Earthsongs

Composer: Francisco Guerrero
Arranger: Alberto Grau
Format: Choral Octavo
Language: Spanish
Voicing: SATB a cappella

Nino Dios de amor herido (Child Jesus of wounded love) belongs to the edition of Canciones y Villanescas of Francisco Guerrero, published in Venice in 1589 and dedicated to Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro. Guerrero made this selection of early works at the age of 62, before embarking on his trip to the Holy Land. The work is a type of Spiritual Villanescaswhich have an AABCC structure -- and were written for Christmas and Easter festivities featuring the extensive use of counterpoint. The texts of the Villanescas are usually a combination of metaphors that allude to human life, but refer to the holy people. In this particular Villanesca, baby Jesus is compared to a youngster who suffers from love.

This is one of four pieces contained in the octavo Quatro canciones espanolas del Renacimiento (Four Spanish Renaissance Songs). Other pieces in this octavo are Triste Espana sin ventura, Teresica Hermana, and Oy, comamos y bebamos.