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Section A: Romance
- University of New Mexico Press
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A. Romance The romance was one of the earliest types of Hispanic folk songs to attract the attention of New Mexico folklorists, Aurelio M. Espinosa having published twenty-seven versions of ten traditional Spanish romances in an article entitled "Romancero Nuevo Mejicano " in the Revue Hispanique in 1915 with some of the melodies. In 1946 the late Arthur L. Campa published his Spanish Folk Poetry in New Mexico, in which he included ballads without music, classifying them as romances. The late Vicente T. Mendoza in his unpublished manuscript "Estudio y Clasificacion de la Miisica Tradicional Espanol en Nuevo Mexico" includes a chapter on the romance (Mendoza 9d). Briefly, the romance is a narrative ballad of Spanish origin, dealing generally with incidents in the lives of great or famous persons . It features a sixteen-syllable line that may be either rhymed or assonated. Occasionally , as in the romance Delgadina (A22j ), there is an estribillo, or refrain. To make room for the English translations, I have divided the sixteen-syllable line into two lines of eight syllables each. Of the forms included in this work, the song texts of the romances are the easiest to trace back to Spain, for the cancioneros published in that country contain many song texts of the same titles, subject matter, and even phraseology as some of those found in Mexico and the Southwest. For this reason I have included in this section a few song texts taken from Spanish cancioneros. Al. Cancion del Fraile (Song of the Friar) R13, Francisco Chavez, age 43, and Juan Morales, age 40?, La Jara, N.Mex., 1944, Robb. See Appendix A. 1 Mambru, senores mios, pues ya se va a casar con una dama hermosa nacida en Portugal, nacida en Portugal, nacida en Portugal. 1 Mambru was pledged to marry A lady fair and tall. The bride so young and lovely Was born in Portugal, Was born in Portugal, Was born in Portugal. 2 Los condes y marqueses En Dominus te ique Sonceces! Los condes y marqueses lo van a apadrinar, lo van a apadrinar, lo van a apadrinar. 2 A lot of counts and nobles, Oh Lord, was that a show! A lot of counts and nobles To honor the pair did go, To honor the pair did go, To honor the pair did go. 3 Los frailes manorrotas En Dominus te ique pelotas! Los frailes manorrotas rezandole van ya, rezandole van ya, rezandole van ya. 3 And there were many friars, Good Lord, how fat they were! And there were many friars A-praying for him and her, A-praying for him and her, A-praying for him and her. 24 Romance 4 Al pie de un alto pino En Dominus te ique arrimo! Al pie de un alto pino lo van a apadrinar, lo van a apadrinar, lo van a apadrinar. 4 They gathered 'neath a pine tree, Good Lord, 'twas a great affair! They gathered 'neath a pine tree With praise for the bridal pair, With praise for the bridal pair, With praise for the bridal pair. 5 Me subi a una alta torre En Dominus te ique le corre! Me subi a una alta torre por ver si lo veia venir, por ver si lo veia venir, por ver si lo veia venir. 5 I climbed a lofty tower, Good Lord, a sight I see! A man I saw come running Across the distant lea, Across the distant lea, Across the distant lea. 6 Ya veo venir un paje En Dominus te ique salvaje! Ya veo venir un paje, — £Que noticias traera? — iQue noticias traera? — iQue noticias traera? 6 It is a page that's coming, Good Lord, a lad so rare! It is a page that's coming, What tidings do you bear? What tidings do you bear? What tidings do you bear? 7 La noticia que traigo— En Dominus te ique me caigo! La noticia que traigo, que Mambru es muerto ya, que Mambru es muerto ya, que Mambru es muerto ya. 7 The news I bear will shock you — Good Lord, it's as I said! The news I bear will shock you, Mambru, Mambru is dead, Mambru, Mambru is dead, Mambru, Mambru is dead. This is a version of the romance Mambru, discussed by Campa in his Spanish Folk Poetry in New Mexico (Campa 2, pp. 85-87). Other variants are included below (Ala-lc), one of these being a version current in Spain. Matos describes this romance as a coro...