This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Bianca neve è il bel collo
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Pothárn Imre
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Bianca neve è il bel collo by Orlando di Lasso — Lyrics
Bianca neve è il bel collo, e 'l petto latte;
il collo è tondo, il petto colmo e largo:
due pome acerbe, e pur d'avorio fatte,
vengono e van come onda al primo margo,
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About Bianca neve è il bel collo
Imagine a spring festival or a convivial gathering in a Renaissance court. Orlando di Lasso’s Italian madrigal Bianca neve è il bel collo sets a Petrarchan sonnet to music, exploring themes of beauty and desire. The text, describing a woman’s fair neck and breast, evokes images of snow and milk, contrasting them with the shape of two apples. The composer uses the rich textures of SATB voices to paint a vivid picture of physical attraction. Lasso’s mastery of polyphony and expressive harmony brings the sensuous poetry to life, making this madrigal a perfect choice for choirs looking to programme secular Renaissance part-music that is both textually evocative and musically engaging.
