Philippe Verdelot: Italia mia (Petrarch), Voices of Music 4K UHD video.

Verdelot's setting of Petrarch's "Italia mia", one of the finest of the early 16th century madrigals. Live, 4K video from our Leonardo da Vinci: a musical Odyssey concert in San Francisco, performed by the Early Music ensemble Voices of Music. Stefanie True, soprano; Deborah Rentz-Moore, mezzo soprano; Malachai Bandy, Adaiha MacAdam-Somer & Elisabeth Reed, viols. The first decade of the 16th century saw the French composer Verdelot in Florence and Rome, where he was instrumental in the development of the Italian madrigal. Verdelot also collaborated with Niccolò Machiavelli for his comedies. Verdelot's style consists of points of imitation alternating with homophonic passages in a clear and graceful style; his works were greatly admired and widely imitated throughout the 16th century. In his poem Italia mia, Petrarch bitterly laments the folly of war and ends with an appeal for truth and peace. Text (Canzoniere, CXXVII) Italia mia, benché’l parlar sia indarno a le piaghe mortali che nel bel corpo tuo sì spesse veggio, piacem’ almen che e’ mia sospiri sian quali sper’ il Tever e l’Arno e ‘l Po, dove doglioso et grave hor’ seggio Rector’ del cielo, io cheggio che la pietà che Ti condusse in terra Ti volga al tuo dilett’ almo paese Vedi, Signor’ cortese Di che levi cagion, che crudel guerra I cori, che indur’ et serra Marte superb’ et fero apri Tu, Padre, e intenerisci et snoda ivi fa che el tuo vero qual io mi sia per la mia lingua s’oda. My Italy, though words cannot soothe the mortal wounds which cover your lovely body, I wish at least for my sighs to unite with the hopes of rivers Tiber, Arno and Po, where I sit sad and somber. Ruler of Heaven, I ask that mercy, which brought you down to earth, will return you to your dear, holy land. You see, my gracious Lord, what trivial reasons cause cruel war; hearts closed and hardened by fierce and proud Mars: open them Father, soften them, set them free and let the divine truth be heard through my words. —Petrarch (Canzoniere, CXXVII) Translations by Cynthia Craig Simon, David Tayler & Lawrence Rosenwald