheets that sped the little boat it sails in
No longer trusting your star
Runing from treach’rous wave hither and thither
and fears and hopes
but never sees safe harbour
and fears and hopes and never sees safe harbour.