NANIATLANTICA – Gudrun Olafsdottir

Nani, nani - A Sephardic lullaby arranged by Francisco Javier Jáuregui (b. 1974) You can view this video with optional subtitles in English.

Duo Atlantica: Gudrún Ólafsdóttir, mezzo-soprano and Francisco Javier Jáuregui, guitar

Video by Torfi Frans Ólafsson. Audio by Árni Möller from the CD Mine is Yours – Songs from Iceland and Spain

We first came to know this haunting, melancholic lullaby in Joaquín Rodrigo’s version for voice and piano, which only includes the first two verses. Then, to our big surprise, we discovered Montserrat Figueras’ version which had a lot more text and we realized that this wasn’t just a simple lullaby, but a betrayed mother’s lament. She tries to keep up appearances towards her son, making him think everything is ok and everybody’s happy, whereas when the father comes home she won’t let him into the house because she knows he’s been spending his time with his new lover. A theme as old as life, just as actual now as when the song was composed, at least 500 years ago. The song is sung in the language ladino (judío-español) which is the language of the Jews in Spain, before they were expelled from the country by the Catholic Monarchs Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1492. They were not allowed to take any gold, silver or jewels with them, but what they could take was their culture, which has survived through the ages and given us this beautiful, expressive song. Guðrún and Javier.

Nani, nani

Nani, nani, nani quere el hijo,
el hijo de la madre,
de chico se haga grande.

Ay, dúrmite mi alma,
que tu padre viene,
con muncha alegría.

Ay, avriméx la puerta,
que vengo cansado
de arar las huertas.

Ay, dúrmite mi alma,
que tu padre viene,
con muncha alegría.

Avrir no vos avro,
que no veníx cansado,
sino que veníx de onde nuevo amor.

Ay, dúrmite mi alma,
que tu padre viene,
con muncha alegría.

Lullaby

The little baby wants a lullaby,
mother's little son,
he will grow up tall.

Ay, go to sleep my love,
father will come soon,
with such happiness.

Ay, open the door for me,
for I come home weary
from ploughing the fields.

Ay, go to sleep my love,
father will come soon,
with such happiness.

I will not open up for you,
for you do not come home weary,
but you return from your new love.

Ay, go to sleep my love,
father will come soon,
with such happiness.