This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Hor pien d'altro desio
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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3 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Hor pien d'altro desio by Luca Marenzio — Lyrics
Mentre ti fui si grato,
Che'l braccio al collo,e'n sen le mani ascose,
Altri mai non ti pose;
Vissi in felice stato
Eguale al Re de Persi,o piu beato.
Mentre ti fui si cara,
Che scolpita nel cor Lidia mai sempre,
T'era con dolci tempre,
Vissi fra l'altre rara,
E piu ch'Ilia non fu famosa e chiara.
Hor pien d'altro desio
Seguo l'amata mia vaga Amaranta,
Che dolce suona, e canta:
Per cui morir desio,
Se a lei cresce di vita il morir mio.
Hor un laccio, un'ardore,
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About Hor pien d'altro desio
This Italian madrigal for SSATB voices paints a vivid picture of past happiness and present longing. The text expresses how the singer once felt cherished and deeply loved, living a life of unparalleled bliss. However, this state has now passed, replaced by a fervent desire for a new beloved, Amaranta, whose voice enchants him. He declares his willingness to die for her, finding a bittersweet joy in the thought that his demise might prolong her life. This shift from contented devotion to passionate, almost painful, infatuation is characteristic of the Renaissance madrigal, exploring the complexities of human emotion through intricate polyphony.
