Composer

:

Claudio Monteverdi

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Motet

Compose Date

:

ca. 1620

Average_duration

:

3:44

Claudio Monteverdi's 'Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me, SV 298' is a sacred motet for five voices and continuo. It was composed in 1638 and premiered in Venice, Italy. The piece is divided into two movements, with the first being a setting of Psalm 6:1-4 and the second being a setting of Psalm 38:1-4. The first movement begins with a somber and mournful tone, with the voices singing in unison to express the psalmist's plea for mercy and forgiveness. The music gradually builds in intensity as the voices become more dissonant and the text becomes more urgent. The second half of the movement features a solo soprano voice singing a virtuosic and expressive melody, accompanied by the continuo. The movement ends with a return to the somber and mournful tone of the beginning. The second movement begins with a more lively and rhythmic character, with the voices singing in a more homophonic texture. The text of the psalm is a lamentation of the psalmist's sins and the punishment he feels he deserves. The music reflects this with a sense of urgency and restlessness, with the voices often overlapping and interrupting each other. The movement ends with a return to the more somber and mournful tone of the first movement, with the voices singing in unison once again. Overall, 'Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me, SV 298' is a powerful and expressive work that showcases Monteverdi's skill in setting sacred texts to music. The piece is characterized by its use of dissonance and chromaticism, as well as its expressive melodies and use of solo voices. It remains a popular work in the repertoire of early music and is often performed in concerts and religious services.

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