Lovely moon Vincenzo Bellini (1801-35)

Background
Bellini’s musical talent was recognised early on, with his first composition being written at just six years old. In his short life, he went
‘on to become one of the most important 19th-century Romantic opera composers and was a master of the Bel Canto style. Widely
remembered for the operas Norma, Capuleti e I Montecchi, and | Puritani (three of the greatest works in the repertoire), Bellini also wrote
a number of pieces for voice and piano. Published in 1938 as Composizioni da camera per canto e pianoforte, these songs essentially bring
his operatic style to the intimacy of the private drawing room and convey heartfelt emotion, tinged with melancholy. Vaga luna is one of
three songs (Tre Ariette for mezzo-soprano and piano) based on an anonymous text. In true Bel Canto style, the singer must express all
emotion and tonal beauty through the melody alone, with minimal accompaniment.

Idiomatic translation
VERSE 1 VERSE 2
Lovely moon your silvery light Tell her coo, that distance
touches these banks and flowers, cannot soothe my grief,
and breathes the language of love that ifI nurture a hope,
to the elements; it is only for the future.
you are the only witness Tell her too, that day and night
of my fervent desire, I count the hours of sorrow,
and can recount my throbbing heart that one promising hope
and sighs to my beloved. comforts me in my love.

Pronunciation — Vaga luna [vaga luna]

VERSE 1 VERSE 2
Vaga luna, che inargenti Dille pur che lontananza
vaga luna ke inardgenti dil:te pur ke lontanantsa

Queste rive_e questi fiori Il mio duol non pué lenir,

kweste rive kwesti fjori il mis dwol non pwa lenir

Ed inspiri_agli_elementi Che se nutro_una speranza,

ed inspiriaXielementi ke senutrouna sperantsa

Il linguaggio dell’amor; Ella_é sol (si) nell’avvenir.

il lingwad:39 del:lamor el:lae sol (si) nel:lav:venir

Testimonio
or sei tu sola Dille pur che giorno e sera
testimonjor sei tu sola dil:le pur ke djorno e sera

Del mio fervido desir, Conto lore del dolor,

del mio fervido dezir konta lore del dolor

Ed a lei che m’innamora Che_una speme lusinghiera

ed a lei ke min:namora keuna — speme luzingjera

Conta_i palpiti, i palpiti_ei sospir. Mi conforta nell’amor.

kontai palpiti i palpitjei sospir mi konforta nel:lamor

Further notes
Check the pronunciation guide carefully for all
Ed inspiri_agli_elementi. In the word linguaggio
English ‘ng’ sound in this word and pronounce
in bars 24-26 and 50-52 should not be marked
the liaised words to make sure that the correct vowels are stressed — particularly the phrase
take care to pronounce the n carefully. In Italian ‘lyric’ diction, it is better to avoid the
the n further forward (see Key to International Phonetic Alphabet, page 76). The accents
with heavy consonants but emphasised by stressing the vowels more expressively.
(9 piano accompaniment cd

o Lovely moon
Vincenzo Bellini
(1801-35)
Andante cantabile {J = c.80]
Original key
Ab major

Se

Va-ga lu - na,_che i-nar - gen - ti Que-ste

Lovely moon, that silvers these

Dil-le pur che. lon-ta - nan - za JH mio

Say-to-her also that distance . it my

Ed in - spi - ri,ed in-spi-ria-glie-le-

banks and these flowers and you-inhale, and you-inhale to-the elements

duol non pud le - nir—_ Che se nu - tro, se nu-trou-na spe-

grief no longer soothes, that if I-nurture, if I-nurture a hope,

© 2006 by Faber Music Ltd

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Il lin - guag-gio, il lin-guag- gio del-I’a - mor;

the language, the language of-the love; Witness

ran - Za, El-laé sol, si, el-laé sol nell’ av -ve - nir. Dil -le
it is only, yes, it is only for-the future. Say-to-her

14

-mo - nioor se - i tu so - la Del mio fer vi-do de -

now are you only of-the my — fervent desire,

pur che gior - no ese - ra Con-to Vo - re del do -

evening I-count the hours of-the grief,

17

-sir, Ed a lei, ed a lei che m‘in-na - mo - ra Con-tai

and to her, and to her that myself am-in-love, Tell the

-lor, Cheu-na spe -me,u-na spe-me lu- sin - ghie - ra Mi_con-

that one hope, one hope promising me comforts,
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pal-pi-ti, i pal-pi - tiei so - spir, Ed a lei che m‘in-na-mo-ra Con-tai pal-pi-tiei so -

heart-throbs, the heart-throbs and the sighs, and to her that myself am-in-love Tell the heart-throbs and the sighs,

for-ta, mi con-for-ta nell’ a - mor,Cheu-na spe-me lu - sin-ghie-ra Mi con-for-ta nell’ a -

me comforts in-the love, that one hope promising me comforts in-the love,

23

-spir, Ed a lei che m‘in-na - mo-ra Con-tai pal -pi - tiei so - spir,
and to her that myself am-in-love Tell the heart-throbs and the sighs, sighs,

-mor, Cheu-na spe-me lu-sin-ghie-ra Mi con-for-ta nell’ a- mor, nel - Ya -

that one hope promising me comforts in-the love, in-the love,

26 ft. }f2.

-spir, ei so - spir.
and the sighs.

-mor, nel - Ya - - mor.

in-the