Cresci germe real cresci dicea

This SSATTB madrigal by Alessandro Striggio paints a scene of regal growth and burgeoning power. The text addresses a royal seedling, urging it to grow, evoking Jupiter's ascent to glory and Rome's grand past. It speaks of the earth from which its great trunk once rose, spreading its shade even when the sun burned brightest. The words then look forward to a future where the Tiber River is crowned with honor, as if the proud brother (perhaps referring to a rival power) no longer harbors disdain. The atmosphere is one of confident anticipation, with auspicious breezes and the names of prominent figures—Leo, Clement, Cosmo, Pius—suggesting a vision of future greatness and stability. This is secular Italian part-music from the Renaissance, full of vivid imagery and confident pronouncements.