This edition was prepared by André Vierendeels — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Il marmo fino
Staff Notation • Secular, Canzonette
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Il marmo fino by Orazio Vecchi — Lyrics
Il marmo fino del piu forte monte,
con l'acque e'l ferro si scolpisc'e forma,
ma'l marmo fin del vostro duro core,
ne ferro puo spezzar ne puo liquore.
Il forte acciaro e'l piu fermo metallo,
col foco pur si fa corent'e molle
ma'l fort' acciar che l'alm' e'l cor u'ha cinto,
dal mio gran foco non puot' esser vinto.
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About Il marmo fino
The composer Orazio Vecchi uses the imagery of unyielding stone and metal to express the pain of unrequited love. The text speaks of how even the hardest mountain marble can be shaped, and iron softened by water and fire. Yet, the marble heart of the beloved remains unmoved by tears, sighs, or prayers. Even the strongest steel can be melted by flame, but the 'steel' that binds the beloved's soul and heart cannot be conquered by the singer's 'great fire.' The ice of a thousand years can be broken and consumed by art, but the ice of the beloved's breast cannot be shattered by skill or understanding. This Italian canzonetta for treble soloists (SSB) vividly portrays a lover's despair in the face of seemingly insurmountable emotional coldness and indifference.
