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Repertoire

¡Plaça, plaça!

Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (1590-1664)

Original Text

English Translation

Original Text

Estribillo (a 7)

¡Plaça, plaça, plaça!
que biene a la tierra la luz de la graçia.

¡Aparta, aparta, aparta!
que el Rey de las alturas pasa a su alcazar.

¡Oh, qué bizarras todas las hierarquías le acompañan!
¡Oh, qué lijeros los serafines sirven de archeros!

¡Qué majestad, qué gala, qué belleza!
¡Jamás gozó la tierra tal grandeza!

Y a la oscura noche su horror atropella,
porque con ella la aurora se estrella.

¡Prevengan luminarias, hagan fiestas!
que a medianoche llegará su alteza.

Coplas

De la carroza del alba
deciende el sol a la tierra.
Aves, cantad de sonoras
fuentes, brindad de risueñas.

Rebeldes los elementos
forman duras competencias;
brutos, abrigad al sol,
hombres imitad las fieras.

Oh, como se puebla el viento
de ingratas correspondencias!
Cielos, corregid los ayres;
vientos, suspended la guerra.

Iras de nieve producen
los montes y las florestas;
prados, ¿donde está la gala?
flores, ¿donde la belleza?

Dos soles en una aurora,
mares de aljofar navegan;
dichas, seguid estos males;
glorias, guardad estas penas.

Ya en el teatro del mundo
se mira la luz eterna,
muera el horror de la noche,
viva el honor de las selvas.

English Translation

Refrain

Make way! make way! make way!
The light of grace to earth comes down today.

Aside! make room, stand aside!
for the King of heaven’s heights goes to his palace.

How gallant are the warriors that surround him!
How graceful are the seraphim, his archers!

What majesty! what splendor! what great beauty!
Never has earth tasted such true grandeur!

He tramples on the terrors of the night
for his forerunner Dawn swiftly o’erpowers her.

Prepare to light the torches, make rejoicing!
for at midnight arrives his royal highness.

Verses

Riding the fiery chariot of dawn,
today the sun comes down to earth.
Oh birds, make fountains from your songs,
greet him with laughter’s melody.

And yet the elements conspire
to make this night a battleground.
O beasts, give shelter to the sun!
O humans, learn to do as they did!

See how the winds beget harsh tempests,
vainly rushing to and fro!
Heavens, becalm the atmosphere;
winds, put aside this empty war.

From woods and wilds fiercely driven
snow storms swirl and choke the air.
O flowers, where is your beauty hiding?
O meadows, where your loveliness?

Two suns in a single dawn
sail together through a sea of tears.
Blessings, conquer all that’s evil;
glories, overcome these woes.

And into the theatre of this world
shines the Light that never ends;
vanquished the horror of the night,
long live the glory of Nature’s wilds!


This piece was performed by the SFBC in A Candlelight Christmas from Spain and the New World on December 16, 2000.


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