1) Estamp… Read Full Bio ↴There are (at least) two different groups using this name:
1) Estampie is a medieval folk band from Germany, founded in 1985 by Syrah (Sigrid Hausen), Michael Popp, and Ernst Schwindl. The band took their name from a medieval dance. Estampie use a wide range of traditional instruments, including hammered dulcimers and various woodwind and stringed instruments. They write music in a primarily medieval style, but include some modern influences from pop, minimalism, and various traditions.
2) Estampie is a British early music ensemble led by Graham Derrick, specialising in lively secular music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, founded in 1983.
Aquestas Noytes
Estampie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
que Deus fez en grave dia,
por min, porque as non dormho,
e porque as non fazia.
Porque as fez Deus tan grandes,
non posso eu dormir, coitada ;
e de como son sobejas,
no tenpo que men amigo
soía falar amigo.
Porque as Deus fez tan grandes,
sen mesura desiguaaes,
e as eu dormir non posso,
porque as non fez ataaes
no tenpo que men amigo
soía falar comigo?
Aquéstas noytes tan longas,
que Deus fez en grave dia,
por min, porque as non dormho,
e porque as non fazia.
The lyrics to Estampie's song "Aquéstas Noytes" tell the tale of a sleepless night. The singer, unable to sleep because of the unrelenting length of the night, wonders why God made the night so long. The use of the word "grave" in the second line suggests a sense of weight, or burden, to the night, as if it is pressing down on the singer. The repetition of the phrase "por min, porque as non dormho" (for me, because I do not sleep) creates a sense of frustration and desperation, as if the singer is trapped in a never-ending cycle of wakefulness.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on the excessiveness of the night - it is too long, too large, and too much. The phrase "porque as fez Deus tan grandes" (because God made them so big) emphasizes the idea of the night as an overwhelming force that cannot be overcome. The use of the word "coitada" (poor thing) to describe the singer emphasizes their powerlessness in the face of the night.
The final stanza repeats the first, bringing the song around full circle. The use of repetition in the song emphasizes the cyclical nature of the singer's experience, as well as their sense of helplessness. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of frustration and despair at the inability to escape the overwhelming power of the night.
Line by Line Meaning
Aquéstas noytes tan longas,
These nights are so long
que Deus fez en grave dia,
which God created in a serious day
por min, porque as non dormho,
for me, because I can't sleep
e porque as non fazia.
and because there was nothing else to do.
Porque as fez Deus tan grandes,
Because God made them so long
non posso eu dormir, coitada ;
I can't sleep, poor me;
e de como son sobejas,
and how abundant they are,
quisera eu outra vagada
I would like another opportunity
no tenpo que men amigo
at the time when my friend
soía falar amigo.
used to speak with me as a friend.
Porque as Deus fez tan grandes,
Because God made them so long
sen mesura desiguaaes,
without measure or restraint,
e as eu dormir non posso,
and I can't sleep,
porque as non fez ataaes
because they weren't made any shorter
no tenpo que men amigo
at the time when my friend
soía falar comigo?
used to talk to me?
Aquéstas noytes tan longas,
These nights are so long
que Deus fez en grave dia,
which God created in a serious day
por min, porque as non dormho,
for me, because I can't sleep
e porque as non fazia.
and because there was nothing else to do.
Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.