Download - D-Scholarship@Pitt - University of Pittsburgh

throughout the piece. Finally, through word painting, Casulana emphasizes important words and
ideas within the poetic text.
Throughout the piece, Phrygian A cadences dominate, alternating infrequently with
normal A cadences, allowing the piece to slide seamlessly between harmonic regions on (what
we now call) A major, A minor, D major, and D minor, with occasional cadences on C, B-flat, or
G, before a final cadence on D, ending the piece with a D major sonority. These Phrygian A
cadences play an important structural and harmonic role in the piece besides their ability to grant
access to both major and minor tonal areas in A and D. They also create a feeling of tenuous
closure, such that the mind feels the pause but the tension lingers on slightly, allowing the line to
continue. Casulana emphasizes this tenuous character by connecting her phrases at rhythmically
weak points, for instance in m. 4, the tenor and basso lines enter on the new phrase, “e speranz’ e
timor” on the upbeat to beat four directly after the short Phrygian A cadence between the canto
and basso. This rhythmic overlapping of phrases by the use of the Phrygian A cadence occurs
twice elsewhere in the piece (mm. 3 and 7). The long and connected phrases created by these
weakened Phrygian cadences contribute to the relatively stable, meditative tone of the piece.
Word painting plays an important role in this piece. With only two exceptions, the
majority of Casulana’s words of emphasis receive a lengthening in duration to express their
importance in the text. The first instance of an emphatic lengthening appears in the first phrase as
all voices draw out the word “possanza” (power). Clearly, this line would have likely received
such a treatment, not only because it is the first entrance of the voices into song but also because
it is the purpose of the text, the subject of meditation. However, it is important to notice this
treatment as later, in m. 8, when the voices speak “per lei” (for her), they are again lengthened.
These words seem unimportant alone, but upon realizing that “per lei” speaks of “possanza” (the
52