This arrangement is based on a madrigal written for an a cappella choir. The piece is cheerful and plays with echo effects. In this arrangement the echoes are created using a canon between two four-part groups. The melodies are played repeatedly with very short phrases in the first group, and are then promptly answered by the second group a half measure later. This creates a very natural echo effect between the two groups. It is recommended that the first group have at least 2 cellos on each voice, while the echo group consists of one cello on each voice. For maximum echo effect, the echo group should perform offstage or from a neighboring room.

-Hans Erik Deckert

Italian text:

O la, o che bon echo! Pigliamo ci, piacere!
Ha ha ha ha ha, ridiamo tutti!
O bon compagno! Che voi tu?
Voria che tu cantassi una canzona.
Perchè? Perchè si? Perchè no?
Perchè non voglio. Perchè non voi?
Perchè non mi piace! Taci dico!
Taci tu! O gran poltron! Signor, si!
Orsu non più! Andiamo! Adio bon echo! Adio bon echo!
Rest' in pace! Basta! Basta! Basta! Basta!

English translation:

O, what a good echo! Call it, try it if you please!
Ha ha ha ha ha, let us all laugh!
What a good companion! What do you want?
I want you to sing us a song.
Why? Why yes? Why no? Because I don’t want to. Why not?
Because I don’t want to! Be quiet, I say!
Be quiet yourself! You large imbecile! Yes, sir!
That’s enough! Let’s go! Good bye, good echo! Good bye, good echo!
Rest in peace! Enough! Enough! Enough! Enough!