Madrigale spirituale
Encyclopedia
A madrigale spirituale is a madrigal
, or madrigal-like piece of music, with a sacred rather than a secular text. Most examples of the form date from the late Renaissance
and early Baroque
eras, and principally come from Italy
and Germany
.
Madrigali spirituali were almost always intended for an audience of cultivated, often aristocratic amateurs. They were performed at private houses, academies, and courts of noblemen in Italy and adjacent countries, but almost certainly were not used liturgically. The madrigale spirituale was an a cappella
form, though instrumental accompaniment was used on occasion, especially after 1600.
During the Counter-Reformation
, there was to some degree a reaction against the secularization of the art of music in Italy, Spain
and the southern (Catholic
) portion of Germany. While this did not stop the composition of secular music—indeed the explosion of forms and styles of secular music continued unabated—many composers began to adapt the most advanced secular compositional forms to religious usage. On occasion, existing madrigals were merely fitted with a religious text, usually in Latin, without any other change (such adaptations are called "contrafacta"). But some of the madrigali spirituali reached heights of expressive and emotional intensity at least equal to that of the finest madrigalists in their secular compositions.
The form was probably encouraged by the Jesuits; some collections were dedicated to them, especially in the 1570s and 1580s.
Some famous examples of madrigali spirituali include Lassus's
sublimely beautiful Lagrime di San Pietro
(Munich
, 1595); Guillaume Dufay
's Vergine bella, (ca. 1470) setting a poem in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Petrarch
; Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
's First Book of Madrigals (1581), also setting Marian poems by Petrarch; Carlo Gesualdo's
Tenebrae Responsories (1611); and the huge collection by Giovanni Francesco Anerio
, Teatro armonico spirituale (Rome, 1619).
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
, or madrigal-like piece of music, with a sacred rather than a secular text. Most examples of the form date from the late Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
and early Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
eras, and principally come from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Madrigali spirituali were almost always intended for an audience of cultivated, often aristocratic amateurs. They were performed at private houses, academies, and courts of noblemen in Italy and adjacent countries, but almost certainly were not used liturgically. The madrigale spirituale was an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
form, though instrumental accompaniment was used on occasion, especially after 1600.
During the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
, there was to some degree a reaction against the secularization of the art of music in Italy, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the southern (Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
) portion of Germany. While this did not stop the composition of secular music—indeed the explosion of forms and styles of secular music continued unabated—many composers began to adapt the most advanced secular compositional forms to religious usage. On occasion, existing madrigals were merely fitted with a religious text, usually in Latin, without any other change (such adaptations are called "contrafacta"). But some of the madrigali spirituali reached heights of expressive and emotional intensity at least equal to that of the finest madrigalists in their secular compositions.
The form was probably encouraged by the Jesuits; some collections were dedicated to them, especially in the 1570s and 1580s.
Some famous examples of madrigali spirituali include Lassus's
Orlande de Lassus
Orlande de Lassus was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance...
sublimely beautiful Lagrime di San Pietro
Lagrime di San Pietro
The Lagrime di San Pietro is a cycle of 20 madrigals and a concluding motet by the late Renaissance composer Orlande de Lassus. It is structured as 3 sequences of 7 compositions in each sequence, and is for seven voices. The Lagrime di San Pietro was his last composition, written in 1594, and...
(Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 1595); Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
's Vergine bella, (ca. 1470) setting a poem in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
; Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
's First Book of Madrigals (1581), also setting Marian poems by Petrarch; Carlo Gesualdo's
Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo, known as Gesualdo di Venosa or Gesualdo da Venosa , Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian nobleman, lutenist, composer, and murderer....
Tenebrae Responsories (1611); and the huge collection by Giovanni Francesco Anerio
Giovanni Francesco Anerio
Giovanni Francesco Anerio was an Italian composer of the Roman School, of the very late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He was the younger brother of Felice Anerio...
, Teatro armonico spirituale (Rome, 1619).