This edition was prepared by Christos Christodoulou — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ahi, disperata vita
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SAATB · Joachim Kelecom
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Ahi, disperata vita by Carlo Gesualdo — Lyrics
Ahi, disperata vita,
Che fuggendo il mio bene,
Miseramente cade in mille pene!
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About Ahi, disperata vita
For a moment of intense emotional reflection, Gesualdo’s Ahi, disperata vita offers a dramatic madrigal for SAATB voices. The Italian text expresses profound despair at being separated from a loved one, lamenting a life fallen into suffering and begging for a return to the light and aid that beloved person can provide. Gesualdo’s characteristic harmonic language and chromaticism are employed here to underscore the text’s anguish and yearning, creating a powerful and evocative experience for singers and listeners alike. This secular work showcases the expressive potential of the five-part madrigal form, ideal for a programme seeking heightened dramatic intensity.
