“O in Italia felice Liguria”, Madrigal for Two Voices (1347-48)

Original title: O in Italia felice Liguria. A madrigal by Jacopo da Bologna. It belongs to the Italian Trecento repertoire.

The poem celebrates the birth of Luca and Giovanni, twin sons of...Read more

Original title: O in Italia felice Liguria. A madrigal by Jacopo da Bologna. It belongs to the Italian Trecento repertoire.

The poem celebrates the birth of Luca and Giovanni, twin sons of Luchino Visconti and Isabella Fieschi, on 4 August 1346, and also mentions Parma and baptism. The birth date is encoded in its final lines. A scholarly study proposes a later composition date, 1347 or 1348. Alongside vocal performances, a modern instrumental version was made by Doron David Sherwin. The proposed dating 1347-48 indicates uncertainty between 1347 and 1348, not a two-year period of work.

Original text of the vocal work:

O in Italia felice Liguria,
e proprio tu, Milan, Dio lauda e gloria
de' dui nati segnor, che 'l ciel t'aguria.

Segno fo ben, che fo di gran vittoria,
ch'un'aquila li trasse a cristianesmo
e Parma a lor donò da po' el batesmo.

Un venere tra sesta [e] terza nacquero
Luca e Zuane a chi lor nome piaquero.

Quaranta sei un emme cum tri ci
corea e fo d'agosto al quarto dì