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La novia ausente

La novia ausente is a Tango written by Guillermo Barbieri and recorded by Armando Pontier in 1966. The Tango La novia ausente is written by Guillermo Barbieri, Armando Pontier has recorded La novia ausente with the singer Roberto Goyeneche.
“La novia ausente,” or “The Absent Bride,” whispers a tale of longing and unspoken farewells. In the melancholic notes of this tango, the music captures the heart’s silent ache for a love that once promised eternity but now dances only in memory. Each lingering melody is a bittersweet waltz between hope and resignation.

Tango

Style

Armando Pontier

Orchestra

Roberto Goyeneche

Singer

Enrique Cadícamo

Author

Guillermo Barbieri

Composer

1966/12/22

Date

Roberto Goyeneche
Roberto Goyeneche
Armando Pontier
Armando Pontier

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Lyrics Translation of the Tango La novia ausente

This is the translation of the Tango “La novia ausente” from Spanish to English. The English lyrics of the Tango “La novia ausente” have been done with AI.

Letra del Tango La novia ausente

A veces repaso mis horas aquellas

cuando era estudiante y tú eras la amada

que con tus sonrisas repartías estrellas

a todos los mozos de aquella barriada.

¡Ah! las noches tibias… ¡Ah! la fantasía

de nuestra veintena de abriles felices,

cuando solamente tu risa se oía

y yo no tenía mis cabellos grises.



Íbamos del brazo

y tú suspirabas

porque muy cerquita

te decía: ‘Mi bien…

¿ves como la luna

se enreda en los pinos

y su luz de plata

te besa en la sien?’

Al raro conjuro

de noche y reseda

temblaban las hojas

del parque, también,

y tú me pedías

que te recitara

esta ‘Sonatina’

que soñó Rubén:

(Recitado:)

‘¡La princesa está triste! ¿Qué tendrá la princesa?

Los suspiros se escapan de su boca de fresa.

Que ha perdido la risa, que ha perdido el color…

La princesa está pálida en su silla de oro,

está mudo el teclado de su clave sonoro

y en un vaso, olvidada, se desmaya una flor.’



¿Qué duendes lograron lo que ya no existe?

¿Qué mano huesuda fue hilando mis males?

¿Y qué pena altiva hoy me ha hecho tan triste,

triste como el eco de las catedrales?

¡Ah!… ya sé, ya sé… Fue la novia ausente,

aquella que cuando estudiante, me amaba.

Que al morir, un beso le dejé en la frente

porque estaba fría, porque me dejaba.

English lyrics of the Tango "La novia ausente"

Sometimes I revisit those hours long past

when I was a student and you were beloved,

with your smiles distributing stars so vast

to all the young lads of our neighborhood.

Ah! the warm nights… Ah! the fantasy

of our joyful Aprils in their prime,

when only your laughter was heard, carefree,

and my hair had not yet touched the time.

Arm in arm we walked

and you would sigh

for very close

I’d whisper, ‘My dear…

see how the moon

gets tangled in the pines

and its silver light

kisses your temple here?’

Under the strange enchantment

of night and mignonette,

the park leaves too,

would tremble a bit,

and you asked me

to recite to you

this ‘Sonatina’

dreamt by Rubén:

(Spoken:)

‘The princess is sad! What ails the princess?

Sighs escape her strawberry mouth.

She has lost her laughter, she has lost her glow…

The princess is pale in her golden chair,

the keyboard of her rich clavichord is silent

and in a glass, forgotten, a flower faints.’

What sprites have won what no longer exists?

What bony hand has spun my woes?

And what haughty sorrow has made me so bereft,

sad as the echo of cathedrals’ throes?

Ah!… I know, I know… It was the absent bride,

she who loved me when I was still a student.

In her death, I left a kiss on her brow so wide

for she was cold, for she was leaving, silent.

La novia ausente by Enrique Cadícamo

La novia ausente is a Tango written by Enrique Cadícamo and composed by Guillermo Barbieri.


Story behind the Tango La novia ausente

The lyrics of “La novia ausente” reflect a poignant and nostalgic memory of lost love and youthful days. The narrator revisits his past as a student when he was deeply in love with a young woman who brought joy and light to his life. He recalls the intimate moments shared with her, walking arm in arm, under the enchanted night skies. Tragically, the narrative takes a somber turn as the narrator refers to this love as ‘the absent bride,’ indicating that she is no longer present, leaving a lingering sadness in his heart.


Symbolism of La novia ausente

“La novia ausente” is translated to “The Absent Bride” in English, which symbolically represents the key theme of loss and absence in the song. The use of natural imagery, such as the moonlight kissing the temple and the trembling leaves in the night, serve to enhance the emotional atmosphere, highlighting the beauty of past moments now shadowed by current solitude and sorrow. The reference to Rubén Darío’s “Sonatina” further introduces the image of a sad princess, symbolizing the unfulfilled desires and melancholy that come with lost love.


La novia ausente in historic Context

“La novia ausente” was recorded in 1966, a time when Tango music often reflected deep personal and socio-cultural themes in Argentina. The nostalgic and romantic themes resonate with the collective memory and sentimental nature of Tango listeners of that era. The emotional recounting of past love reflects a common human experience, bridging personal loss with broader themes of time and change prevalent in mid-20th century Argentina.


Enrique Cadícamo

Enrique Cadícamo was a prolific Argentine poet and tango lyricist, renowned for his significant contributions to the Tango genre.