Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue

Il faraone sommerso
by Nicola Fago
First page of the manuscript (1709-1799)
Full title	The Drowned Pharao
Libretto	anonymous
Language	Italian
Premiere
Date	1709

"Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue" is an aria from the oratorio "Il faraone sommerso" (Engl.: The drowned pharao) by Nicola Fago. The author of the libretto remains unknown. The piece premiered in 1790.

The plot is set around the events detailed in Exodus 14.

"Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue" appears on the following album:

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

Libretto

Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue

(It is our destiny)

from  Il faraone sommerso
Nicola Fago (music),  anonymous (words)

(Messo (Messenger))

‎

	Modernized Italian
Recitativo Ohimè! D'armi e cavalli oste potente porta il piè veloce! Odo il suon della voce e veggio delle spade orrido il lampo. Chi su l'arena e in questa solitaria foresta a turba inerme porgerà lo scampo? Ahi, che men’ dura sorte era il giogo portar che girne a morte. Aria Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue, O nell'onde naufragar. O cader dal ferro esangue, O perir gioco del mar.

Ancient Italian

Recitativo Ohimè, d'armi e cavalli oste potente porta il piè veloce. odo il suon della voce e veggio delle spade orrido il lampo. Chi su l'arena e in questa solitaria foresta à turba inerme porgerà lo scampo? Ahi, che men dura sorte era il gioco portar* che girne à morte. Aria Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue,** ò nell'onde naufragar. ò cader dal ferro esangue, ò perir gioco del mar. From the manuscript, 1709-1700 *)"gioco" must be "giogo" **)"forz'è" = "è necessario" (analogue to the French "il faut")

Recitativo Alas! Armed and on horseback, the mighty host swiftly approaches us! I hear the sound of his voice and I see The horrid flashing of the swords. Who, on the sands and the lonely forest is to aid the unarmed crowd in their escape? Ah, how much less of a harsh fate it was to bear the yoke than to be driven to death. Aria It is our destiny to drown In our own blood or in the waves Either we fall, exsanguinated by the sword, Or we die, tossed about by the sea.

Context

The role of the messenger (ital: "messo") fulfils the one of an immersed narrator, transporting the narrative parts of the bible passage to the listener. The aria has its typical function of making the characters' emotions palpable, here those of the Israelites who believe they are being driven into the water. Fago's librettist stays very close to the biblical original.

Exodus 14, 8-12.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
(King James Version)

Sheet music

Incipit of "Forz'è pur nel proprio sangue"

Free Manuscript ("Forz'è pur": p. 105 ff

Manuscript, n.d.(ca.1709-99).

Public Domain

Biblioteca del Conservatorio di musica Luigi Cherubini, Florence (I-Fc B.2374).

"l Faraone Sommerso (Fago, Francesco Nicola), Manuscript, n.d.(ca.1709-99)". Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.