Composer

:

Claudio Monteverdi

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Madrigal

Compose Date

:

ca. 1632

Average_duration

:

1:15

"Maledetto sia l'aspetto" is a vocal piece composed by Claudio Monteverdi as part of his collection of Scherzi musicali, SV 246. The collection was published in 1607 and consists of 23 pieces, including madrigals, canzonettas, and arias. "Maledetto sia l'aspetto" is a canzonetta, a type of Italian secular song that was popular in the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. The piece is set for three voices, with a soprano singing the melody and two lower voices providing harmonic support. The text is a poem by Giovanni Battista Guarini, a prominent Italian poet of the time. The poem describes the speaker's frustration with his lover's appearance, which he finds unattractive. He curses his lover's appearance and wishes that he could love someone else instead. The piece is in a simple A-B-A form, with the same melody repeated in each section. The first section features the soprano singing the melody over a simple chord progression, while the lower voices provide a rhythmic accompaniment. In the second section, the lower voices take over the melody while the soprano provides a more complex harmonic line. The final section returns to the original melody, with the soprano singing over a more elaborate accompaniment. One of the most notable characteristics of "Maledetto sia l'aspetto" is its use of word painting. Monteverdi uses musical devices to illustrate the meaning of the text, such as the descending melody on the word "giù" (down) and the dissonant harmonies on the word "maledetto" (cursed). The piece also features Monteverdi's characteristic use of chromaticism, with unexpected harmonic shifts and dissonances adding to the emotional intensity of the text. Overall, "Maledetto sia l'aspetto" is a prime example of Monteverdi's skill as a composer of vocal music. Its simple yet effective melody, expressive harmonies, and use of word painting make it a memorable and emotionally powerful piece.

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