This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ch'io ami la mia vita
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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6 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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Ch'io ami la mia vita by Claudio Monteverdi — Lyrics
Ch'ami la vita mia nel tuo bel nome
Par che si legg'ogn'hora
Ma tu voi pur ch'io mora.
Se'l ver porti in te scritto,
Read full lyrics
About Ch'io ami la mia vita
Monteverdi’s Ch’io ami la mia vita, a secular madrigal for double choir (SSATB and ATTBB), is a passionate plea for love. The text, in Italian, describes a lover whose life is inextricably bound to the name of their beloved. Yet, despite this profound connection, the beloved seems to desire the lover’s death. The singer implores their beloved to quench their afflicted heart with the beauty of their eyes, so that it may be clear that they love life and not death. This madrigal, typical of the genre, explores complex emotional states through intricate polyphony and expressive text setting, making it a challenging and rewarding programme choice for experienced choirs.
