Canzone

A canzone (Italian for "song"; plural canzoni) is a secular Italian lyric poem and vocal piece. The term has evolved considerably over centuries, encompassing various forms and styles.

Originally, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the canzone was a serious and complex poetic form favored by poets like Dante Alighieri and Petrarch. These early canzoni were characterized by:

• Formal Structure: A highly structured form with five to seven stanzas (called stanze), each followed by a shorter concluding stanza called a tornata or commiato.
• Complex Rhyme Schemes: Elaborate and often intricate rhyme patterns within each stanza, typically involving interlocking rhymes.
• Elevated Subject Matter: Often dealing with themes of love, politics, or philosophical contemplation, treated with seriousness and intellectual rigor.
• Consistent Meter: Each stanza adhered to a strict metrical pattern.
• Tornata Function: The tornata served to address the poem, summarize its contents, or dedicate it to a specific person.

Later, the term canzone became more broadly applied to any lyrical song in Italian. In the 16th century, with the rise of the madrigal and other forms, the strict formal requirements of the canzone began to loosen. Composers often used the term to refer to polyphonic vocal works, distinct from the more strictly contrapuntal motet. These canzoni could be either original compositions or arrangements of existing chansons.

In instrumental music, especially during the Baroque period, canzone (or canzona) could refer to a specific type of instrumental piece, often derived from vocal models. These instrumental canzoni typically featured lively, imitative textures and sectional structures.

In modern usage, canzone simply means "song" in Italian and can refer to virtually any type of popular or art song. The connection to the original, highly formalized poetic form is often lost.