Composer

:

Carlo Gesualdo

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1595

Average_duration

:

3:06

"Se piange, ohimè, la donna" is a madrigal composed by Carlo Gesualdo, an Italian composer and nobleman of the late Renaissance period. The piece was composed in the late 16th century and is part of Gesualdo's sixth book of madrigals, published in 1611. The piece is written for five voices, with the text taken from a poem by Giovanni Battista Guarini. The poem tells the story of a woman who weeps for her lost love, and the music reflects the emotional intensity of the text. The madrigal is divided into three movements, each with its own distinct character. The first movement is slow and mournful, with the voices weaving in and out of each other in a complex web of harmonies. The second movement is faster and more rhythmic, with the voices imitating each other in a lively dance-like pattern. The final movement returns to the mournful mood of the first, with the voices singing in unison to create a powerful and emotional climax. One of the most striking characteristics of Gesualdo's music is his use of chromaticism, or the use of notes outside of the traditional diatonic scale. This gives his music a unique and often unsettling sound, and "Se piange, ohimè, la donna" is no exception. The piece is full of unexpected harmonies and dissonances, creating a sense of tension and unease that perfectly captures the emotional turmoil of the text. Overall, "Se piange, ohimè, la donna" is a powerful and emotionally charged piece of music that showcases Gesualdo's unique compositional style. Its complex harmonies and intense emotional expression make it a masterpiece of the late Renaissance period.

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