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Fortuna desperata

By Antoine Busnois (1430 - 1492)

S/A T B

'Fortuna desperata
Iniqua e maledecta
Che de tal dona electa
La fama hai denigrata.'

translated as

'Desperate fate,
iniquitous and maledicted
who blackened the good name
of a woman beyond compare.'

Translation from Wikipedia.

This three part setting by Busnois may be the origin of this hauntingly beautiful song.

There are several other versions by his contemporaries including an untexted one by Josquin and a six part setting by Alexander Agricola. Several parody masses were also based on this tune.

-- Roy Sansom

Play-along files synthesized and contributed by Roy Sansom. (Accompaniments are at 4' plus 8' pitch.)

Listen to all parts
No soprano - you play soprano or alto-up
No tenor - you play tenor
No bass - you play bass

Sound Sample

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Composition Share Link

No. of Recorder Parts:
3

Difficulty:
Very Easy

Occasion:
Any

Libraries:
Play-alongs, Arrangements and Transcriptions

Date Added:
12/03/2020

Style:
Recorded Accompaniment, Renaissance/Baroque/Classical