ABSTRACT
A period of formalities and cast-iron respect for etiquette, the century in which Marenzio lived must have attributed a certain importance to the order in which single compositions appeared in print and the way they were grouped. It is also plausible – in some cases certain – that composers paid close attention to the order of their pieces within single-author madrigal prints. That such an order could possess great significance is a hypothesis the author tries to corroborate with a review of Marenzio's secular output. Marenzio does not adhere to the original order; it is as if he wanted to offer an entirely new poetic trajectory, one adapted to his own personality. The musical creativity of Marenzio is not nourished by autobiographical episodes, but rather reflects changing psychological inclinations, often close to the melancholic humour, traditionally the temperament that characterizes creative geniuses.
