Madrigals and Motetts of 5 Parts

work by Gibbons

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June 30, 2026

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Orlando Gibbons's Madrigals and Motetts of 5 Parts, published in 1612, is a collection of deeply felt musical settings of moral and philosophical texts. This work showcases Gibbons's mastery of the polyphonic style prevalent in his era and includes notable pieces such as "The Silver Swan" and "What Is Our Life?".1

A madrigal is a form of vocal chamber music that originated in Italy in the 14th century and experienced a significant revival in the 16th century. Motets are a type of musical composition. Gibbons's collection demonstrates his skill in these vocal forms, contributing to his reputation as one of the last great figures of the English polyphonic school.231

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Orlando Gibbons
His Madrigals and Motetts of 5 Parts was published in 1612. This collection contains deeply felt and very personal settings of texts that are, for the most part, of a moral or philosophical nature. It shows Gibbons’s mastery of the polyphonic idiom of his day and…
Read More
His Madrigals and Motetts of 5 Parts was published in 1612. This collection contains deeply felt and very personal settings of texts that are, for the most part, of a moral or philosophical nature. It shows Gibbons’s mastery of the polyphonic idiom of his day and…
Read More