So ben mi ch'ha bon tempo (Orazio Vecchi)

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• (Posted 2024-12-22)  CPDL #83178: 

• Original pitch, first line texted, with Italian lute tab:      

• Original pitch, first line texted, with lute transcribed for keyboard:  

• Canto line fully texted, lute part omitted.  

• Vocal edition only, with final cadences modified so canto supplies the third:      

Editor: Allen Garvin (submitted 2024-12-22).   Score information: Letter, 2 pages, 64 kB   Copyright: CC BY NC

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2020-11-08)  CPDL #61248:       

Editor: Leonardo Lollini (submitted 2020-11-08).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 125 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Modern clefs. Original pitch. With lute tablature.

• (Posted 2017-03-08)  CPDL #43464:         

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2017-03-08).   Score information: A4, 1 page, 34 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Reformatting of #12259, with minor corrections to underlay.

Possible error(s) identified. Error summary: m12 Alto: according to the original print, the second note should be a f# instead of g.

• (Posted 2012-01-18)  CPDL #25394:         

Editor: Johannes Becker (submitted 2012-01-18).   Score information: A4, 1 page, 49.4 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transposed to e minor.

• (Posted 2006-08-10)  CPDL #12259:         

Editor: Brian Russell (submitted 2006-08-10).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 16 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: NoteWorthy Composer file may be viewed and printed with NoteWorthy Composer Viewer.

• (Posted 2004-02-20)  CPDL #06762:  Scorch, MIDI and Sibelius 2 files available.

Editor: John D. Smith (submitted 2004-02-20).   Score information: A4, 1 page   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Scores listed alphabetically by composer. All scores available in Scorch format, some are also available as PDF files.

• (Posted 2002-06-28)  CPDL #03740:  PDF, MIDI and NoteWorthy Composer files available.

Editor: Marco Gallo (submitted 2002-06-28).   Score information: A4, 1 page, 26 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: listed alphabetically by composer.

• (Posted 2000-08-31)  CPDL #01322:        (Finale 2000)

Editor: Claudio Macchi (submitted 2000-08-31).   Score information: Letter, 2 pages, 30 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

Possible error(s) identified. Error summary: m13 Alto: according to the original print, the second note should be a f# instead of g.

General Information

Title: So ben mi ch'ha bon tempo
Composer: Orazio Vecchi

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Canzonetta

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1590 in Selva di varia ricreatione, no. 23
Description: It is worth mentioning that the lute part supplies the third at the final cadences of each section. Without the third, the cadences consist solely of 5ths. In Morley's copy/translation, Now is the month of maying, the lute is omitted and a fifth voice fills in the missing harmony. In a cappella performances, some thought might be given on how to handle the discrepency. One alternative would be for the top line to raise each 2 major steps at each cadence (with the original cleffing, singing a C# on the first cadence and an F# on the 2nd (instead of an A and D, respectively).

Original text and translations

Italian text 1. So ben mi c'ha bon tempo, Fa la la.  Al so ma basta mo'. Fa la la. 2. So ben ch'è favorito, Fa la la.  Ahime! no'l posso dir. Fa la la. 3. Oh! s'io potessi dire, Fa la la.  Chi va, chi sta, chi vien. Fa la la. 4. La ti darà martello, Fa la la.  Per farti disperar. Fa la la. 5. Saluti e baciamani, Fa la la la...  Son tutti indarno affè. Fa la la. 6. Non giova fare il Zanni, Fa la la.  Andando su e giù. Fa la la. 7. Al può ben impiccarsi, Fa la la.  Ch'al non farà nient. Fa la la. 8. Passeggia pur chi vuole, Fa la la.  Ch'el tempo perderà. Fa la la. 9. O parli, o ridi, o piangi, Fa la la.  Non troverai pietà. Fa la la. 10. Dice il proverbio antico, Fa la la.  Chi ha fatto suo buon pro. Fa la la.

English text 1. I know well who has good time, Fa la la.  I know but that's enough. Fa la la. 2. I know who is favorite, Fa la la.  Alas! I can't tell. Fa la la. 3. Oh! if I could say! Fa la la.  Who goes, who stays, who comes. Fa la la. 4. She will hammer you, Fa la la.  To make you despair. Fa la la. 5. Greetings and kiss hands, Fa la la.  They are all vain, in truth. Fa la la. 6. It's no use doing the buffoon, Fa la la.  Going up and down. Fa la la. 7. You can also hang yourself, Fa la la.  That she won't do anything. Fa la la. 8. Stroll in vain who wants to, Fa la la.  That time will waste. Fa la la. 9. Either you talk, or you laugh, or you cry, Fa la la.  You will not find mercy. Fa la la. 10. The ancient proverb says, Fa la la.  Who have done, good for him. Fa la la.