Musical Offerings ⦁ 2021 ⦁ Volume 12 ⦁ Number 2 45 Example 3: “In questo lieto e fortunato giorno,” mm. 1–2.31 Musical speech was the voice of a drama, and the only way to express the text successfully and clearly.32 Rhetoric, one of the most prominent characteristics of humanism, is seen all throughout Monteverdi’s Orfeo. The rhetorician is focused on expressing a particular point of view to the public through the patterns of speech and form of delivery.33 If music is to be used to depict a story, then it can be very effective in evoking emotion from an audience if delivered clearly. The consistent use of recitative, which is a form of musical speech, and clear, syllabic text declaration throughout the opera helped Monteverdi persuade the audience. For example, in the recitative with the shepherd in Act I mentioned above, he makes the audience believe the day is joyous as Eurydice and Orpheus are to be wed. There is little polyphony, which can be distracting. When the few choral works or polyphonic textures are used, it is generally to emphasize the climax or the overall emotion of a scene. Monteverdi uses polyphonic texture and multiple voices at the end of Act II with “Ahi, caso acerbo,” which means “Ah bitter chance.” This piece is discussing the cruel fate of Eurydice and Orpheus, and to aid the climax of the story, Monteverdi adds multiple voices. Another way Monteverdi’s work embodies the philosophy of humanism and persuades his audience is by highlighting emotion in the text through instrumentation. Monteverdi’s mixture of different instruments accompanying the singers in Orfeo is the first time this variety was seen. For example, in Peri’s opera Euridice written seven years prior to Orfeo, he simply used four instruments: the harpsichord, two large lutes, and a lira, or a bowed string instrument.34 In Orfeo, the orchestra is very large, 31 Monteverdi, 9, https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/310353. 32 Cohen, 70. 33 Mack, 2. 34 Hamm, 126.
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