Music to write by

I'm in a very painful place with my novel now. In fact, from this point on it will probably be little else but pain. As I write, I like to listen to music that compliments the mood of the scenes I'm writing.

Most of the weekend was spent writing a delightful, very pastoral scene in which my two characters fall in love with one another and then of course the love scene that goes along with it. I wrote those scenes while listening to the Mozart Flute and harp concerto. But then, yesterday morning, I began the descent into the series of tragic events in this story that create the tension in the love story and make it the classic "star-crossed lovers" tale that it is. So I put in my CD of Cecilia Bartoli singing 18th century Italian songs. There is one that I will have my heroine sing at some point in the novel--I haven't decided where yet, but it's perfect and expresses the mood of the story so well.

Intorno all'idol mio by Cesti sung by Italian mezzo-soprano, Cecilia Bartoli.

Around my idol
Breathe, merely breathe,
Winds sweet and gracious
And on the favored cheeks
Kiss him for me, courtly breezes!

In my love who rests
On the wings of peace
Pleasant dreams provoke.
And my hidden ardor
Reveal to him for me
O spirits of love.