Claudio Monteverdi: Quel sguardo sdegnosetto (1632)

Quel sguardo sdegnosetto 0:06 Ritornello (cornetto, organ, bass viol, chitarrone, violone) 2:16 Madrigal for solo voice and figured bass (soprano, organ, bass viol, chitarrone, violone) The collection of madrigals “Scherzi musicale“ (Musical jokes) from 1632 was tiny with only a set of 5 songs. Although not explicitly recommended in the 1632 introduction, an earlier 1628 edition containing similar solo and duet songs describes how a madrigal can be preceded by a ritornello played on violin or some other melody instrument using the soprano vocal line. The original MIDI file without the words but with a modern figured bass was created by Peter Rottländer and uploaded to . I added the words using the Spanish language Vocaloid MAIKA. The instrumental parts were simulated using the iPhone app Music Studio 2. Text: Quel sguardo sdegnosetto (That subtly scornful look) lucente e minaccioso, (bright and menacing) quel dardo velenoso (that poison dart) vola a ferirmi il petto, (flies to strike me in the breast) Bellezze ond’io tutt’ardo (O beauties for which I burn totally) e son da me diviso (that divides me from myself) piagatemi col sguardo, (wounds me with the look) Sanatemi col riso. (heal me with the smile.) Armatevi, pupille (Arm yourselves, my eyes) d’asprissimo rigore, (with a most bitter rigor) versatemi su’l core (pour on my heart) un nembo di faville. (a cloud of sparks) Ma ’labro non sia tardo (But the lips will not be slow) a ravvivarmi ucciso. (to revive me after being killed) Feriscami quel squardo, (let that glance strike me) ma sanimi quel riso. (but that smile heals me) Begl’occhi a l’armi, a l’armi! (Beautiful eyes, to arms, to arms) Io vi preparo il seno. (I prepare you my breast) Gioite di piagarmi (Rejoice in injuring me) in fin ch’io venga meno! (in the end when I collapse) E se da vostri dardi (And, if from your darts) io resterò conquiso, (I remain conquered) feriscano quel sguardo, (let that glance strike me down) ma sanami quel riso. (but that smile restore me) Artwork: 1. Cover page of the “Scherzi musicale“ C. Monteverdi, ed. Gardano, Venice, 1632 2. Concert from the gallery (with details of violin, cornetto and chitarrone players), Colonna and Mitelli, Palazzo Ducale, Sassuolo, Italy, c1646 3. Italian cornetto, 4. Concert from the gallery (with details of lute, cornetto, trombone and singers) 5. “Quel sguardo sdegnosetto,“ score for soprano and bass continuo, C. Monteverdi, Scherzi musicale, 1632 6. Singers with lute and bass viol, Gerard Seghers, c1624 7. Renaissance architecture in Venice as seen from a gondola, Caelan Kelley, Pixabay 8. Rinaldo and Almida, Nicholas Poussin, c1630 9. Colonnade in Venice, Kmeel Stock, Pixabay