Description
A spiritual poem by the 17th century Mexican nun Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz is set here for two unaccompanied voices in meditative fashion. The Divine Rose teaches us in her life and in her death. The music is in the Dorian mode.
It is sung here by Margaret Jackson-Roberts (baritone) and D W Solomons (alto)
(English paraphrase below)
Rosa divina que en gentil cultura eres, con tu fragrante sutileza.
Divine rose, you who are so finely cultivated with your fragrant sweetness
Magisterio purpureo en la belleza, enseñanza nevada a la hermosura.
magisterial purple, teaching beauty to snowy white comeliness.
Amago de la humana arquitectura, ejemplo de la vana gentileza.
Image of human architecture, example of vain gentility
En cuyo ser unio naturaleza la cuna alegre y triste sepultura,
in whose being nature is united in its happy but sad grave,
cuan altiva en tu pompa premusida soberbia.
in your haughty presumptousness.
El riesgo de morir desdeñas con tu fragrante sutieza.
You scorn the risk of death with your fragrant sweetness
Y luego desmayada y encogida.
and there you are dismayed and bashful.
De tu caduco ser das mustias señas.
In your frailty you give us melancholy signs.
Con que con docta muerte y necia vida,
With your learnèd death and your vain life
viviendo engañas, muriendo enseñas.
you deceive us in your life and teach us in your death.