Expert: David Froom - 9/28/2007

Question
I am confused when defining specific musical characteristics of the soft and agitated  styles of Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and Lamento della Ninfa form Monteverdi's Eight book of Madrigals. How does he achieve these emotional states.

Answer
I am not sure what you are asking.  I think, though, that the key to understanding this is in the words.  Take a very close look at a literal translation, and follow the music as closely as possible with the words directly in front of you.  Most of the specific musical characteristics and emotional states are related to word painting -- and once you see what Monteverdi was trying to depict, you can simply describe the musical textures, rhythms, tempo shifts, vocal inflections (etc.) that you hear, relating them to the words being set at that moment.

Hope this helps.

David Froom