“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 marvelous performance of this madrigal can be heard here:

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

Below is a translation of the text, with bar numbers listed for reference:

01-11: My sweetheart gently turned
12-17: that dear radiant glance -
18-20: all beauty, all desire-
21-23: towards me, sparklingly,
24-32: and seemed to say “Give me your heart, I live for nothing else.”

33-38: And while my heart flew to where it was invited by that infinite beauty,
39-43: I sighed and cried out:
44-48: “Wretched and deprived of my heart,
49-55: who will give me life?”
55-59: She answered me with a loving sigh:
60-67: “I, for I am your heart.”
68-72: She answered me with a loving sigh:
73-82: “I, for I am your heart.”