ASCOLTA: Già torna a rallegrar l'aria e la terra - Luca Marenzio

Live recording from Ascolta's Spring Concert on 29 March 2025 in the Dublin Unitarian Church on Stephen’s Green. This beautiful 5-part Renaissance madrigal was written in 1518 by Luca Marenzio. Lyrics & translation below.

Singers (left - right)
Lea Försterling (soprano)
Kevin Sheedy (bass)
Gráinne O’Hogan (alto)
Garrath Patterson (tenor)
Audrey Keogan (soprano)

Ascolta Vocal Ensemble is an eight-voice choral ensemble based in Dublin, Ireland. We’re a group of singers who share a passion for music and love singing together. “Ascolta” means “listen” in Italian and we chose it because, as a self-conducted group, we need to actively listen to each other to create a unified sound for the audience to enjoy.

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Già torna a rallegrar l'aria e la terra
il giovenetto April carco di fiori;
il Mar s'acqueta, il giel fugge sottera,
scherzan le vaghe Ninfe e i lor Pastori;
tornan gli augelli a l'amorosa guerra
lieti a cantar nei matutini albori.
Ed io piango la notte e son dolente,
tosto che'l sol si scopre in oriente.

Already youthful April returns, laden with flowers, to gladden the air and the earth;
the Sea stills, the frost flees below ground,
the charming Nymphs and their Shepherds frollic;
The birds return, in amorous conflict,
happy to sing in the glimmer of early morn.
And I weep the night away and am sorrowful
as soon as the sun shows itself in the east.