Madrigal

Madrigal, a word of uncertain etymology, denotes a short lyrical poem, generally on the subject of love, and characterised by some epigrammatic terseness or quaintness. It was written, as a rule, in iambic metre, contained not less than six or more than thirteen lines, and ran chiefly upon three rhymes. Among the Italians the best writers of madrigals were Petrarch and Tasso; among the French, Montrenil and Monerif; among the Germans, Hagedorn, Voss, Goethe, and A. W. Schlegel; and among the English, Lodge, Withers, Carew, and Suckling.—The name is also applied to the music for a simple song sung in a rich artistic style, but without musical accompaniment. The original composers wrote for three, four, or more voices; but madrigals are now usually sung by a small but well-trained choir. These compositions originated with the Flemings, and before the middle of the 15th century. From them and by them it was carried to Rome and Venice, and to England, where a famous school of madrigal composers flourished from about 1530 to about 1630. The chief composers of the English school were Bird, Weelkes, Kirkby, Wilby, Morley, Dowland, Benet, Este, Bateson, and Orlando Gibbons. Madrigal-singing ceased to be popular in the 18th century; its place is now taken by glee-singing (see GLEE). The Madrigal Society of London, founded in 1741 by John Innyns, claims to be the oldest musical association in Europe. See Sherman, Madrigals and Catches (New York, 1887).