Dolce mia cara mano
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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Dolce mia cara mano by Benedetto Pallavicino — Lyrics
About Dolce mia cara mano
Benedetto Pallavicino's Dolce mia cara mano is a secular madrigal for SSATB voices, sung in Italian. It is a lively and dramatic setting of a poetic text that playfully laments the power of love. The poem describes how the beloved's hand, wielded by Cupid, pierces the lover with an arrow of fire, causing a slow burning. It asks what greater suffering would befall someone if that same hand were to embrace them, implying a pain far exceeding death, as life would be spent in a state of perpetual dying. This piece would be a fitting choice for a program of Renaissance madrigals, showcasing the expressive vocal writing and word painting characteristic of the era.