Negra Sombra/Black Shadow

Some music to go with these rainy, chilling autumn nights.  This version by Luz Casal and Carlos Nuñez which may be familiar from the film Mar Adentro.




Negra Sombra is a poem by the leading Galician literary figure, Rosalia de Castro, 19th century writer and poet.

In Gallego:

Cando penso que te fuches,
negra sombra que me asombras,
ó pé dos meus cabezales
tornas facéndome mofa.


Cando maxino que es ida,
no mesmo sol te me amostras,
i eres a estrela que brila,
i eres o vento que zoa.


Si cantan, es ti que cantas,
si choran, es ti que choras,
i es o marmurio do río
i es a noite i es a aurora.


En todo estás e ti es todo,
pra min i en min mesma moras,
nin me abandonarás nunca,
sombra que sempre me asombras.


And in English (translation No. 4):

When I think that you have parted,
Black shadow that overshades me,
At the foot of my head pillows
You return making fun of me.


When I fancy that you've gone,
From the very sun you taunt me
And you are the star that shines
And you are the wind that moans.


If there's singing it's you who sings,
If there's weeping it's you who weeps,
And you are the river's rumour
And the night and the dawn.


Everywhere you are in everything,
For and within me you live
Nor will you ever leave me,
Shadow that always shades me.

From the very interesting translation page :

Historical Background

"Negra Sombra" was probably written after two of De Castro's babies died a short time apart. Twenty-month-old Adrian died from a fall in November of 1876 and Valentina was stillborn three months later (Marina Mayoral. "Biografía de Rosalía de Castro." Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes). 

Another version with piano:



Back in September, Luz Casals, a cancer survivor, produced an open-air concert/eco festival called Festival de la Luz in Boimorto to benefit the Spanish Cancer Society.  Unfortunately, they had some weather issues, but hopefully will be back again next summer.