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The Madrigal, sometimes called the Italian Madrigal, began as both a poetic and musical form in 14th century Italy, love poems set to music. As a verse form it has evolved, the shape of the frame changing from the 14th to the 16th centuries. As a "musical form" it selects various verse forms such as the sonnet, balatta or the canzone to frame its lyrics. This is probably why the definition of the frame can vary from source to source. Also see the English Madrigal.
The elements of the earliest Madrigals as framed by Petrarch and others