Monteverdi Ohime

Question 1

What are canto and quinto?

Answer 1

canto is the highest voice (here a soprano)

quinto means ‘fifth voice’. Most often - as here - this means a second soprano, but it some madrigals it is a second alto or second

Question 2

Describe the texture of these first four bars

Answer 2

• homophonic
• 3 part
• antiphonic exchanges between Tenor/Alto and Canto/Quinto
• Tenor/Alto and Canto/Quino in thirds (textural thickening)

Question 3

comment on the harmony in these bars

(5 things)

Answer 3

‘modal chord sequence’ Gm - D - Bb - F

two bar sequence (up a third)

false relations

unprepare ninth G-A

unprepared tritone Bb-E

Question 4

How is the word ‘ohimè’ set?

Answer 4

descending third - like a sigh

Question 5

What key or mode is this madrigal in?

Why is the key signature ‘wrong’?

Answer 5

G minor

(it’s really G-dorian)

It’s a ‘modal’ key signature - here G-dorian

(G A Bb C D E-natural F)

Question 6

How would you describe the texture of the first bar here?

Answer 6

3 part homorhythmic homophony

canto and quinto in thirds

Question 7

texture - what are the tenor and alto doing?

word setting - what’s going on in the last two bars

Answer 7

texture - imitation (based on the canto part in the previous bars)

word setting - a feature of madrigals was the occasional setting of multiple bits of text at the same time. This could be to express different points of view or express confusion - here there are three bits of text overlapping.

Question 8

What harmonic device do we hear in this extract?

Answer 8

sequence

Question 9

accurately describe the texture here

Answer 9

5 part homophony

mostly homorhythmic

Question 10

These bars, like much of Monteverdi’s music at the time, offended the prima prattica purists.

What are the harmonic and melodic things in these bars which would have upset the likes of Artusi?

Answer 10

chromatic movement (quinto)

descending seventh (bass)

parallel sevenths

note clusters

Question 11

describe the cadence in the last bars

Answer 11

prefect cadence with tièrce de Picardie

Question 12

What’s going on texturally here?

Answer 12

begins and ends in 5 part homphony

canonic writing in the middle (ohimè mori-)

Question 13

Comment on Moteverdi’s word setting here

Answer 13

deh perchè fate - why must it be

the question is repeated three times (in sequence) for emphasis and perhaps to suggest a rising anxiety

Question 14

The central section of ohimè further divides into two parts which are almost identical

how are these two parts different?

Answer 14

first time round in 3 parts

second time in 5 parts

second time is essentially transposed up a fourth.

Question 15

describe the texture here

Answer 15

3 part homorhythmic homophony

Question 16

There are two subtle bits of word painting here

what are they?

Answer 16

in the tenor, at moro (die) it drops an octave

the last syllable of languido (languid/lazy/slow) is lengthened

Question 17

This is the second occurence of this music.

How is it different from a few bars before?

Answer 17

five voices instead of three

transposed up a fourth

Question 18

What’s happening here with the word setting?

Answer 18

But if, my heart, you so desire, What life might I receive from you, And then you from me…

• The words are about ‘life’ and the music gets excited in response.
• the excitable women (canto and quinto) sing quickly (quavers) in thirds
• the more sensible men (alto, tenor bass) say the words in canon

Question 19

comment on Monteverdi’s word setting here

Answer 19

• Mill’e mille* (thousands and thousands) - repetition of the highest note
• ohimè* - falling thirds