Classical Music
As Vesta Was Decending
Madrigal
The madrigal is a vocal genre performed by an ensemble.
Small groups of solo and ensemble voices are used in this genre.
This genre incorporates only a few parts per piece and does not incorporate multiple movements.
The madrigal came from Italy circa 1520; then in England in 1588, after the defeat of the Spanish armada.
Examples of tone painting is used in this genre include Weelkes' As Vesta Was Descending, when the word "descending" is sung on descending scales and "ascending" is sung with ascending scales. The lines "First two by two" and "then three by three together" are sung with their respective number of voices. And the words “all alone” are sung by only one voice.
Composers no longer write in this genre today.