Dolcemente dormiva

Benedetto Pallavicino’s Dolcemente dormiva is a secular madrigal for SATTB voices, sung in Italian. It paints a picture of a lover watching his beloved, Clori, sleep, playfully surrounded by Cupids. The text expresses the intense delight of this moment and a sudden, almost reprimanding thought about wasting time. The composer then describes leaning down to kiss her, finding a foretaste of paradise. This piece is ideal for a chamber choir looking to explore the rich expressive possibilities of the Italian madrigal tradition, bringing a moment of tender intimacy and sophisticated word-painting to a concert program.