Madrigal: The Legacy of Francis Petrarch
Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1-4pm
Grace Memorial Episcopal Church

In 1501 Italian poet and scholar Pietro Bembo published a new edition of poetry by Francis Petrarch (1304-1374). Petrarch, often credited as the “Father of Humanism,” wrote hundreds of sonnets (canzoniere) highlighting the importance of human experience, emotion, and reason, as opposed to a focus on purely divine subjects. Bembo’s advocacy for Petrarch’s helped establish a cult-like following for the poet in the 16th century which led to a frenzy of literary and musical activity. In this workshop we will explore some of Petrarch’s most popular poems set to music by da Rore, Willaert, de Wert, Marenzio, Palestrina and Monteverdi.