Ecco mormorar l'onde
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Text by Torquato Tasso (1544-1595)
Eric Ericson, conductor Stockholmer Kammerchor
Questo madrigale, scritto intorno al 1565, ha come tema l’alba e del sorgere del sole e fu musicato dal compositore Claudio Monteverdi.
This madrigal, written around 1565, has dawn and sunrise as its theme and was set to music by the composer Claudio Monteverdi.
“Ecco mormorar l'onde” is in three sections. The first six verses of text (26 plus 13 measures) describe the quiet before dawn, and should be sung softly. The second five verses (27 measures) describe the changes as they are taking place, and with successive repetitions of 'and,' become increasingly excited and sonorous. The final three verses (26 measures) celebrate the arrived dawn, and should end strongly.
Ecco mormorar l’onde
e tremolar le fronde
e l’aura mattutina e gli arboscelli,
e sopra i verdi rami i vaghi augelli
cantar soavemente
e rider l’orïente:
ecco già l’alba appare
e si specchia nel mare,
e rasserena il cielo,
e le campagne imperla il dolce gelo,
e gli alti monti indora.
O bella e vaga aurora,
l’aura è tua messaggera, e tu de l’aura
ch’ogni arso cor restaura.
Now the waves murmur
And the boughs and shrubs tremble
In the morning breeze,
And on the green branches the pleasant birds
Sing softly
And the east smiles;
Now dawn already appears
And mirrors herself in the sea,
And makes the sky serene,
And the gentle frost impearls the fields
And gilds the high mountains:
O beautiful and gracious Aurora
The breeze is your messenger, and you the breeze’s
Which revives each burnt out heart.