Translation Trashbin - 19. Conservati fedele

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Although it has been many years now, I still remember first hearing this piece. It attracted me right away for its intriguing depth. In it, a sister is saying goodbye to a younger brother about to go out into the world. She chides him in a playful way to think about her sometimes, but uses the shield of formal words to partially hide her emotions. As the piece progresses, she slowly becomes more sincere and direct. When the second verse comes, the music is fast and clipped, like she's about to lose control of her emotions entirely. Just on the brink, the original melody returns with is half-hidden humor and "I'm the boss of you" overbearing.

For those who "don't get Mozart," this piece will baffle. But it did not confuse the folks of the Age of Enlightenment. To them, the wunderkind was truly amazing, and rightly regarded as a "prodigy of Nature."

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Performance Translation of:

Mozart's concert aria K.23 Conservati fedele

By Metastasio

Conservati fedele;

Pensa ch'io resto, e peno,

E qualche volta almeno

Ricordati di me.

Ch'io per virtù d'amore,

Parlando col mio core,

Ragionerò con te.

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Conserve for me your fidelity;

Recall I remain and suffer,

And sometimes at least, I beg you,

Accord a memory of me.

(Accord me a memory)

(3:24) By the virtue of love,

Alone will this heart of mine,

Concord rapport with you.

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