Scipio l'acerbo caso (Philippe de Monte)

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• (Posted 2026-01-02)  CPDL #87980:         

Editor: Pothárn Imre (submitted 2026-01-02).   Score information: A4, 6 pages, 113 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transcribed from 1581 print. The piece is practically in two parts, but the second part is not labelled as such, and it does not start on a new page in the 1581 print. Measures 86-88 are blacked notes in the original. According to the general rule these notes are reduced by 1/3 of their length, we have, however reduced their length by half. The text of these three measures is d'oscura nebbia i.e. dark fog. So we believe this is only a visual clue for the singers. Moreover, in the word nebbia the first syllable is stressed. By the reduction of 50% of the values of these notes, the stressed syllable (neb-) comes on a stressed position in the music, which would not be the case with a reduction of only 33%. Original key (chiavi naturali) and note values. (With the exception of the blacked notes discussed before.)

General Information

Title: Scipio l'acerbo caso
Composer: Philippe de Monte
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Secular, Madrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1581 in Il decimo libro delli madrigali a cinque voci, no. 14
Description: 

Original text and translations

Italian text

Scipio l'acerbo caso
Onde'l lucido sol de giorni tuoi
Fu sospinto a l'occaso
Sul primo lampeggiar de raggi suoi
La tua patria dolente
Piangerà eternamente
Sospirando sua sorte
Più ne le piaghe tue che la tua morte.

Tu morendo innocente
Da crudel ferro anciso
Volasti in Paradiso
Ove l'eterno ben godi presente
Ella in tenebre avvolta
D'oscura nebbia d'immortal dolore
Priva del tuo splendore
In perpetuo martir resta sepolta
Perché l'empia ferita
Che ti tolse la vita
Quando del sangue tuo la terra tinse
Ne la tua morte ogni sua gloria estinse