Monteverdi: "Altri canti d'amor, tenero arciero" (Madrigal from Book VIII)

The madrigal "Altri canti d'amor, tenero arciero" is from Monteverdi's eighth book of Madrigals.
This dramatic piece is scored for six voices, two violins and four violas.

Italian text:

Altri canti d'Amor, tenero arciero,
i dolci vezzi, e i sospirati baci;
narri gli sdegni e le bramate paci
quand'unisce due alme un sol pensiero.

Di Marte io canto, furibondo e fiero,
iduri incontri, e le battaglie audaci;
strider le spade, e bombeggiar le faci,
fo nel mio canto bellicoso e fiero.

Tu cui tessuta han di cesareo alloro
la corona immortal Marte e Bellona,
gradisci il verde ancor novo lavoro,

che mentre guerre canta e guerre sona,
oh gran Fernando, l'orgoglioso choro,
del tuo sommo valor canta e ragiona.


The Late Renaissance madrigal came to full flower in the music of Monteverdi. His five-voice A un giro sol, from the Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603), represents a superb example of the composers style in the use of rich word painting and vocal passagework. Monteverdi's nine madrigal collections (published between 1687 and 1638 the first five when he was working in Mantua, the rest in St. Marks in Venice), mark the transition from the older polyphonic style of the Renaissance to the accompanied solo madrigal of the Baroque.

The Consort of Musicke
Anthony Rooley

*********************
Since Monteverdi was a really important composer to the transition between Renaissance and Baroque music, my video transits from a Renaissance painting (Boticelli) to a Baroque one (Rubens)!

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[Habrolissimo]

Here are the last two:

You who wove with Caesar's laurels the immortal crown of Mars and Bellona, welcome this new labour of the green.

For while I sing and sound of war, oh great Fernando, I sing and speak of your great valour.

Not a great translation, but you get the idea.

[Habrolissimo]

Here are the first two stanzas:

Others sing of love, the tender archer: the sweet charms, the sighed-for kisses. They tell of the scorn and the longed-for peace when one thought unites two souls.

I signs of Mars, furious and fierce, the hard encounters, the daring battles. In my warlike and fierce song I make the swords whistle and the fires explode.

[randomwords7007]

AMAZING development from his first book of Madrigals.  Just huge creative progress.

[spaceshib]

clearly a fake.

[tremeluzir]

Oh, the amazing wars of love...!

One of the most beautiful works in music history!

Wonderful interpretation: instruments and voices in great equilibrium.

Listen to minute 2:44-3:22 - "quando unisce due alme un sol pensiero" - "when two souls unite in an unique thought" - I prefer to translate like this because the dissonant ("war") sequence of the harmony ends into a unison ("peace"):

musical perfection from dear Monteverdi!

[45gerard57]

c'est incroyable de lire des commentaires comme celui de flamecool

c'est consternant de bêtises

[Arthos93800]

Tu peux pas dire que c'est nul, c'est pas possible. Objectivement, c'est une très belle pièce, très bien composé. Après libre à toi de ne pas aimer le baroque, enfin précisément la forme du madrigal, mais bon, entre je n'aime pas, et c'est nul, y'a un monde.

[flamecool1]

-_- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flamecool1]

nul archie nul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[figskatefan]

does anyone know a translation of this madrigal--at least a rough translation? Obviously it's about love but I really want to know more.....