Die schön Atlanta

Leonhard Lechner was a leading German composer of the late Renaissance. His secular part-music, often drawing on classical texts, showcases a sophisticated approach to word setting. Die schön Atlanta is a fine example, for three female voices (SSA). The German text, inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses, tells the story of the swift huntress Atlanta and Hippomanes, who uses golden apples to win her hand in a race. Lechner’s setting captures the narrative drive and dramatic moments of the myth, reflecting the madrigal tradition’s interest in classical subjects and expressive vocal writing.