This edition was prepared by Peter Rottländer — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Dolcissimo uscignolo
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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5 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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Dolcissimo uscignolo by Claudio Monteverdi — Lyrics
Dolcissimo uscignolo,
tu chiami la tua cara compagnia
cantando: «Vieni, vieni, anima mia».
A me canto non vale,
e non ho come tu da volar ale.
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About Dolcissimo uscignolo
Imagine a sun-drenched Tuscan garden in the late Renaissance. Monteverdi’s Dolcissimo uscignolo conjures such a scene, a secular madrigal for five voices (SSATB) where the nightingale’s song is a central motif. The text, in Italian, contrasts the bird’s joyful call to its beloved with the singer’s own lament. While the nightingale can fly and sing with ease, the human voice is bound, unable to reach its intended listener. Yet, despite lacking the bird’s knowledge, the singer finds a certain fortune in their desire. Monteverdi’s music captures this delicate interplay of longing and nature’s bounty, making it a vivid expression of unrequited affection.
