Lua, Lua
The lullaby Lua, lua is the second song in the cycle Three Basque Folk Songs, which our guitarist Francisco Javier Jáuregui (born 1974) arranged for our trio. We recorded it for our CD Secretos quiero descubrir, engineered by Árni Möller. We shot this video in the beautiful ruins of an eighteenth century arms factory above the little town of Eugi in Navarre, Spain, just south of the French border. You should go and check it out! The river Arga runs through it and further down it runs through the city of Pamplona, made famous by Ernest Hemingway.
The song is sung in Basque, a peculiar language which does not seems to have anything in common with the rest of the world’s languages. Although its pronunciation is very straightforward for a Spanish speaking person, the texts are very tricky to memorise because you can’t really relate the words to anything you know from other languages.
Eugi is a very special place to us, because two of Elena and Javier’s aunts live in the town and that is also where FIMNa (Festival Internacional de Música de Navarra) took place for six consecutive years, founded and directed by Elena and Javier.
To watch the video with English subtitles just click the CC button on the bottom right corner.
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Programme notes on Three Basque Songs:
“My mother grew up speaking Basque in Rekaldea, her home in La Ultzama, Navarra. Although I do not speak the language, certain phrases, words and concepts of the Basque culture have always formed an integral part of my own life. Three Basque Songs pay homage to my mother and to all mothers.”
Francisco Javier Jáuregui
Special thanks:
François Holmey
Lua, lua
Lua, lua, seintxu laztanoi;
lua, lua, bildurka;
gaigoyan daukak eure amatxuba,
kutunoi, eure begira.
Lua, Lua...
Eureluazain yagon gotzonak
laster, bai, eruango au;
donokijan amaonduan baño
iñuneziñun obeto.
Lua, lua...
Sleep, Sleep
Sleep, sleep, my beloved son,
Sleep, sleep without fear;
In heaven is your beloved mother,
Watching over you.
Sleep, sleep…
The angels who watch over your sleep,
Soon will take you there,
By your mother's side,
You will find no better place.
Sleep, sleep…
Duerme, duerme
Duerme mi niño querido;
duerme, duerme, de miedo;
en el cielo está tu madre,
cariño mirándote a ti.
Duerme, duerme…
El ángel que vela tu sueño,
pronto te llevará;
que en el cielo al lado de tu madre,
en ningún sitio se está mejor.
Duerme, duerme…