This edition was prepared by Peter Rottländer — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Chiome d'oro
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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4 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Chiome d'oro by Claudio Monteverdi — Lyrics
Chiome d’oro, bel tesoro,
tu mi leghi in mille modi
se t’annodi, se ti snodi.
Candidette perle elette,
se le rose che scoprite
discoprite, mi ferite.
Vive stelle, che sì belle
e sì vaghe risplendete,
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About Chiome d'oro
Monteverdi's Chiome d'oro is a secular madrigal for two female voices. It draws on a rich Italian poetic tradition, exploring the agonies and ecstasies of love through vivid imagery. The text compares the beloved's golden hair to a snare, her teeth to pearls that wound, her eyes to stars that kill, and her lips to coral that bless. The final lines, 'O beautiful knot by which I rejoice! O sweet exit from life! O welcome wound!', reveal a lover so consumed by passion that even pain becomes a source of pleasure. This is a work of intense emotion, ideal for a chamber choir seeking to explore the dramatic possibilities of Renaissance vocal polyphony.
