Monteverdi - Ohimé, se tanto amate

• Madrigal (a secular work for a group of solo voices, in this case unaccompanied)
• Setting of a text by the poet Guarini
• Published in 1603
• Shows many signs of Monteverdi writing in a newer, more modern style (stile rappresentativo/representational style or seconda practica/second practice), as opposed to the older Renaissance style
• Due to the complexity of the writing, the piece was probably intended for trained singers

• Simple quadruple time
• Monteverdi attempted to reproduce the inflections of Italian speech in the music, resulting in a variety of rhythmic patterns
• Some passages consit of steady crotchets (bars 47-51) while others are more varied

• Mainly syllabic
• Subordinate to the text (the purpose of the music is to express the text as clearly as possible)
• Accented syllables usually appear on a strong beat, while unaccented syllables tend to appear on a weak beat
• Repeated notes are often used to aid clarity of the text
• Much of the melody is made up of conjunct movement or small leaps, any larger leaps are often followed by stepwise movement in the opposite direction (soprano part bars 8-9)
• Some use of sequence (last 20 bars)
• Sigh-like falling 3rd used for 'ohimé'
• New style is evident in the use of intervals which had previously been avoided (the tritone)

• Primarily consists of root-position and first-inversion triads
• Many dissonances (often unprepared)
• Typical features include:

- False relations (Bb against B(natural) in bar 49)

- Tierce de Picardies (bars 38-39)

- Tonic and dominant pedals (bass parts bars 61-65)

- IIIb - I final cadence

• The work predates the functional harmony developed in the Baroque period, but can be described as being in G minor, with sections in D minor and Bb major. Note the 'modal' key signature with only one flat

• Work is through-composed with each section of the text being treated separately
• The falling 'ohimé' recurs frequently, and so provides a unifying element

• Work is written for five unaccompanied voices, the canto and quinto corresponding to two soprano parts
• Variety of textures are employed to help convey the sense of the poem:

- Paired alto and tenor in the dialogue with paired canto and quinto over a sustained bass

- Homophony for three voices in various groupings

- Homophony for five voices

- Some limited imitation

- Free counterpoint