“Monteverdi's Fourth Book (of madrigals, 1603)... is a wide-ranging collection of pieces written during the previous ten years. Dedicated to the members of a literary and debating society in Ferrara...(and) originally written for performance before a select audience by an ensemble of professional virtuoso singers, these madrigals, many of which are set to the sensuous, emotional and epigrammatic verses of Guarini and Tasso, demonstrate Monteverdi's seemingly inexhaustible ability to unite words and music in expressively effective ways.”
-notes by Elliott Jones

Monteverdi combined interplay of voices, exquisite harmonies, and highly effective use of suspensions to paint the emotional meanings of the text. His immaculate voicing should lend itself well to cello ensemble, especially as Monteverdi was himself a viol player. A beautiful rendition of this piece , with Concerto Italiano, can be heard here:

The dynamics, phrase markings and tempi in this arrangement are suggestions. Those performing should not feel bound by them.

Translation of the text:

01-07: Eyes serene and clear,
08-12: you set me on fire, you do,
13-20: but my heart feels pleasure in the flames, not pain.

21-27: Sweet dear words,
28-32: you pierce me, you do,
33-39: but my breast feels not pain in the wound, but pleasure.

40-43: Oh, miracle of love!
42-44: A soul that is all fire and all blood *
45-47: perishes without pain, *
48-52: dies without wasting away. *

* See cello 4, which leads the different motives for each of these lines.