This edition was prepared by Daniel Harmer — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Deh, coprite il bel seno
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.
SSATB · Claudio Macchi
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Deh, coprite il bel seno by Carlo Gesualdo — Lyrics
Deh, coprite il bel seno,
ché per troppo mirar l’alma vien meno!
Ahi! no'l coprite, no, ché l’alma avezza
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About Deh, coprite il bel seno
Carlo Gesualdo's madrigal Deh, coprite il bel seno for SSATB voices sets a Petrarchan sonnet exploring the paradox of beauty. The text speaks of the soul's near-fainting from gazing too intently upon a beloved's breast, yet paradoxically begs that the sight not be hidden, for it is from this very source of life and death that the soul hopes for salvation. Gesualdo's setting is typical of the Italian secular madrigal tradition of the late Renaissance, characterized by its sophisticated word-painting and harmonic adventurousness, vividly illustrating the emotional intensity of the text with rich, complex vocal textures.
