 Re: Idiom Explanation
A 'madrigal' is a song dating from about the Renaissance period. It has no instrumental accompaniment, and is sung by several people singing different parts (notes), so that together they sing a melody line and the chord.
These parts were not of the kind found in quartets and sextets in opera, where you have the soprano, tenor, baritone and contralto holding forth in parts expressly written for that voice. Hence, the madrigal books would have been able to be passed around the table and anyone sing any of the parts. |