This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Donna, l'ardente fiamma
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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Donna, l'ardente fiamma by Alfonso Ferrabosco I — Lyrics
Donna, l'ardente fiamma
E la pena e'l tormento
Cresce in me tanto che perir mi sento.
Deh vengavi desire
Di terminar il vostro e mio martire
E di smorzar questo vivace ardore
Dandomi il frutto che richiede amore.
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About Donna, l'ardente fiamma
The composer portrays a lover's intense suffering with the words "Donna, l'ardente fiamma" (Lady, the burning flame). The text explores the paradox of love: the desire to end the pain of unrequited affection, yet the fear that doing so would extinguish both love and the lover. This secular Italian madrigal, set for SSAAB voices, captures the heightened emotional drama of the Renaissance. Ferrabosco's setting masterfully reflects the text's anguish and yearning, creating a vivid musical depiction of the speaker's plea and the beloved's response. The intricate vocal lines weave together, mirroring the complex interplay of desire and despair in the poetic narrative.
