MADRIGAL. As a definite musical art-form, the madrigal was known by the middle of the 15th century (see ARCADELT). It developed on the same lines as the Motet (q.v.) some early ex amples even combining an ecclesiastical canto fermo in the tenor with secular counterpoint in the other parts. Thus Josquin's Deploration de Jehan Okenheim (see Music) might be called a madrigal if the term were used for compositions to French texts at all. But by the middle of the i6th century the Italian madrigal had become the highest form of secular music, and the name was appropriated to Italian compositions regardless of the form of the words. Only Yonge's Musica Transalpina saved the title for Eng lish composers, and this by providing singable English texts for Italian compositions. When Lasso sets Marot's madrigals he calls his compositions "chansons." On the other hand, when Pales trina composes Petrarca's sonnets to the Virgin in memory of Laura, the result appears as a volume of Madrigali spirituali. The fame of these made elegiac madrigals, spiritual or secular, as com mon as livelier kinds.
The term means a polyphony not inferior to that of the motet, and thus distinguishes madrigals from ballets, villanellas, frottolas and other fantastic trifles. Masses were often founded on the
themes of madrigals, with little more scandal than when they used the themes of motets (see Mass; MOTET). Some of Palestrina's masses remained in high favour even though they were avowedly founded on madrigals with almost risque texts.
In the 17th century the new dramatic style of Monteverdi (q.v.) and the eclectic experiments of Schutz put the breaking-strain upon the madrigal. It had already been overworked in the attempt to make music-drama by a choir behind the stage with pantomime in front. Vecchi, a great polyphonist, laughed this to death in his Amfiparnasso (see OPERA ).
Later uses of the term seldom have a definite meaning, though there was a remarkable vitality in the mid-19th century efforts of De Pearsall, in pure madrigal style: while the Madrigale spirituale in Stanford's oratorio Eden has the beauty of pure scholarship.
(D. F. T.)