Dimmi caprar novello
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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Dimmi caprar novello by Ruggiero Giovannelli — Lyrics
About Dimmi caprar novello
This secular Italian madrigal for SATB voices presents a playful, pastoral dispute. The singer questions a shepherd, "new shepherd," about his strange flock, asking who foolishly entrusted it to him. The shepherd, in turn, is accused of breaking Apollo's bow and sowing discord among the shepherds. The text continues with a dialogue where the singer seems to boast of his own musical prowess, having out-sung a rival shepherd, Galicio, even though the latter had previously defeated the singer's opponent with his own pipes. The music likely reflects the witty and light-hearted, yet sometimes competitive, nature of the lyrical exchange, characteristic of Renaissance part-music.