Il suo vago gioioso e lieto manto

Luca Marenzio’s secular madrigal Il suo vago gioioso e lieto manto for SATTB voices opens with a celebration of spring’s arrival. The music reflects the joyful text, depicting the earth adorning itself in a bright and happy cloak. Marenzio’s characteristic fluent vocal writing and sensitive word-painting are on full display, as Proteus stills the waves and Aeolus clears the skies. The sun, having banished the cold snow, then encircles Arno’s homeland with white flowers. This piece exemplifies the rich expressiveness and intricate counterpoint typical of the Italian Renaissance madrigal tradition.