Aveasi Astolfo

This secular Italian madrigal for SATB voices, Aveasi Astolfo, draws its text from Canto XXXIX of Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso. The poem recounts the tale of Astolfo, who retrieves Orlando’s lost wits from a vial. Jacquet de Berchem’s setting captures the moment of discovery and the restoration of Orlando’s senses, vividly portraying the return of his intellect. As secular part-music from the Renaissance, this piece offers choirs an opportunity to explore narrative through polyphony, presenting a dramatic and engaging story through intricate vocal interplay. Its text focuses on a marvellous event and the clarity of mind that follows.