Composer

:

Claudio Monteverdi

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Aria

Compose Date

:

1608

Publication Date

:

1623

Average_duration

:

10:25

Claudio Monteverdi's 'Lamento d'Arianna Lasciatemi morire, SV 22' is a solo vocal work that was composed in 1608. It was originally part of a larger opera, 'L'Arianna', which is now lost. The piece premiered in Mantua, Italy, in 1608. The work is in a single movement and is written for a solo soprano accompanied by a basso continuo. The text is a lament by Arianna, the abandoned lover of Theseus, as she contemplates her impending death. The music is characterized by its expressive melodic lines and chromatic harmonies, which convey the intense emotions of the text. The piece begins with a descending chromatic line in the basso continuo, which sets the mournful tone of the work. The soprano enters with a simple, plaintive melody, which gradually becomes more complex and ornamented as the piece progresses. The text is set in a highly expressive manner, with the music closely following the natural inflections and rhythms of the words. One of the most striking features of the work is its use of dissonance. Monteverdi employs dissonant harmonies and suspensions to create a sense of tension and emotional intensity. The dissonances are often resolved in unexpected ways, adding to the expressive power of the music. The work concludes with a final, anguished cry of "Lasciatemi morire" ("Let me die"), which is repeated several times before the music fades away. The piece is a powerful expression of the human experience of loss and despair, and it remains one of Monteverdi's most famous and beloved works.

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