D'acqua viva

Jan Tollius's D'acqua viva is a secular madrigal for SAATBB voices. This Renaissance part-song captures the evocative imagery of the original Italian text, which describes a pure, shining stream flowing from the Adriatic into the Tiber. The lyrics paint a picture of a revitalized Rome, fertile banks adorned with roses, and a riverbed of gold, suggesting a time of prosperity and intellectual awakening with the Muses and the goddess Astraea. However, the poem takes a melancholic turn, lamenting a cruel fate that dries up these life-giving waters, leaving only a river of perpetual tears. The music would likely reflect this dramatic shift from celebration to sorrow.