Carlo Gesualdo - Sesto libro di madrigali: VI. "Io parto" e non più dissi

http://users.unimi.it/~gpiana/dm6/dm6gesad.htm (ITA)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Gesualdo

Playlist view:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0DAA7D48AE961C6A

Score editor: Vincent Carpentier

Ensemble Métamorphoses
Director: Maurice Bourbon
(Arion / ARN 68389)


VI. "Io parto" e non più dissi

"io parto" e non più dissi, che il dolore
Pirvò di vita il core.
Allor proruppe in pianto e disse Clori
Con interrotti omèi: "dunque a i dolori
Io resto. Ah, non fia mai
Ch'io languisca in dolorosi lai".
Morto fui, vivo son, che i spirti spenti
Tornano in vita a si pietosi accenti.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• carlo
• gesualdo
• da
• venosa
• madrigali
• sesto
• libro
• renaissance
• polyphony
• madrigals
• sixth
• book
• early
• ancient
• music

[blendingbone]

My jazz teacher (he's played with Freddie Hubbard, as well as in Montreux, just to give you an idea) wasn't aware of pre-baroque chromaticism. I'll be bringing this song to the listening session today.

[GiovanniTancrediChan]

@GregFox100 Indeed the piece is beautiful because there is no key written and yes, everything that happened later was not a consequence but a mistake (Bach included)... -.- Indeed.

[sambalamification]

To clarify the ongoing debate, I indulge in quoting from J. Peter Burkholder, who write that "although often chromatic, the madrigal is clearly in mode 3 (Phrygian), as demonstrated by the first and final sonorities and by the ranges of the cantus and tenor. Gesualdo emphasized the main steps of the mode at beginnings and endings of lines and at pauses..." And so on, listing the emphasized reciting tones and other strong modal notes.

[Forgefire5]

@PITAtheCOLT

By all means plese correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't a piece of section of a piece have to have a key (or what would be considered a key/ mode, or scale [western or other]) in order for a part to be considered chromatic?

[PITAtheCOLT]

@Forgefire5 Yes, most compositions centered around the use of the 12 modes, but this is also Gesualdo we're talking about here, he's an exception to nearly all the practices that were followed at the time. He used a lot of merely chromatic harmony and the like, much of which wouldn't be seen again until the 19th century and even into the 20th century. He was exceptionally expressive in the way he set text, far more so than anybody else of his time listen to de Rore and Marenzio for some examples

[Forgefire5]

@PITAtheCOLT

But weren't they still using the church modes at the time? I guess I should also explain that when I say key, I mean more of what sounds like a key to western ears.

[PITAtheCOLT]

@Forgefire5 There is no really precise key, this is before tonality really became defined as we know it today. This piece is through composed, independent of key and chromatic in nature for the purpose of text painting.

[Forgefire5]

@GregFox100

Ah, but is does this really not have a key, or is it hidden under all the chromaticism?

We're still hearing debates over a what keys some of Wagner's work is in!

Artist can excel if they have rules to follow, doesn't mean they have to follow them or even know.

[Heratli]

As any old man would say: "X was better in my generation."

[GregFox100]

Cm > E major......... tonality without key, and so beautiful. The 17th/18th century tonal revolution was a BIG mistake.