Lugebat David Absalon (Nicolas Gombert)

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CPDL #10983:   Finale-2005

Editor: Charles H. Giffen (added 2006-02-15).   Score information: Letter (landscape), 26 pages, 466 kbytes   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Latin text and English translation included. Edition and performance notes included.

General Information

Title: Lugebat David Absalon
Composer: Nicolas Gombert

Number of voices: 8vv Voicing: ATBB.ATBB
Genre: Sacred, Motets
Language: Latin
Instruments: none, a cappella
Published:

Description: This motet for men's voices in two parts is now generally accepted as being composed by Gombert. Early sources listing the motet as being by Josquin des Prez are surely erroneous, perhaps because of an oft-repeated penchant by publishers to cash in on the popularity of a particular composer, as the number of parts and compositional style are entirely out of character for the work to be by Josquin. The music for the Prima pars of the present motet is nearly identical with the music of Gombert's Je prens congie, and it also enjoyed popularity in its own time with the (poorly fitted) Easter text Tulerunt Dominum meum.

Prima pars: Lugebat David Absalon

Secunda pars: Porro rex operuit caput suum

External websites:

Text and translations

Latin text

Prima pars

Lugebat David Absalon, pius pater filium,
tristis senex puerum:
Heu me, fili mi Absalon, quis mihi det ut moriar,
ut ego pro te moriar, O fili mi Absalon!
Rex autem David filium, cooperto flebat capite:
Quis mihi det ut moriar, O fili mi, O fili mi!

Secunda Pars

Porro rex operuit caput suum,
et clamabat voce magna:
Fili mi Absalon, O fili mi.

English translation

Prima Pars

David mourned for Absalom, a pius father for his son,
a grieving old man for his boy:
Ah me! my son Absolom, would God I had died for you,
O my son Absalom!
Kind David wept for his son with covered head:
Would God I had died for you, O my son!

Secunda Pars

Then the King covered his head
and cried with a great voice:
O my son Absalom, O my son!