Composer

:

Carlo Gesualdo

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1611

Average_duration

:

2:19

'Quel 'no' crudel che la mia speme ancise, W. 6/70' 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, around 1594, and was premiered in Gesualdo's own palace in Naples. The madrigal is written for five voices, with the text taken from a poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso. The piece is divided into three movements, with each movement exploring a different aspect of the text. The first movement begins with a mournful and dissonant opening, with the voices singing in a close harmony that creates a sense of tension and unease. The text speaks of the cruelty of a lover who has killed the speaker's hope, and the music reflects this sense of despair and loss. The second movement is more upbeat, with the voices singing in a more lively and rhythmic style. The text speaks of the speaker's desire to forget their former lover and move on, and the music reflects this sense of determination and resolve. The final movement returns to the mournful and dissonant style of the first, with the voices singing in a close harmony that creates a sense of finality and closure. The text speaks of the speaker's acceptance of their loss and their willingness to move on, and the music reflects this sense of resignation and acceptance. Overall, 'Quel 'no' crudel che la mia speme ancise, W. 6/70' is a powerful and emotional piece of music that reflects the intense emotions of love and loss. Gesualdo's use of dissonance and close harmony creates a sense of tension and unease that perfectly captures the sense of despair and hopelessness expressed in the text.

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