Date:
Late 16th century (published 1594)
Description:
April is in my Mistress’ Face is a well-known English madrigal by Thomas Morley, set to a short, evocative text comparing the changing emotions of a lady’s face to the seasons. Despite its brevity, the piece beautifully captures both the elegance and emotional nuance of Elizabethan madrigal style.
Discussion:
Published in The First Booke of Madrigals (1594), Morley’s setting of this poem is a perfect example of the English adaptation of the Italian madrigal. Its succinct, through-composed structure and vivid word-painting make it popular with chamber choirs and early music groups. The clever twist at the end—“And December in her heart”—gives it a bittersweet charm. It is an excellent entry-level madrigal that introduces singers to Renaissance polyphony and expressive text setting.
Composer:
Thomas Morley (c. 1557–1602)
Arranged by:
Originally SATB by Morley; modern editions adapt for SSA, SAB, or TTBB
Sheet Music:
Available in The Oxford Book of English Madrigals, CPDL, IMSLP, and other madrigal anthologies.
The arrangement we use is from the Big Lochac Snogbook(page 12) and is available here as a pdf, mus or musescore file
Parts:
Originally SATB
Also available in SSA and TTBB arrangements for smaller or specialized ensembles
Type:
Secular Madrigal
Language:
Early Modern English
Ranges:
- Soprano: D4 – G5
- Alto: A3 – D5
- Tenor: E3 – B4
- Bass: G2 – E4
(Ranges may shift slightly in alternate voicings)
Advice for beginners:
This is an ideal madrigal for new vocal ensembles. Keep the tone light and clear, and focus on dynamic shaping to reflect the emotional contrasts (from “April” to “December”). Blend and tuning are important, but the brief length makes it manageable. Pay close attention to the text painting—each line has a distinct mood to bring out.
Sound Files:
Here are some sound files for reference. All parts, soprano, alto, tenor, bass