Ríu Ríu Chíu

Ríu Ríu Chíu, also known as Ríu Chíu, is a Spanish villancico that has attained some contemporary fame as a Christmas carol.

The villancico is attributed by some sources to Mateo Flecha the Elder, who died in 1553; it has also been described as anonymous. The song also bears a strong resemblance to another villancico, Falalanlera, by Bartomeu Càrceres, a Catalan composer. It is known from a single source, the Cancionero de Upsala, published in 1556 in Venice; a unique copy is preserved at the library of the University of Uppsala. The song appears as the fortieth song of that collection.Daniel R. Melamed described the song as "redoutable", and mentions it as a contender for the best known piece of Renaissance music.

The nonsense syllables ríu ríu chíu are often taken to represent the song of a nightingale, but are more appropriately heard as the predator call of a kingfisher.

The basic theme of the song is the nativity of Christ and the Immaculate Conception. The refrain which gives the villancico its title goes:

Ríu, ríu, chíu, la guarda ribera,
Dios guardó el lobo de nuestra cordera.

The Immaculate Conception is mentioned in the lyrics:

El lobo rabioso la quiso morder
Mas Dios Poderoso la supo defender
Quísola hacer que no pudiese pecar
Ni aun original esta virgen no tuviera.

The song also mentions themes of the Incarnation and Christmas:

Éste que es nacido es el Gran Monarca
Cristo Patriarca de carne vestido
Hanos redimido con se hacer chiquito
Aunque era infinito finito se hiciera.

Yo vi mil Garzones que andavan cantando
Por aqui volando haciendo mil sones
Diciendo a gascones Gloria sea en el Cielo
Y paz en el suelo pues Jesús nasciera.

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Wikipedia