Composer

:

John Dowland

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Pavane

Average_duration

:

5:29

"La mia Barbara" is a lute song composed by John Dowland, an English Renaissance composer and lutenist. The song was composed in the late 16th century and was first published in Dowland's collection of lute songs, "The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres" in 1600. The song is in the key of G minor and consists of four verses, each with a refrain. The melody is simple and melancholic, reflecting the theme of unrequited love. The lyrics are in Italian and tell the story of the speaker's love for a woman named Barbara, who does not return his affections. The first verse begins with the speaker lamenting his unrequited love for Barbara, describing her as "cruel" and "ungrateful." The refrain, "O dolcezza infinita," which translates to "Oh infinite sweetness," expresses the speaker's longing for Barbara's love. The second verse continues the theme of the speaker's unrequited love, with the refrain expressing his desire to be with Barbara. The third verse describes the speaker's jealousy of other men who are able to win Barbara's affections, with the refrain expressing his despair at his own inability to do so. The final verse concludes with the speaker resigning himself to his fate, acknowledging that he will never be able to win Barbara's love. The final refrain, "O crudelissima fiamma," which translates to "Oh most cruel flame," expresses the speaker's pain and sorrow at his unrequited love. Overall, "La mia Barbara" is a typical example of Dowland's melancholic and introspective style, with its simple melody and poignant lyrics expressing the pain of unrequited love.

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