[Pt. I Proj.1] Exercise 1.0 ‘Beltà poi che t’assenti’ by Gesualdo.

[Pt. I Proj.1] ~Exercise 1.0 ‘Beltà poi che t’assenti’ by Gesualdo In ‘Madrigali a 5 voci, libro sesto’ no.2, W. 6/16 (from 1611)

Exercise 1.0

* Listen to the madrigal Beltà poi che t’assenti by Gesualdo. 

* With reference to a score, identify the chords in the first four bars. The answer is given at the end of the chapter.

* Does this chord progression call to mind any music you know from later eras?

* How would you describe the music in bb. 9-20 and the texture at bb. 40-42? What does the word ‘dolore’ mean at b. 55? 

* In your own words, describe the kind of harmony, melody and texture that Gesualdo has employed to carry its meaning. 

Exercise 1.0 Answer;

• With reference to a score, identify the chords in the first four bars. The answer is given at the end of the chapter.

The chords in the first four bars are;

Bel      ta         poi      che      t’as      sen      ti

Gmin, EMaj, DMaj, DMaj, GMaj, Dmaj, F#Maj

• Does this chord progression call to mind any music you know from later eras?

These chords and the madrigal overall really remind me of Stravinsky’s music. Stravinsky did in fact arrange this particular madrigal within his 1960’s ‘Gesualdo Monumentum ad CD Annum’ ballet in homage to Gesualdo of whom he was a big fan of and who’s music greatly influenced Stravinsky’s own. Stravinsky orchestrated some of Gesualdo’s madrigals for Gesualdo’s 400th birthday. (Dickey, T. s.d).

Gesualdo’s chromaticism is very much echoed in Stravinsky’s music. Gesualdo used an unusual number of chromatic intervals for a Renaissance composer. Although some chromaticism was used during this period it was generally applied more sparingly. Gesualdo was very ‘experimental’ for his time. The chromaticism and dissonance created by both the use of frequent changes to distant keys and were methods employed by Stravinsky. Stravinsky’s work has been interpreted in a more vertical, harmonic context whereas the unusually dissonant chordal texture in Gesualdo’s work has to be explained in terms of his polyphonic, chromatic horizontal melody lines. Although the context and compositional technique is different, the sonic result is very similar.

• How would you describe the music in bb. 9-20 and the texture at bb. 40-42?

I would describe the music in bars 9-20 as chromatic imitative counterpoint. Polyphonic in texture.

The texture at bars 40-42 is on the other hand of a homophonic texture;

• What does the word ‘dolore’ mean at b. 55?

The word ‘dolore’ means pain, grief or sorrow in Italian.

* In your own words, describe the kind of harmony, melody and texture that Gesualdo has employed to carry its meaning. 

Gesualdo has word painted the word ‘dolore’ here by first contrasting an imitative, chromatic polyphonic texture with a contrasting diatonic and homophonic cadence.

LISTENING LOG

For an extensive Listening Log entry for the ‘Beltà poi che t’assenti’ go to my Listening Log page.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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