This edition was prepared by Willem Verkaik — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Donna presso al cui viso
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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Donna presso al cui viso by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina — Lyrics
Donna presso al cui viso
Perde il Sol lampi et a' cui dolci accenti
Mute stan le sirene e l'onde e i venti
S'alcun ne i Paradiso
Drizza de la tua fronte
Sguardo benche furtivo una sol volta
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About Donna presso al cui viso
The words of this secular Italian madrigal, attributed to Palestrina, paint a scene of overwhelming beauty. The beloved's face outshines the sun, and her voice silences sirens and winds. The poet urges anyone who might be in Paradise to cast a glance towards her, so that he may tell her that all other lights and songs will soon be eclipsed by the horror of weeping. This intricate SATTB setting demands singers who can capture the dramatic text with sensitive phrasing and dynamic nuance, typical of the high Renaissance madrigal tradition.
