This edition was prepared by Pothárn Imre — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Cantai mentre ch'i arsi
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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4 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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Cantai mentre ch'i arsi by Cipriano de Rore — Lyrics
Cantai, mentre ch'i arsi, del mio foco
La viva fiamma ov'io morendo vissi,
Ben che quant'io cantai e quant’io scrissi
Di madonna e d’amor fu nulla o poco.
Ma se i begli occhi ond’il mio cor s’accese,
Del lor chiaro divin almo splendore
Non m’havessero a torto fatto indegno,
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About Cantai mentre ch'i arsi
Cipriano de Rore’s Cantai mentre ch'i arsi, for SATTB voices, is a secular Italian madrigal. It may be sung at a convivial gathering or a more intimate concert. The text expresses the bittersweet pain of unrequited love, with the singer lamenting that his songs and writings about his beloved were insufficient to gain her favour. He describes how his heart was ignited by her eyes, but he felt unworthy of her divine radiance. Had he been deemed worthy, his singing would have revealed such intense inner passion that even anger and scorn would have turned to pity. The poet yearns for relief from the sting of love’s arrows, sighing for peace in a heart where no such solace can be found.
