Il rimorso opprime il seno

"Si, solo a te mio dio" ... "Il rimorso opprime il seno" is a recitativo and aria from the oratorio La conversione di Sant' Agostino. The music is by Johann Adolph Hasse, the libretto was written by Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria.

La conversione di Sant' Agostino
by Johann Adolph Hasse
Cover of La Conversione di Sant' Agostino, Desden 1750
English	The Conversion of Saint Augustine
Period	Baroque
Genre	oratorio
Libretto	Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria
Premiere
Date	28 March 1750
Location	Königlich Kurfürstliche Kapelle zu Dresden

The piece appears on the following album:

Year	Album	Ensemble
2020	La Vanità del Mondo (Album)	Ensemble Artaserse

Libretto

Il rimorso opprime il seno

(Remorse weighs down the heart)

from  La conversione di Sant' Agostino
Johann Adolf Hasse (music),  Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria (words)

(Sant' Agostino)

‎

Recitativo Sì, solo a te mio Dio volgermi voglio ormai, in te voglio sperar, Vita migliore, fa ch'io comincia alfin. Rendimi quella felice libertà, Che fin’ ad ora disprezzai sconsigliato* Ah! Non ancora. Che dici? Che dici anima rea? Dunque ti spiace quel ben che dei bramar? Temi che troppo sollecito il tuo Dio voglia ritrarti da un così orrendo abisso? Esser per sempre o misero o felice? È in tua mano, e non scegli? Ah! troppo è amaro per sempre abbandonar ciò, che pare a l'unico e sommo ben misera vita trarrò privo di voi dolci affetti del cor. Ch'io v'abbandoni? Ch'io v'abbandoni? Ah no! Ma del mio Dio lo sdegno non pavento? Obblio l'amor? M'offre il perdon, nol curo, tanto per me soffrì, nulla voglio soffrir per lui? Sì, sì, non più dubbi, io credo, già convinta è quest'alma, della voce del ciel sentì lo sprone Oimè! l'alma è convinta e il cor s'oppone. Aria Il rimorso opprime il seno ama il core il suo delitto son dubbioso e sono afflitto e risolvermi non sò. Del mio stato gemo e peno vorrei volgermi al mio Dio ma da lacci del cor mio come sciogliermi potrò. Largely taken from the version at the the Leipzig University Library, ca.1750-59); captializatino and punctuation added. *) "fin’ ad ora" → "fin d’ora"

Recitativo Yes, only to you, my God I want to turn now In you I want to place my hope, Let me finally begin a better life. Give me back that joyous freedom That until now I have so rashly disdained. Ah! Not yet. What are you saying? What are you saying, guilty soul? So you dislike the good that you crave? Do you fear that your God is too prompt in wanting to pull you back out of such a horrific abyss? Eternal misery or happiness? It is in your hand, and you cannot choose? Ah! it is too bitter To abandon forever that Which appears to be the sole and supreme good A miserable life will I lead without you, the sweet affections of my heart. May I abandon you? Abandon you? Oh no! But do I not fear my God's disdain? Do I forget his love? He offers me forgiveness; I do not care, He suffered so much for me, Yet I would not suffer for his sake? Yes, yes, no more doubts! I believe; this soul is already convinced, It heard the voice of heaven's spur O alas! the soul is convinced and the heart is opposed. Aria Remorse weighs down the heart The heart loves its crime I am doubtful and I am distressed And know not how to decide. I grieve for my state and I am in pain I would like to turn to my God But from the bonds of my heart How can I untie myself?

Historic poetic translation

Reciativ Gott, du sei meine Hülfe, du sei mein Rat, mein Retter! Auf dich laß mich vertrau'n. Gieß ew'ges Heil doch endlich mir in's Herz. Gib mir der süßen, der heil'gen Freiheit Glück, das bis zur Stunde unbedachtsam ich schmähte ... Nein, nein, nein, noch nicht! Was sagst du, du schuldbeladene Seele? Mißfällt dir also das Gut, das du entbehrst? Ist es dir leid, daß dein maßlos güt'ger Gott Rettung dir zeigte aus dieses Abgrunds Schrecken? Tod und Verdammnis in Ewigkeit und Erlösung stehn zur Wahl dir, und du zauderst? Ach, wie so bitter, zu lassen was ich einst schätzte als unvergängliches, als höchstes Gut; trüb bleibt mein Dasein und leer, deiner beraubt, o begehrliche Lust. Soll ich dich lassen? Kann ich dich lassen? Nein, nein! Furcht aber fühl' ich vor meines Gottes Rache. Doch nein, er liebt mich, er beut mir Vergebung, nicht acht ich's. Langmut hat er geübt, ich aber belibe starr und hart? Ja, nicht mehr zweifl' ich, ich glaube, schon erhebt sich mein Geist, neu belebt von des Himmels lauter Stimme. Doch weh! Frei ist die Seele, das Herz, ersträubt sich. Arie Angstvoll quält sich meine Seele, doch das Herze sucht sein Laster, grimmer Zweifel wühlt mir im Busen ach wie schwer ist solche Wahl. Trauernd um mein elend Schicksal will ich meinem Gott mich weihen, doch der Bande meines Herzens werd’ ich nimmer frei. Übersetzung: Breitkopf & Härtel, Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst (1905)

Manuscripts and sheet music

Incipit of "Il rimorso opprime il mio seno", Manuscript, ca. 1750

Free Scores at the IMSLP:

• Manuscript

Copyist: Johann George Kremmler

Manuscript, n.d.(ca.1750-59).

Public Domain

The Leipzig University Library, Biblioteca Albertina (D-LEu): N.I.10275a-b

Hasse, Johann Adolph Hasse (Giovanni Adolfo) (1750–1759). La conversione di Sant' Agostino. Leipzig University Library, Biblioteca Albertina.CS1 maint: date format (link)

• Printed Sheet Music

Ausgabe Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst

Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst, Erste Folge; Bd.20. Breitkopf und Härtel, Arnold Schering (1877-1941), editor. 1905.

Further reading

• "Biographie". Hasse-Gesellschaft München. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
• "La conversione di Sant' Agostino, Hasse, Johann Adolph". Musikproduktion Höflich. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.