Composer

:

Thomas Morley

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

before 1600

Publication Date

:

1600

Average_duration

:

4:17

"Who is it that this darke night" is a choral piece composed by Thomas Morley, an English composer, organist, and theorist of the Renaissance era. The piece was composed in the late 16th century, around 1590, and was first published in 1595 in Morley's collection of madrigals, "The Triumphs of Oriana." The piece is a four-part madrigal, which means it is written for four voices: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. It is a setting of a poem by an unknown author, which describes a woman wandering in the dark, searching for her lover. The music reflects the mood of the poem, with its melancholic and haunting melody. The piece is divided into three movements, each with its own distinct character. The first movement is slow and mournful, with the voices singing in a homophonic texture, meaning they all sing the same melody at the same time. The second movement is faster and more rhythmic, with the voices singing in a polyphonic texture, meaning they sing different melodies at the same time. The third movement returns to the slow and mournful character of the first movement, with the voices singing in a homophonic texture once again. One of the characteristics of Morley's music is his use of word painting, which means he uses musical devices to illustrate the meaning of the words in the text. For example, in "Who is it that this darke night," the music becomes more dissonant and chromatic when the text describes the woman's despair and confusion. Overall, "Who is it that this darke night" is a beautiful and poignant piece of music that showcases Morley's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the emotions of the text through his music.

More....