To whom did Francesco Landini address his madrigal Deh, dimmi tu?

Research in Italian Trecento music necessarily includes analysis of the poetic texts of musical compositions, for they may contain precious information about the circumstances of the creation of these works. It is a difficult task, however, since poetic texts are often very difficult to interpret. That is why we must look for relevant information in other sources, such as archival documents and purely literary works. The three-voice madrigal Deh, dimmi tu by Francesco Landini has attracted the attention of many scholars due to its unusual musical technique: a canon at the fifth between the tenor and the countratenor. Its text has been regarded as a general invective against nouveau riches. I propose that Landini might have intended one of his colleagues- musicians, who seems to have made a breathtaking career rewarded by fine clothes, jewels and horses (tondi palafreni). Further investigation has revealed a number of documents (both administrative and literary) in which horses appear as a hallmark of the famous uomo di corte, buffoon, poet, singer and player of musical instruments, Dolcibene. Considered together, these documents provide a solid basis on which to confirm Dolcibene as the addressee of Landini’s invective.