Composer

:

Claudio Monteverdi

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Madrigal

Compose Date

:

ca. 1619

Average_duration

:

2:17

"Eccomi pronta ai baci, Ergasto mio" is a beautiful and passionate madrigal composed by Claudio Monteverdi. It is part of his seventh book of madrigals, published in 1619. The piece is written for five voices and is set to a text by Giovanni Battista Guarini. The premiere of "Eccomi pronta ai baci, Ergasto mio" is not known, but it is believed to have been performed in the courts of Mantua or Venice, where Monteverdi worked as a musician. The piece is one of Monteverdi's most famous madrigals and is still performed today. The madrigal is divided into two sections, each with its own distinct character. The first section is slow and expressive, with the voices singing in a homophonic texture. The second section is faster and more lively, with the voices singing in a polyphonic texture. The text of the madrigal is a love poem, expressing the speaker's desire for her lover's kisses. The music reflects the passion and intensity of the text, with the voices soaring and intertwining in a beautiful and complex harmony. One of the most striking characteristics of "Eccomi pronta ai baci, Ergasto mio" is Monteverdi's use of dissonance. The piece is full of unexpected harmonies and clashes of sound, which create a sense of tension and release. This use of dissonance was a hallmark of Monteverdi's style and was a major departure from the more conservative music of his predecessors. Overall, "Eccomi pronta ai baci, Ergasto mio" is a stunning example of Monteverdi's mastery of the madrigal form. Its passionate text and complex harmonies make it a timeless masterpiece of early Baroque music.

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