Il primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci - Claudio da Correggio

A sixteenth-century woodcut print of an alto part-book page from Claudio da Correggio's 1566 madrigal collection.

This print reproduces a page from the alto part-book of Claudio da Correggio's first book of madrigals, published in Venice in 1566. The composition displays the characteristic typography of sixteenth-century music printing, where individual metal types for staves, notes, and text were assembled to create a coherent page. The layout features a decorative initial letter 'D' at the top left, which provides a visual anchor for the musical text that follows.

The notation uses mensural symbols, typical of the period, arranged on a five-line staff. The text, written in Italian, is set directly beneath the corresponding melodic lines. This specific page captures the alto voice part, reflecting the polyphonic nature of the madrigal form popular in the Italian Renaissance. The clarity of the printing process allows for the observation of the individual note shapes, including lozenge-shaped note heads and the specific ligatures used to group rhythmic values.

As a piece of historical ephemera, this print offers a view into the technical production of music during the sixteenth century. The paper shows the natural ageing expected of a document from this era, with a warm, off-white tone that contrasts with the dark, crisp ink of the woodcut blocks. The arrangement of the text and music demonstrates the balance between aesthetic presentation and functional readability required for performers of the time. This print is suitable for those interested in the history of music, typography, or the material culture of the Renaissance period.