Composer

:

Thomas Morley

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

before 1593

Publication Date

:

1593

Average_duration

:

3:40

"Deep lamenting, grief bewraying" is a madrigal composed by Thomas Morley, an English composer, organist, and theorist of the Renaissance era. The piece was composed in the late 16th century, around 1595, during the height of the English madrigal period. It was first published in Morley's collection of madrigals, "The Triumphs of Oriana," which was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I. The madrigal is written for five voices, with the text expressing the sorrow and grief of a lover who has been abandoned by their beloved. The piece is in a minor key, which adds to the melancholic and mournful tone of the music. The use of chromaticism and dissonance also contributes to the emotional intensity of the piece. The madrigal is divided into three sections or movements, each with its own distinct character. The first section begins with a mournful and slow introduction, with the voices singing in homophonic texture. The second section is more lively and rhythmic, with the voices imitating each other in a polyphonic texture. The final section returns to the mournful character of the opening, with the voices singing in a homophonic texture once again. One of the characteristics of Morley's madrigals is his use of word painting, where the music reflects the meaning of the text. In "Deep lamenting, grief bewraying," the use of descending chromatic lines and dissonant harmonies in the opening section reflects the sadness and despair of the lover. The use of imitative polyphony in the second section reflects the lover's longing for their beloved, while the return to homophonic texture in the final section reflects the finality of the lover's loss. Overall, "Deep lamenting, grief bewraying" is a powerful and emotional piece of music that captures the essence of the English madrigal period. Its use of chromaticism, dissonance, and word painting make it a masterpiece of Renaissance music.

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