This edition was prepared by Peter Rottländer — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A quest'olmo
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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7 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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A quest'olmo by Claudio Monteverdi — Lyrics
A quest’olmo, a quest’ombre ed a quest’onde
ove per uso ancor torno sovente,
eterno i’ deggio, ed avrò sempre in mente,
quest’antro, questa selva e queste fronde.
In voi sol, felici acque, amiche sponde,
il mio passato ben quasi presente
Amor mi mostra, e del mio foco ardente
tra le vostre fresch’aure i semi asconde.
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About A quest'olmo
Claudio Monteverdi's A quest'olmo is a masterful madrigal for SSATTB voices. The music opens with a gentle depiction of a cherished natural setting, setting the scene for the poet's fond remembrance of a past joy. The texture shifts and develops as the text recounts how love shows the singer his past happiness as if it were present, and hides the seeds of his burning passion within the cool breezes of this place. The composer vividly portrays the return of memory, and how the sight of flowers and herbs everywhere evokes the sweetness of that happy day when his beloved Clori gave herself to him, body and soul. Monteverdi's setting beautifully captures the reflective and deeply personal sentiment of the Italian verse.
