This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Deh non cantar Donna
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.
SATTB · Willem Verkaik
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Deh non cantar Donna by Luzzasco Luzzaschi — Lyrics
Deh non cantar,
Donna gentil ch'io sento,
Dal tuo soave accento,
Quest' alm' a viva forz' esser rapita,
E me privo de vita.
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About Deh non cantar Donna
Luzzasco Luzzaschi was a leading composer of madrigals in late 16th-century Ferrara. His secular Italian part-music is known for its refined vocal writing and expressive harmony. Deh non cantar Donna is a striking example, written for the substantial SATTB choir. The text, which speaks of the overwhelming power of a beloved's song, describes a delightful paradox: the singer pleads for silence, fearing their voice will steal the listener's life, only to immediately recant and beg for more, finding heavenly paradise in the sound. Luzzaschi's setting captures this emotional push and pull with sensitivity.
