Il gioco dell'Occa (from 'Triaca musicale')

Giovanni Croce's Il gioco dell'Occa is a secular madrigal for SSATTB voices, drawn from his collection 'Triaca musicale'. The piece opens with a lively invitation to play. The text describes a game, likely the popular board game of the same name, where players throw dice and advance their pieces. The characters take turns, with one player suggesting the game and the other agreeing, and they decide on stakes to be won. The music directly reflects the playful and conversational nature of the text, with the six voices engaging in a spirited dialogue. It captures the excitement of the game, the dice rolls, and the anticipation of winning, even describing a setback where a player must pay at the Osteria (inn).