Lute & Voice – Dulces Exuviae (Josquin des Prez)

Romain Bockler (baritone) & Bor Zuljan (lute) perform an arrangement of Dulces Exuviae – Nimphes nappes by Josquin des Prez (1450/1455–1521). This comes via Zuljan’s Youtube channel. Video by the amazing Uros Baric and Marie Delorme Zuljan (audio) with lute built by Philippe Mottet Rio. Nice performance of Josquin des Prez’ motet setting of this melody. There are tons of lute arrangements of motets and other vocal works from this era. The lute players would essentially ‘cover’ the hits of the day…no YouTube in those days but they were very international and music spread across Europe quite quickly! Here’s the lyrics:

Nimphes nappes neridriades driades
venez plorer ma desolation
car ie languis en telle’ affliction
que mes espris sont plus mort que malades

translation:

Ye nymphes of the water
Nereids, and nymphs of the woods,
come and mourn my desolation
for I suffer such affliction
that my spirit is more dead than alive.

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