E voi muse gradite

Giovanni Bernardino Nanino was a composer active in late 16th-century Rome, associated with the vibrant tradition of Italian madrigals. This secular work, E voi muse gradite, is written for three voices (SST). The text, sung in Italian, directly addresses the Muses, the goddesses of inspiration, inviting them to gather on Mount Parnassus. It calls upon them to sing together in praise of 'canto' – song itself, celebrating its power and beauty. Nanino's setting would have been part of the refined musical culture of the period, where secular vocal music explored complex harmonies and expressive text setting within intimate ensemble formats.