bisogna morire

Bits of music get passed on like viruses or chromosomes. I'm listening to a song which I remember hearing from a CD that my mother had, from a set of songs by Landi, an Italian composer - http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rd3n is a review of the whole CD. But it was this particular song which stuck with me, and which I later located via iTunes and got a copy of. Bisogna morire, we must die. But such pretty music.

Here's one version on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtNuB7yiElI&feature=related - with a reworked setting, and done in soprano, but still pretty to listen to.

Ah! Here's the setting I was listening to, I think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9yv9qTzSo

Sometimes it's what you want to listen to.

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67: Three treasures

Everybody says my way is great
but improbable.

All greatness
is improbable.
What's probable
is tedious and petty.

I have three treasures.
I keep and treasure them.
The first, mercy,
the second, moderation,
the third, modesty.
If you're merciful you can be brave,
if you're moderate you can be generous,
and if you don't presume to lead
you can lead the high and mighty.

But to be brave without compassion,
or generous without self-restraint,
or to take the lead,
is fatal.

Compassion wins the battle
and holds the fort;
it is the bulwark set
around those heaven helps.

-- from the Tao Te Ching, translated by Ursula Le Guin