‘The aim of all good music,’ Monteverdi wrote, ‘is to affect the soul.’

In the 1590s, Monteverdi was employed as a string player (viol) by the Duke of Mantua. Here Monteverdi came into contact with some of the finest musicians of that era. His compositional style changed, with angular melodies, harmonic dissonances, and music of great intensity. One prime trait of his new style of writing was for the music to follow- to paint- the meaning of the verse in great detail with the harmonies and interplay of the voices.

Rimanti in pace (Remain here in peace)

Monteverdi’s interwoven imitative writing, exquisite harmonies and harmonic shifts, liberal use of suspensions, and expressive use of chromaticism in the melodic line are all on display in Rimanti in pace and its second part, Ond’ ei di morte. The immaculate voicing should lend itself well to cello ensemble, especially as Monteverdi was himself a viol player.

These two YouTube links are to a marvelous performance of the two sections of the piece, by I Fagiolini:

-Charles Jacot

Notes by Marco Longhini: “Thyrsis and Phyllida are two humble shepherds who, without averting their gaze from one another, part in great sorrow, with words of love, tears and sighs. Following the text, the music proceeds haltingly, creating contrasts, led only by the feelings of the two lovers who seem almost to speak with one voice. The skillful and expressive use of word-painting, the masterly and inventive descending chromatic scale on the words “stillando amaro umore” (distilling bitter tears), the harmonic instability of “di martir in martir, di doglie in doglie” (from torment to torment, grief to grief), the use of syllabic repetition together with distant chords in “gli trafisse il cor” (pierced his heart ) all combine to make this one of the greatest works of the age.”

Translation for Rimanti in pace:

“Stay here in peace,” said Thyrsis, sighing,
to the lovely and grieving Phyllida.
“Stay here, I go; as decreed by the law,
pitiless destiny, bitter and hostile fate.”
And then, distilling bitter tears
from each of her starry eyes, she fixed her gaze
on that of her Thyrsis, and pierced
his heart with the most piteous arrows.

Then he, with death engraved upon his face,
said, “Alas, how can I go without my sun,
from torment to torment, grief to grief?”
And she, overcome with sobs and tears,
faintly formed these words:
“Ah, my beloved soul, who tears you from me?”